Mission 2010 is officially under way.
In one of the most dramatic trade days in franchise history, Donnie Walsh stuck his shovel in the dirt Friday and began the process of digging out from under the mountainous Knicks payroll, trading away his team's top two scorers, Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, in separate deals.
Walsh sent Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for 6-9 forward Al Harrington on Friday morning and later sent Randolph and guard Mardy Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers for guard Cuttino Mobley and 6-10 forward Tim Thomas, a former Knick.
All of the incoming players have contracts that expire in 2010, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh are expected to be available. The Knicks plan to make a major play for more than one of the stars available that year.
"Opening up cap space down the road for us is a big plus on our side, and I hope our fans understand that can give us an opportunity to make the team better according to the plan that I've outlined," Walsh said. "And so I'm trying to be true to what I've said from Day 1."
Randolph, who was averaging 20.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, has two more years and $34 million left on his deal, which includes a $17.3-million salary in 2010-11. Crawford (19.6 points, 4.4 assists per game) has a player option after this season that would extend his contract another $19.3 million, including $10.08 million in 2010-11. So by moving both, Walsh cleared $27 million in salary off the 2010-11 payroll.
As it stands today, the Knicks - who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday - are committed to only four players and $18 million in salary for that season, topped by Eddy Curry's $11.2-million salary.
Curry initially was offered to the Warriors two weeks ago. They said no to Curry and, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, Walsh told Warriors executive Chris Mullin to pick a player on the Knicks' roster and get back to him. Mullin chose Crawford.
Walsh hesitated to move Crawford, but once he was able to secure a guard (Mobley) to replace him in the lineup, the deal was easier to make. The Knicks wanted to do everything possible to avoid having to play Stephon Marbury, although they were forced to dress him for Friday's game in Milwaukee because the NBA requires a minimum of eight healthy players in uniform.
The Clippers have been interested in Randolph since the summer, when Walsh initially turned down a trade that would have sent Randolph to L.A. for a second-round pick. But along with Randolph, the Clippers were demanding a first-round pick plus $3 million in cash. After a 2-9 start, however, the Clippers decided to shake up their roster.
All three of the players the Knicks acquired fit coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo style. Harrington, a versatile swingman, thrives in the transition game, as does Mobley, 33, a scoring guard and a capable perimeter defender. Thomas, 31, played for D'Antoni's Phoenix Suns in the 2005-06 season, when they reached the Western Conference finals.
"I really want to dispel the notion that we did it to clear [cap space], which we did," D'Antoni said. "Obviously, we have a long-term plan and that was the plan the very first day. But we're not throwing this year away or thinking that we're not going to make the playoffs, that we're waiting for three years. We're going to go out and develop this team and really fight hard to make the playoffs."
Harrington, 28, demanded a trade from the Warriors before the season began and appeared in only five games. The Orange, N.J., native will be at the Garden for a news conference Saturday, but because physicals must be passed by all the players involved, the new players are not expected to play until Tuesday against Cleveland.
Newsday.com
In one of the most dramatic trade days in franchise history, Donnie Walsh stuck his shovel in the dirt Friday and began the process of digging out from under the mountainous Knicks payroll, trading away his team's top two scorers, Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, in separate deals.
Walsh sent Crawford to the Golden State Warriors for 6-9 forward Al Harrington on Friday morning and later sent Randolph and guard Mardy Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers for guard Cuttino Mobley and 6-10 forward Tim Thomas, a former Knick.
All of the incoming players have contracts that expire in 2010, when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh are expected to be available. The Knicks plan to make a major play for more than one of the stars available that year.
"Opening up cap space down the road for us is a big plus on our side, and I hope our fans understand that can give us an opportunity to make the team better according to the plan that I've outlined," Walsh said. "And so I'm trying to be true to what I've said from Day 1."
Randolph, who was averaging 20.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, has two more years and $34 million left on his deal, which includes a $17.3-million salary in 2010-11. Crawford (19.6 points, 4.4 assists per game) has a player option after this season that would extend his contract another $19.3 million, including $10.08 million in 2010-11. So by moving both, Walsh cleared $27 million in salary off the 2010-11 payroll.
As it stands today, the Knicks - who are owned by Cablevision, which also owns Newsday - are committed to only four players and $18 million in salary for that season, topped by Eddy Curry's $11.2-million salary.
Curry initially was offered to the Warriors two weeks ago. They said no to Curry and, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, Walsh told Warriors executive Chris Mullin to pick a player on the Knicks' roster and get back to him. Mullin chose Crawford.
Walsh hesitated to move Crawford, but once he was able to secure a guard (Mobley) to replace him in the lineup, the deal was easier to make. The Knicks wanted to do everything possible to avoid having to play Stephon Marbury, although they were forced to dress him for Friday's game in Milwaukee because the NBA requires a minimum of eight healthy players in uniform.
The Clippers have been interested in Randolph since the summer, when Walsh initially turned down a trade that would have sent Randolph to L.A. for a second-round pick. But along with Randolph, the Clippers were demanding a first-round pick plus $3 million in cash. After a 2-9 start, however, the Clippers decided to shake up their roster.
All three of the players the Knicks acquired fit coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo style. Harrington, a versatile swingman, thrives in the transition game, as does Mobley, 33, a scoring guard and a capable perimeter defender. Thomas, 31, played for D'Antoni's Phoenix Suns in the 2005-06 season, when they reached the Western Conference finals.
"I really want to dispel the notion that we did it to clear [cap space], which we did," D'Antoni said. "Obviously, we have a long-term plan and that was the plan the very first day. But we're not throwing this year away or thinking that we're not going to make the playoffs, that we're waiting for three years. We're going to go out and develop this team and really fight hard to make the playoffs."
Harrington, 28, demanded a trade from the Warriors before the season began and appeared in only five games. The Orange, N.J., native will be at the Garden for a news conference Saturday, but because physicals must be passed by all the players involved, the new players are not expected to play until Tuesday against Cleveland.
Newsday.com
