OK Fanatics, we've got enough Cap Space to sign two Superstars June 2010. Since we have months to discuss what will happen in the near future, do we dare dream of a Cinderella type ending here in MSG starting tonight with the Thunder?

For a moment lets ponder "at best" what could happen this year. For a moment, lets ponder TMAC 100% healthy and takes over the SG tonight. While we are living in the moment, let ponder Sergio Rodriguez being handed the PG keys and he happens to fair really well as we are living in the "moment." Next up is Al Harrington is given the keys to permantly play our SF and Wilson Chandler is given permanete PF while our All Star Dave Lee is Locked in at Center. Lets ponder that these five player have an enigma of accidently "playing extremley well together as our starting unit?"  Hmmmm. that would leave Gallo coming off the bench to spell Tmac or Chandler since his height gives him an advantage of being diverse. While living in the "Moment" lets ponder Eddie House spelling Tmac and House has an exceptional 29 games ( left on the schedule.) Is it possible that the new look Knicks make some noise and perhaps make the playoffs devined intervention style? I find it easy to root for this bunch considering we have all that Cap space and the pressure is really off the Knicks due to the fact that June 2010 is judgment day. I sure that a Fanatic vote will show that I am the least likely to voted a "fanboy." However, sheerly because of the focus on June 2010, I have a feeling that these New Look Knicks are due a few breaks that my intuition keeps telling me these next 29 games may very well Shock and Awe us, tothe point that we may sneak into the playoffs on the last week of the Season....not by design, but by sheer accident.

Reporting is fluid but,

Marc Stein reports that Houston is getting Kevin Martin, Jared Jeffries, the right to swap 2011 first round picks with New York and the 2012 first rounder. Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey and Larry Hughes are headed to the Kings. Alan Hahn reports that Tracy McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez go to the Knicks. It's unknown whether Jordan Hill got traded.

ESPN is reporting that the Knicks are giving Jordan Hill to Rockets.

Updated:  Jordan Hill Tweets: jordanchill43 Houston bound now...thanks for da love ny...time for me to get goin wit my career...stay up

Same deal Morey was trying to force on the Knicks originally, so it seems.   WOW.  Can we get some Fanatic Analysis?

NATE GOING GREEN FOR REST OF SEASON

According to Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks are doing Nate Robinson a favor by trading him to the Boston Celtics since they were not going to sign him this summer and were planning on reducing his minutes in favor of Toney Douglas.  It is not uncommon for a franchise to show a classy side to players on the final year of their contract so that they can put themselves in a better position to earn their next contract.  This is particularly important to vets like Larry Hughes who need the stats to help with negotiations.  However, in Nate's case the Knicks are also doing themselves a favor, by trading him reportedly for Eddie House, J.R. Giddens and an undetermined draft pick.  Robinson, reportedly has grown weary of D'Antoni's treatment of him including the coach's body language and eye rolling.

It should not be surprising that Nate wanted out since his agent made the request public during Nate's 14-game unofficial time-out on the bench.  Nate, once one of the most bubbly personalities in the locker-room, had been reduced to scapegoat for the Knicks ailments.  D'Antoni has developed a great penchant for alienating players who aren't his pet-faves like Chris Duhon and Danilo Gallinari.  He has never been nearly as critical about them in public as he has been about Robinson, who clearly put himself in a decent position this summer by mandating the two championship contending teams he was willing to be traded to after signing his one year contract as a restricted free agent.

Recently on Twitter Nate, the Knicks most popular player amongst fans, advised his peeps not to be upset about him leaving: "N wen I'm gone just carry on don't mourn rejoice every time u hear da sound of my voice"

Also happy to be gone is Darko Milicic ($7,500,000) who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Brian Cardinal ($6,750,00).  Darko had been upset that he was not given a chance, as he had been  told he would, to crack the Knicks rotation.  Instead Darko sat on the bench and learned that D'Antoni does not have favor towards big men in the five slot.  Apparently, Darko will get a chance to play in Minnesota.  The Knicks are expected to wave Cardinal to make a roster spot for one of the Celtics due to arrive via the Robinson deal.

Donnie Walsh is winning praise from the Knicks fanbase for almost creating enough cap space to pay two max player contracts this summer. In a couple of posts, we will let you know what everyone is saying.  But, I must say the price is very steep and I think Knicks fandom is a bit delusional from the overriding desire to escape the horror we have been privy to for over a decade.  Yet, the simple math is that this exercise is a huge crapshoot which can only succeed with a lot of help and a lot of favor from other parties.  Do we have that kind of good will.  If the way Morey put the screws to us is any indication.  Hell to the naw.

Folks, if you want to read the cold truth.  You are more than welcome to hang right here, because we, as always will pull no punches, which seems to make this site unfortunately unique in the fanatic Blogosphere. But we thrive on diverse opinion with alll of our checks and balances. But here is where the garbage meets the dustpan, the dog pooh meets the shoe and the turth shall be revealed one bad decision at a time.

Anyway, with the exception of the Drako-Brian Cardinal exchange, the trades shake out as follows in the chart below.

Knicks Receive	Rockets Recieve	Kings Receive	Celtics Receive
Tracy McGrady $22.8 Million        1 Year From Rockets	Jordan        Hill $2.4 Million      2 years From Knicks	Larry Hughes $13.6     Million      1 Year From Knicks	Nate Robinson $4      Million       1 year From Knicks
Sergio Rodriguez $1.5 Million/1 Year w/Qualifying Offer Yr. From Kings	Jared     Jeffries $6.4 Million      2 years From Knicks	Carl   Landry $ 3.0 Million      1 year From Rockets	Marcus Landry $457,588K 1Year From Knicks
Eddie   House $2.8     Million From   Celtics	Kevin Martin $9.6 Million 4 years From Kings	Joey   Dorsey $881K     3 years From Rockets
J.R.  Giddens $1.028 Million         1 year From   Celtics	Hilton Armstrong $2.8 Million      1 year From Kings
Bill      Walker $736,420K  3 Years From  Celtics
DRAFT PICK Future Conditional 2d Rd from Celtics	DRAFT PICK 2011 Option To Exchange with Knicks Protected 2012 1str Round Pick From Knicks

Donnie Walsh welcomes Tracy McGrady according to dangerfor3 @xtranormal.com:

This inside look at trade negotiations via Ball Don't Lie (from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) tells how Rockets GM Daryl Morey was about to stick it to the Knicks.   I think they almost got it right.  Congratulations to Dolan for not falling for the Oke-doke. . . . yet.

After the Chicgao Bulls pulled out of the Tracy McGrady sweeps, the Rockets have reportedly rejected the Knicks' offer for McGrady and instead have agreed to trade the star's contract to the Kings for guard Kevin Martin.  The Knicks are presently attempting to come to terms with both teams so that McGrady ends up in New York giving the Knicks a better chance at keeping David Lee or adding a second star to the max-contract superstar they hope to attract this summer.

Acccording to ESPN's Mark Stein, "The deal hammered out Wednesday night would send Martin, Kenny Thomas, Hilton Armstrong and Sergio Rodriguez to the Rockets for McGrady, Sixth Man Award contender Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey and an undisclosed amount of cash." Although the Knicks seem to be the odd team out,  a source close to the action says he is "confident" that the McGrady will still wind up a Knick. While getting rid of the Jeffries contract, the Knicks may also pick up Sergio Rodriguez.

Multiple sources told ESPN.com that the Rockets and Kings will spend Thursday trying to make this a three-way deal that lands McGrady with the New York Knicks, who have been McGrady's preferred destination ever since he and the Rockets mutually agreed in late December to find the 30-year-old a new team via trade.

"I think it will happen," one source close to the situation told ESPN.com of McGrady winding up with the Knicks.

. . . .

One source with knowledge of the talks confirmed to ESPN.com late Wednesday that routing McGrady to the Knicks is still the goal. But the Kings and Rockets -- who are longtime fans of Martin -- are committed to the deal they've struck in the event that terms can't be reached that include New York.

Sources told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher that McGrady and Rodriguez would be sent to the Knicks in a three-team scenario sure to feature New York's Jared Jeffries if it comes to fruition.

. . .  .

Even though the sides have clashed on the final parameters, specifically the draft considerations going from the Knicks to the Rockets, one source close to the talks said of McGrady winding up a Knick: "I'm pretty confident."

Bulls 115, Knicks 109

Final

"Historically it's hard to beat a team twice in a row. Supposedly that's NBA wisdom." -- Mike D'Antoni

"I told [Danilo Gallinari] that I'll take those two shots any day of the week from him. Especially the second one was wide open. And I believe he's going to hit those every time."-- David Lee

"We've come a long way in two years. We have our plan, and whatever Donnie deems to be necessary to make this thing work and get us into the summer, that's fine." -- Mike D'Antoni

Chris Sheridan at ESPN indirectly claims that assertions by Hahn and others that Nate deal is imminent are not entirely correct:

Lots of info and misinformation out there regarding the potential Nate Robinson-to-Boston trade. I have been told there are many moving parts, with some of the principals mentioned as coming to New York including Marquis Daniels, Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens and possibly Eddie House. Robinson's base-year compensation status is a complicating factor, but not insurmountable. If the Boston talks fail, Nate would accept only a trade to the L.A. Lakers (he has veto power).

On the Tracy McGrady front, I am told the main sticking point is whether there would be lottery-protection on the first-round pick going to Houston in 2012. Can't see that being a deal-breaker for the Rockets, but Daryl Morey can take this one down to the wire if he so chooses.

Also hearing the same thing Chad Ford reported earlier: Knicks can do Darko Milicic for Brian Cardinal, giving New York a perennial member of Bill Simmons' All-Mokeski second team.

Also as of 6:05pm, there was no new movement on the McGrady trade.  It seems that the Rockets are playing Chicken with the Knicks who they believe they can fleece for taking on Jared Jeffries.

Congratulations to Nate Robinson.  Alan Hahn and others are reporting (via Twitter) that the Nate Robinson to the Celtics for Eddie House and a draft pick has been consummated but not made "official."  It  may not be official until tomorrow.

This is great for Nate.  He will finally be with a winning team that will appreciate his talents at least until the end of the season.  It'll be very interesting to see how Doc Rivers maximizes Nate's skills.  I bet he does a better job than D'Antoni.\

And a Knicks Fanatics shout out to all the idiots who have been saying that Nate Robinson was not wanted by other teams since last year.  Learn this lesson please.  Nate was wanted by better teams than the Knicks, but it made no sense to pursue Nate as a restricted free agent as long as there was a chance that Walsh would match the offer.  Nate will eb a free agent this summer and he will be playing ball for more money, next fall.  Gauranteed.

So D'Antoni gets back with his boy House.  I feel sorry for House.

Two more days before the trade deadline and reports are that the Houston Rockets are considering offers form the Knicks and the Bulls for McGrady and his expiring contract.  According to Ken Berger, at CBS Sports, the Rockets are in a very strong position as the Knicks and the Bulls attempt to maximize their cap space to remain in contention with the Bulls and Nets for the upcoming crop of free agents.  The Bulls are reportedly offering the Rockets Brad Miller ($12,250.00), Tyrus Thomas ($4,743,598) and Kirk Heinrich ($9,500.000) or John Salmons ($5,456.000).  If the Bulls offer included Heinrich instead of Salmons, with the lower contract, the Rockets would probably send another player to make up the difference in salaries although there are other options. Heinrich has two years left on his contract and Houston is attempting to create cap space.

The Knicks reportedly are offering a package of Jared Jeffries($6,466,600), Larry Hughes ($13,655,268), Jordan Hill ($2,483,280), a protected 2012 1st round pick and a 2011 first round pick swap. The Knicks salaries combined are slightly lower than the McGrady contract, but reportedly the deal may include the Knicks receiving other players such as Joey Dorsey ($881,000) and Brian Cook ($3,500,000).

This deal would put the Knicks in a much better position to create enough cap space to bring in two max players or one max player and to keep David Lee according to cap guru Larry Coon. According to Coon, the trade could allow the Knicks to have as much as $31.5 million in cap space, which is almost enough to get two max free agents at $16.57 million.  Not quite, but almost.  The more likely scenario is that the Knicks try to keep David Lee which makes obtaining two max free agents via free agency practically impossible without buying out Curry's contract.  For all of this to work, the Knicks will probably lose Nate Robinson which is why they are rushing to trade him, probably to the Celtics, before the trade deadline. 

The Rockets may prefer the Knicks deal as it puts them in a better position for the free agent market and the draft.  If you are a proponent of building through youth, the Knicks deal is exquisite, I think.  Jordan Hill is a big man who will benefit from the teachings of Olajawon or other Houston bigs.  Given the recent history of the Knicks' regular seasons, betting on the Knicks' first round draft picks in 2011 and 2012 is not a bad idea.  Of course the 2012 pick is better if it is only lottery protected until a subsequent year like 2014.  The Bulls deal is pretty sweet in that Brad Miller comes off the books next year.  In addition Heinrich and Thomas are better players than the Knicks are offering.  Reportedly, the Bulls have other options to beat the Knicks deal.

Will the Bulls spank us today on and off the court like they did in last nights game?  Or will Houston leave Walsh high, dry and ready to cry, which is also possible if they do not want the Knicks to be competitive in the free agent race this summer.