Friday, November 21st, 2008 at 6:12 pm  |  119 responses

Walsh Keeps Working: Trades Zach Randolph to Clippers

by Ryne Nelson

As promised, Donnie Walsh is taking matters into his own hands. In the course of four hours, the Knicks shipped three players, in two trades, and received three in return.

The most recent deal, according to the L.A. Times, involves Zach Randolph and Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley of the Clippers.

The reshaping of the Clippers continued with the acquisition of forward Zach Randolph and guard Mardy Collins from the New York Knicks for shooting guard Cuttino Mobley and forward Tim Thomas.

The Knicks may also have a second round pick, but that’s peanuts. Let’s focus on the backbone of today’s trades.

Walsh dealt the Knicks’ two best players. Plain and simple. Al Harrington can arguably fit well in D’Antoni’s system, but the Knicks are clearly looking to be major players in the 2010 free agency goldmine.

Knicks fans, don’t get excited just yet. The deal is that unless the Knicks get a top free agent—LeBron James, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh—keeping Zach Randolph’s 20 and 10 might have been the best move.

Still, the Knicks did it right—they received cap relief without trading draft picks or young players. And that’s genius.

Rebuilding starts at the top, and hiring Walsh is delivering. Oh, and David Lee will have playing time again!

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  • http://www.ojhoops.blogspot.com the baconator

    @Teddy: Um, I’m a Knicks fan as well. Nowhere in that comment did I say Z-Bo was a crappy player; I merely called him fat and selfish, which is true. He forces a lot of shots and takes unnecessary threes. However, I respect his ability to bang underneath and put up 20-10. Believe me, I’m just as pissed as you are that the Knicks traded him, especially when it was for practically nothing. Between him and Crawford, they traded 40 pts for roughly 30 (Thomas, Mobley, and Harrington). If this isn’t a betrayal to Knicks fans, then I don’t know what is

  • http://twentythreenine.blogspot.com Russ Bengtson

    I didn’t even remember your comment, dude. Nothing personal. But man, hasn’t everyone been burned by Tim Thomas enough? His career averages are 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds. That’s pathetic! This is a 6-10 guy who was supposed to be one of the all-time greats. I’d love to see them buy him out along with Marbury.

  • http://twentythreenine.blogspot.com Russ Bengtson

    And wow, are the “LeBron to New York” columns/articles going to get tired, not that they aren’t already. I wish LeBron would sign a long-term extension with Cleveland TOMORROW.

  • http://www.ojhoops.blogspot.com the baconator

    Russ, those “Lebron to NY” columns are one of the few things that give us Knicks fans hope. Our organization just signed away the two best players on the team for virtually nothing; we need something to still keep us sane

  • http://twentythreenine.blogspot.com Russ Bengtson

    Only 152 games to go!

  • http://www.ojhoops.blogspot.com the baconator

    *sigh*…

  • http://twentythreenine.blogspot.com Russ Bengtson

    I’m just the messenger.

  • http://www.basketballnonsense.com/ Melvin

    Haha.. David Lee is again the starter.. I believe Al would play the center position and still David at 4 spot

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Q Richardson lit it up tonight. So did Nate and Chandler. Duhon had 11 assists tonight too. Also, Nate started at shooting guard. How gangster is that?

  • Dark

    As for the Cleveland fans who think Lebron won’t go join the “stank-a$$” roster the Knicks have, they should look at their own team, minus Lebron. It’s a testament to Lebron’s greatness that people (incl. Danny Ferry) don’t realize how weak most of his cast members are.

  • RV

    Wally was a former all-star, who can still shoot, Ben is still a good defender and rebounder, Mo will is a good pg, Z is an above average center, West is an above average bnch player…not sure how that’s weak at all…

  • http://www.hibachi20.blogspot.com Hursty

    To add on to RV- Varejao does the same job as David Lee, Gibson can shoot the ball a bit and they’ve already been to the Finals with LeBron.

  • Dark

    Mo Williams is a legit player – I’ll give you that. Please don’t bring up Wally as part of a strong Cleveland bench (6 ppg?!?) But do you really think you could take Bron off that team and see them in the playoffs?

  • http://www.hibachi20.blogspot.com Hursty

    Take Howard off the Magic, Bosh off the Raptors, Wade off the Heat and Granger off the Pacers and they are all in the same boat Dark.

  • http://celtics.com KobeWearsAPurpleThong

    Sorry Knicks fans-Lebron’s mommy calls the shots. He will stay in Ohio. Look for the Cavs to dump a couple big salaries in the next 24 months and make history with the most lucrative contract in NBA(maybe in all sports) history in 2010.

  • http://celtics.com KobeWearsAPurpleThong

    Man, you Knicks fans are a sorry lot….Poor bastards.

  • chintao

    Co-sign Russ Bengtson @ Nov.22 at 7:04 pm. As a Knick fan, I don’t think LeBron fits the ethos.

  • Breeze

    well it wouldnt be wise if clevand wanted to keep him to clear up cap….would would they trade or give up that would make the team still sufficient ….the knicks has to paper to do so …and to be honest the knicks with crawford and zach..would have mostlikey end up with the same record as they will now…you knicks fans act like ya was going to the playoffs or something haa…i actually like how the knicks are playing now what are they 6-5 thats not bad ….i think they should buy out tim thomas the most talented doucebag i ever saw he should go play with the obannons ..and let mobley come in off the bench…but as for teh rest of the knicks fans lets watch nate the great go to work…

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