Josh smith- a better fit than Greg Monroe

[el gringos]

I figured you "guys" wouldn't play a "who's the keepers, expendables, and needs" for this Knicks team- so I titled a fact that you can start thinking on



Keepers: Carmelo, shumpert, smith, smith, bargnani, Calderon


Team needs:
Athletic 4
Sixth man type/starting caliber guard
Shooting/rebounding big

Guys I love spots 10-15: wear, cleanthony, Aldrich, Acy

They have to figure out a way to keep Carmelo healthy. That will have a much better chance of happening with him at the 3. Changes in the big man dept have to happen. There just isn't a good mix of guys where they can keep 2 bigs on the floor. Then in Larkin, prigioni the Knicks have 2 guys who don't fit the system, but are good enough to be backup pg's in the right system.

Expendable pieces w value:
Larkin
Hardaway jr
Amare
Dalembert
Thanasis and picks.


A year ago the Knicks had no assets (a down value chandler and a down value shumpert). Now you have 5 expendable guys who have value- can't those 5 and picks fill the 3 needs?

Now I know that a lot of you guys want to see this start over from scratch next year w a new #2 or 1 piece and think that pieces 3-9 are easily replaced/filled, but I think there are some pieces already in place that aren't going to be that easy to replace


Because of the bargnani hate and that Calderon has never played a regular season game I think many are not realizing that a team that is short the pieces they need to begin w and they're missing 2 of your top 4 players on top? Of course there are struggles. Knicks need some holes filled to be complete when fully healthy and to be competitive when a couple guys are hurt.


Guard: Dragic
Shooting/rebounding big:love or gasol
Athletic big: well if you have love and gasol you are so skilled you wouldn't need it, but IMO unless you have 2 all world players at the 4&5- keeping Carmelo away from being the biggest and most athletic forward.


Ewing's Oakley should be Carmelo's josh smith. Bodyguard in a different way. Even fisher/Phil will take the easy way out and play Carmelo at the 4 if there isn't somebody that can play those mins next to bargnani and smith


This team is way closer than most think. Calderon/bargnani injuries are huge. The team needs to figure out a way that a few injuries don't kill the team. Need another guard. Need another big, preferably 2 to make the team better both ways.


Waiting to start over with a new top 2 is a risky move. Sure, if it works out then long term maybe it's the right Pick. Maybe filling slots 3-8 will be easy once you have your 2, but IMO you never get a 1 or 2 if your 3-8 isn't there



If the Knicks wait for "a chance" at gasol, love, lebron, or Dragic they have to give up Jason smith and bargnani, and maybe shumpert and JR. Is gasol really worth bargnani, smith, shumpert, and another guy from free agency in addition to whoever could be traded for? Maybe. Is Monroe worth starting over? Not even close. Josh smith is the better player and the better fit. On a better contract than the Knicks could get Monroe on.


I know you want to throw another season away, but......... That's not the path to getting better. The path to getting better is to get good. And then use the power of money and the power of being good to become great. This team would change the nba

Calderon/Brandon Knight
Shumpert/smith
Carmelo
Smith/illyasova
Bargnani/smith


Prigioni
Cleanthony
Wear
Acy/jerebko
Aldrich


That's a team that can play the triangle and become a team that players want to play for

[el gringos]

But all josh smith would be in the triangle is a more athletic Lamar odom. Would that even work?


And Monroe would be a guy that couldn't play with another big? Knicks need that right? Because bargnani, amare, smith, and dalembert aren't enough bigs that have a tough time playing w another big.


Everybody wants a defined top 2. Well you already have that and how great is that working? IMO a better #2 scorer than gasol is having josh smith, jr, bargnani, and then even a illyasova type taking turns