Knicks Dynasty...trading is tough, but working

[asgsjb]

Not easy getting the CPU to trade. Another posting suggested the CPU values equality of the financial part of the deal, then interest bars, then ratings. But my CPU is a bit tougher. For example, I tried many variations of players in trying to give the CPU players Charlotte wanted and even tried to keep money relatively close in trying to get Okafor. I cannot offer the CPU a single deal it wants for Okafor..the only player on Charlotte's roster locked in for a few years at a reasonable price. If I was the CPU, I'd want to keep Okafor also.

Anyway, I had already swapped Crawford and Sundov to Memphis for Jason Williams and Antonio Burks, and then Marbury for Kobe Bryant. That was earlier in the "season". As the Knicks, I needed better size and power in the front court, so I was targeting C's and PF's. I was getting rejected right and left, but managed to nail a deal. I traded Tim Thomas (2 years left, $12.90M) to Cleveland for Ilgauskas (1 year left, $14.63M). It adds a little under $2M to my salaries, but if I can't renegotiate Ilgauskas to a better deal after the season, I can lose his salary this year as compared to next year (as it would have been for Thomas).

Played 1 game with Ilgauskas so far...against the Raptors. He did exactly what I expected...25 points, 9 rebounds and 8 blocks. The blocks, in particular, was what was sorely missing from the Knicks roster as it was prior to Ilgauskas.

So now I have 3 C's (Ilgauskas, Mohammed and Baker), but I am a bit short on SF's (Shandon Anderson and Trevor Ariza). So I am trying to find teams that want a center and can afford to give me an SF. I've played with Walter McCarty before and he was great all around...I'd love to get him from the Celts, but I have little they want. Also debating over Chris Crawford (ATL), Nocioni or Deng (CHI), Luke Jackson (CLEV), Marquis Daniels (DALL), Rodney White (DEN), Tayshaun Prince (DET...might be a reach), Dunleavy (GS), Jim Jackson (HOU), Artest (IND...another reach), Luke Walton or Caron Butler or Devean George (LAL), Posey or Cardinal (MEM), Rasual Butler (MIA), Van Horn (MIL...reach), Szczerbiak (MINN), Turkoglu or Grant Hill (ORL), Korver or G-Rob (PHIL), Joe Johnson (PHO), Patterson (PORT), or Raja Bell (UTAH). But I don't know what I can swing out of these. Frankly, I'd love to snag Rashard Lewis or Kirilenko, but I don't think I have the players or contracts to put it together.

Another idea is to use Ilgauskas as trade bait, as he would command more than my other centers. I could trade him in a deal that nets me a lower ranked C who is less of an offensive threat but who is strong and who can rebound and block (like Diop or N'Daiye) and a better player at another position. Frankly, I could probably try to lose his salary by trading him to Charlotte for Okafor, as they have the cap room.

Anyone have thoughts on snaring a good SF (preferably one who can shoot the 3 and who is good with steals and is fast) for either Houston (3 yrs, $17.53M), Shandon Anderson (3 yrs, $7.30M), Baker (2 yrs, $3.45M), Mohammed (2 yrs., $5.25M), Kurt Thomas (3 yrs, $5.89M), Ariza (1 yr., $385K), or Moochie Norris (2yrs, $3.85M) or some combination of those?