Last updated: 7:49 am
June 27, 2008
Posted: 3:52 am
June 27, 2008
HORDES of Knicks fans - only recently slightly upgraded from comatose - scurried back into their custom-made trauma units as a result of yesterday's events . . . but not before venting frustration (as if these fans have any clue what the Danilo Gallinari brings to the tarmac) at Donnie Walsh's selection of the Italian Scallion at No. 6.
While two Eastern Conference teams - Bucks and Raptors - greatly improved as a result of trades, the Nets gave themselves maximum financial effectiveness ($22 million under the projected cap of $58M, July 1, 2010) to recruit potential free agent (while boxing out the Knicks) LeBron James . . . and Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.
By my count, the Nets are the 23rd team to set their sights on the free agent Class of 2010.
Clearing cap room two years ahead of time on the belief James' outwardly magnetic bond with Nets' minority owner Jay-Z (it's not as if he rhymes as tight as Biggie Smalls) will influence him to forsake his home state of Ohio is like building an elaborate spec house just across the Brooklyn Bridge in today's saggy, baggy real estate market.
Yet here we have intrepid Nets' owner Bruce Ratner (from Cleveland), no less doing both!
At the same time, Ratner and henchmen, Rod Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe, are radically "rebuilding" the team by tearing down its foundation.
First Jason Kidd was kiboshed for Devin Harris, 10 years younger, and a pair of unprotected Dallas first rounders. Now, in a studious money move Richard Jefferson (22.6 ppg.) has been jettisoned to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons' expiring (after two more seasons) contract.
Vince Carter is sure to be excised next, it says here, and it's likely to be sooner than later.
In fact, sources swear the Nets could have traded Carter yesterday had management merely wanted to dump salary, a $70M, 5-year guarantee. But apparently the plan, at least for the moment, is to secure an asset or two in the process.
True, Carter (he and cousin Tracy McGrady are the two active leading scorers not to have played in a single Finals) is the sole Net capable of creating points at game's end with the verdict up for grabs.
Too bad the lone payoff was a seat on the lottery dais. In the mind of management, as constructed, there was more non-playoff payoffs where that came from.
