Hard to say whether the Knicks win streak is a direct correlation to Hart. Too many variables. Would Randle of hit that game winning shot tonight, with or without Hart on the roster? Tough to tell. Regardless, he wouldn’t re-sign with us. I just hope we got optimal value which I’m not sure we’ve gotten in most Cronin trades.
Let's just keep it really simple Knicks 8-0 with Josh Hart Blazers 1-4 without Josh Hart keep all variables out, except perhaps Portland's 1 victory was against the absolute worst team in the NBA, and Lillard put 71 point "reject this product" stamps all over the Houston Rockets.
Big picture: How would Portland have benefited from keeping Hart for an extra 25 games? We would've won a couple more games and got a worse draft pick? There was no way he was getting re-signed this summer. Losing him for nothing would've been a disaster.
I don't see big picture. "Listen" is what I see again. Nurk contract is classic Olshey move. Give him money, because he is Portland's boy now. That was the only reason. Thybulle and Radish are classic Olshey move too. And forum is dreaming about next trade window stright after one is gone. And this is nothing new. New would be - going young or going all in. Hart wanted to play basketball and he's gone, cos what Blazers are doing is fucking mistery, but it's not basketball related. What is not mistery, Blazers losing games after trading only guy, that was focused on playing basketball and doing his work every day. Not talking, modeling, rapping or cooking.
I really hate that "They had to trade him" stance. IMO you find a way to pay that man. I don't care if Jody has to have a Lawyer from Mar Lago send him a package with no return address on it.
It's not that simple though. The Knicks were already trending upwards as a team. In the 20 games prior to Hart, they had wins over Philly, Boston, Cleveland, and Phoenix, and had a record above .500. Knicks 20 games before Hart: 11-9, against much harder competition. In this 8 game stretch, they have played 2 good teams in Boston and Miami (2 wins against the post Durant Nets, who are 3-7 in their last 10 doesn't count). Hart absolutely helps, there's no doubt about it. But this streak is not mainly due to Hart. They were already coming together well before Hart showed up. They're on a nice run right now, and Randle and Brunson are rolling. Blazers last 20 games with Hart: 9-11. Blazers were sub .500 in the last 20 games WITH Hart The more telling stat, and I'm not a Nurk fanatic, is that the Blazers are 3-9 in the last 12 games that Nurk has missed. They're 6-4 in the last 10 games that Nurk has played. MAYBE this has more to do with the fact that the Blazers are starting a 3rd string C, and have a backup "C" who is a year or so away from being in China. Hart is missed, but not nearly to the level that they miss an actual Center on their roster.
that's the Cronin disciples line. We don't know if Josh would get a better qualifying offer. We don't know if he wouldn't resign on Dame's team. Everyone knows Reddish was a salary filler, Knicks had already advertised a couple 2nd round picks for Cam. Cronin desperately wanted a 1st round pick at the trade deadline, and it seems nobody wanted 3.3 years of Nurkic, and he wouldn't get hosed on Shaedon or Simons. Last call for a 1st round pick..... fine... take Josh Hart. It's like Cronin got burned so bad on the Gary Payton deal, he's just completely given up on evaluating legit professionals. Cronin has crawled into his safe place shell, and just goes with the young guys with potential draft armada, because that's what he knows best.
I stopped after "I don't see big picture" since that read to me "I'm not paying attention to common sense" lol
Stopped reading after "cronin disciples line" since that read as "it's the common sense thing, but I'm just going to ignore it". You don't have to outhink the room, it is right there. Luckily, I understood.
Don’t have the capital to get the whale to go with Dame, Sharpe, and Grant? Then swim in the shallow waters to take the next shot. Don’t do that — get a big to patch the roster — then repeat not having draft capital again this summer? A sneaky bad hand to play. IMHO, Nurkic not playing (and playing well enough) is culprit #2 in losses this year. #1 is not having a ‘finished’ roster, and admittedly so. It’s kinda obvious on the likely outgoing Blazers this summer … slightly less obvious than needing to sell off GP2 … MLE = 5 2nds? Yup. Sharpe was a risk — Cronin swung away — Connected. It’s what they said they were going to do. They are on a 2-track timeline with Dame’s win-now and building with youth. They’re picking Dame. The cost isn’t cheap. For this summer, Cronin got done with what he had to so that he’s not behind in the count. If he gets INCREDIBLY lucky this summer, we will be happy to say so. If he swings away and connects with the right vet, then it’s Dame-time.
Right—but sometimes teams just do a QO and that’s it. I’m saying I’d rather put a multi-year contract on the table unless there’s some sort of cap hold/trade chip strategy going on and you want an ‘expiring contract’ to match salary for the trade deadline. I think there’s some downside risk keeping a guy around that you don’t see as part of your future just because he’s a matching salary. Might as well bring in someone you really like/prefer/fits with the TPMLE instead.
This has nothing to do with Cronin. What makes you think ownership is giving the front office the green light to go well into the luxury tax for a bench player? This is a simple budget/accounting exercise, has nothing tno do with a discipleship. If you want to wager that Hart doesn't get more money than his qualifying offer this summer, you name the bet and I'll accept!
Does Hart even have a QO? The guy has a player option, if he opts out it's my understanding that he's an unrestricted free agent. I do think that he will opt out and I do think he'll get more money next season than his option, plus more guaranteed years. I think he probably had a very honest conversation with Joe and told him he wasn't planning on being back here or at least not for the money the team was willing to give him and that is why he was traded.
Hart can walk from the Knicks if he wants...I'm not sure that's what he wants. Thybulle is a solid replacement for him at a fraction of what it would cost to bring him back I'd think.
with the cap going up, the number of good teams that could use a multi-tool player like him, his relative young age, and the dearth of free agent talent—yeah. Or at least, a bit more than he’s currently making.
He's going to get paid and be in demand on the market...I think the Knicks will lock him up and give him the bag
Simon's mostly came off the bench for us last season right? Harts older, but a way better defender. If Knicks win their second playoff series in decades he might get a fat check.