The Knicks Giving Their Fans False Hope

The New York Knicks made two trades today to unload players and and create salary cap space.

The first trade was with the Golden State Warriors. The Knicks sent Jamal Crawford to the Warriors for Al Harrington.

The trade benefits both sides. The Warriors got rid of an unhappy player and get Crawford, who will more then likely opt out at the end of the season. The Knicks got to unload salary.

The second trade the Knicks made was sending Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley.

The reason why this trade was made by the Knicks is because both Thoms and Mobley become free agents and their salaries fall off the payroll.

The reason for the two trades as stated earlier was to have money to go after the free agents of 2010.

There are 17 big names that are on the list: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade,  Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh, Josh Howard, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Tracy McGrady, Michael Redd, Amare Stoudemire, Manu Ginboili, Tyson Chandler, Joe Johnson, Carmelo Anthony, Shaquille O'Neal, and Yao Ming.

LeBron James

Stated that he wants to be on a team that has a chance at winning. If that's the case, then New York is off the list. The Knicks, for the next two years, are again going to be a lottery team. That's not going to bode well for the Knicks to make a run at James.

Dwyane Wade

Wade will more than likely stay with the Miami Heat—he has no reason to leave them. The Heat are a young team and with the development of Michael Beasley and Shawn Marion into the lineup for the next few years, they will be competitive.

Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki will be 32-years-old when he becomes a free agent, and I don't see him heading to New York. More than likely, he will stay with the Dallas Mavericks because I don't see Mark Cuban letting him leave.

Chris Bosh

The Knicks haven't had a true center since Patrick Ewing.

I believe Bosh will definitely think about becoming a Knick, but in the end, it also depends on what happens before that. If the Toronto Raptors get hot this year and make a run in the playoffs, he may stay with the Raptors.

Josh Howard

Howard has worn out his welcome in Dallas. Don't be surprised if he goes to New York, because he would definitely fit in Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun system.

Steve Nash

If he doesn't retire after the 2010 season because, well let's face it, he's getting up there in age, well for a point guard at 36-years-old.

The Knicks may sign him due to the fact the system that he's been most effective with D'Antoni with the Phoenix Suns. I could see the Knicks signing him as a backup point guard, and they could use his shooting abilities as well coming off the bench.

Ray Allen

Will be a year younger than Steve Nash when he becomes a free agent. I believe he stays with the Boston Celtics to finish out his career.

Richard Hamilton

Hamilton more than likely will stay with the Detroit Pistons unless Joe Dumars wants to go in a different direction.

Hamilton will still be plenty young at 32-years-old. I don't see the Knicks making a run at him because he's not the type of player that would succeed in an up-and-down system. He will either stay in Detroit or sign with the Philadelphia 76ers to play closer to home.

Tracy McGrady

I think he stays with the Houston Rockets.

Not many teams are going to go after him, even though he'll still be young at 31. The injury history of McGrady will scare teams off, he definitely won't be signing with the Knicks.

Michael Redd

He's the same age as McGrady. He would definitely help the New York Knicks out in terms of his ability to shoot the ball and has become a better at scoring in the paint. He may be someone the Knicks are interested in but there are other names that the Knicks will go after.

I will say that the Knicks, Warriors, and Portland Blazers could go after him.

Amare Stoudemire

Now this would definitely be an interesting free agent for the Knicks to go after.

Stoudamire definitely loves the style of play that D'Antoni runs. He's one of the key free agents that the Knicks will be likely to get because I heard that he wants a reunion with D'Antoni in New York, which would make no room for Chris Bosh.

Manu Ginobili

Many will be 33 and I don't see him going to New York. He'll be with the San Antonio Spurs for his whole career.

Carmelo Anthony

Here's someone the Knicks could get. 'Melo would be coming home to New York and seems like he would definitely take the Knicks money.

The Knicks have an excellent shot at signing him.

Shaq

There's absolutely no chance of him going to the Knicks. He will go to a team that's going to win too. That is possibly a return to the Los Angeles Lakers, well at least that's what he has said.

Yao Ming

He'll more than likely stay in Houston, he could go to Golden State, but it would be a sign and trade deal, and I don't think Chris Cohan would give Ming anywhere near the money Yao would command.

He could definitely go to New York, but he may not be able to play in the up and down game that D'Antoni loves.

Joe Johnson

The Knicks would definitely have a chance getting Johnson. Seeing how his career took off in D'Antoni's system, he'll benefit in the system and make a name for himself in New York.

There are very few free agents for 2010 that would go to New York or fit in the system of Mike D'Antoni. The select few are players who already been in the Suns system.

Look for Stoudemire, Johnson, Bosh, Anthony, and Nash as possible free agent signings for the Knicks.

The big names of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have no chance of going to the Knicks.

Although, Jalen Rose of ESPN has a different take on it.

He believes that James and Bosh will be Knicks. With the trades of today and making the Knicks a lottery team for the next two years, they aren't going to persuade any of the top-flight free agents to come to New York.