Minor Adjustments

[Don Che]

I actually agree with Dolan that this roster is better then last years. What he didn't mention is that this roster is DIFFERENT then last years.

A similar theme that I and plenty of us have been mentioning on this board for years is the "fit" and "identity" this team has and adjusting a game plan for that roster.

Either we will have a players that are pretty good on their own but don't work well together(Marbury/Jamal/Curry etc.)

Or we have a young team but no pure talent to get us over the hump (Lee/Nate/Wilson)

Mainly we never had a coach to trust to the point that we KNEW it wasn't their incompetence that failed us.

Marbury years could of worked....if you benched Jamal...Traded Curry after his 18 and 7 fools gold year for a defensive stud next to Zach and ran the Stockton to Malone plays to the playoffs and see where we went. instead of making a "minor" adjustment...we blew the WHOLE THING UP.

Lee and Nate could of worked here if we stopped with the 2010 BS and drafted a Center and a guard with those lottery picks and LET THEM WORK instead of drafting players with the full intention of trading them.

Amar'e and his injury woes is something that put us at a big disadvantage and we probably should of Amnestied him but theres nothing we could of done really.

This team can work...but you need a coach that sifts through the BS and makes minor adjustments to make sure Melo/Bargs are playing their best since both of these guys are healthy and have scored 20 plus points in this league before.... JR was a one year show...he is who he is

With that said...I think we should KEEP Shump and trade Felton to a team that he can actually be useful. The Sacramento Kings....they are a talented team..have weapons on different spots of the floor and he won't be forced to be the 3rd option like he is here at times. Kings need a VETERAN player on their roster that knows how to play and is a hard nosed "no excuses" kind of guy...Felton is that guy and he can play with other PG's if they can hit a open shot.

Isaiah Thomas is there guy..he's dropping 17 and 5...Felton backing him up or even starting over him would be a good addition for them.

They have 2 point guards that would help us in different areas. We lack 3 things..... 3 point shooting/Assists/Rebounding guards

Vasquez helps 2 out of the 3..he's 6'6 and focuses on passing the ball. He went 14 and 9 last year and seems pretty underrated. He rebounds well for a guard, tough as nails and plays with passion. Fearless against his competition and I repeat....dished out 9 dimes a game last year.

Jimmer Freddette...I knew the MOMENT he was drafted to the Kings he wasn't going to amount to anything. Not because of him but the franchise he's gone to and that the time he's going. Jimmer is 6'3, strong, good shooter and most importantly he's cold and fearless. Melo can use him wonderfully..similar to how he used Billups(similar games at that stage in their careers) spread the floor for Melo, execute in the half court and make BIG SHOTS. Jimmer can play a role in which he runs an offense and knocks down spot up shots. Also, he can shoot off the dribble...The most missed shot in our offense is Felton's mid range shot after the pick and roll. Jimmer can hit those in his sleep. He just needs a chance to play with a team that plays at his pace and a scheme that fits his asset as a player along with veterans that cause a lot of attention.

Why either one can be successful.

Both of these guys are either tall or strong enough to guard SOME Shooting guards...which allows Shump to do what he does best...guard ON THE BALL, he's ok off the ball but ON the ball full court pressure on PG's hes special. He gets steals while your bring it up not like a safety catching in passing lanes.

This also helps with switching since they are both bigger then Felton by a large margin. I'd also throw Toure in the rotation but I don't know how he's playing in practice.

Again..something minor that helps and might turn this season around.

[nazrmohamed]

I actually think Freddettes skill set is probably the best fit for Melo. Melo and the way he plays needs a point guard who doesn't turn the ball over, feeds the post and is a lethal three point shooter. Problem is you want that skill set in the head of a savvy old vet who can lead, not a failed project.

Vasquez isn't a savvy old vet either but he's proven and I like how he plays. And besides Melo I think he would better run a whole team.

[big_j_NY]

Vasquez would definitely look nice with us.............the fact that he is actually a 6'6" PURE POINT GUARD that was able to drop 9 dimes on a lottery-bound scrub team last season is certainly something special right there.

But I kinda agree with nazr as well in terms of Jimmer, his skillset is perfect in a sense that he is similar to Gerry McNamara when he was Melo's PG at Syracuse 10 years ago. But unlike McNamara, Jimmer isn't there yet in terms of his decision-making at the PG position.

Sadly, Stephen Curry would be the best choice to fit alongside Carmelo in terms of taking that offensive skillset in combination with the smart decision-making from the PG position..................and the Knicks had every opportunity to get Curry in the 2009 draft as well (if they had just traded David Lee's ass and moved up to the #5 pick instead of saying with #8 and drafting fucking Jordan Hill)

[Don Che]

Jimmer isnt a failed project he's just in a bad situation.

I don't think Stephen Curry would be Stephen Curry if he was drafted to the Kings. Golden State was a better situation/roster for his skill set and temperament

[nazrmohamed]

Yep, Curry would be the perfect pg. It's not one of these ratty pgs weaving in and out of picks. It doesn't even have to be a high assist generator. I think a lot of people think that's what Melo needs. The best pg for Melos style is actually, and I'll give you a high low chart here....

Billups
.
.
Curry
.
.
Bibby
.
.
.Freddette

What's similar about these guys? They feed a post up player first or an offense with movable parts and then as a secondary they are dead eye shooters. Now you're probably wondering my ranking. It's more about leadership at this point in Melos career. I just think that even more important than skillet is seniority and influence. Melo went to the WCF with Billups and it's important to understand why. Billups skillet worked perfectly, while his experience made him more of a leader than Melo. Melo respected him. Last yr it's obvious that Melo respected Kidd as well and this yr those circumstances don't exist.

[KnicksFanInSouthFL]

I wouldn't hesitate to trade for Vasquez, Jimmer not so much... Jimmer Fredette is a glorified 6'2" SG, just like the countless others in the same mold that we've had cycle through here, and I'm not at all interested in his services.

But ignore my opinion of him, and just look at his skill-set which tells you everything you need to know about how he would fare here...

- Can he create his own shot? No!!! He's a catch and shoot player.

- Can he penetrate defenses AND create for others? No!!! If Jimmer ever gets by his man he's looking to shoot, period.

- Is he an able defender? No!!! And with the struggles we've experienced defensively over the last couple of seasons I don't know how you guys would even consider this dude.

All things considered ya boy Jimmer wouldn't have any impact in addressing the problems this team is currently facing on either side of the ball. And for that reason alone he isn't even worth discussing. The only advantage I'd give Fredette over our current crop of PG's is that he'd more than likely win a shooting contest in practice, that's it...

Felton (infinitely better) > Fredette, Prigioni (a 2-way player) > Fredette and Udrih (is better offensively, which isn't saying much) > Fredette