Ewing Jr to the Knicks...

[Hank Scorpio]

for the rights to Frederic Weis.

i wish i was making this up.

Welcome home Patrick!

source:
www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-spknix0830,0,2141146.story

[dailey247]

Maybe he can teach Nate Robinson how to dunk.

[SirSaxa]

Good for Pat Jr.
I hope he gets a legit shot to make the team. He can contribute.

[Deleted]

Good for Patrick! I hope he can beat someone out for a roster spot.

That said, the Rockets should have gotten more in this trade. Like, 30 pounds of meat:

soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=360149&&cc=5901

[royski]

Sweet. Reason to come to a Knicks game this season! (I'm not a fan of the team, although now I just might become one)

[idhoya]

I thought we had seen the last of Weis after VC posterized him a few years back.

[blueandgray]

Perefect!!! This is exactly what the team needs. PE2 will not only act as a unifying force ... but he is a reminder of knick glory days... plays with the type of energy and tenacity that the team sorely misses... and gives the team their best shot at winning the dunk contest sincr robinson and kenny "sky" walker.

i love it.

[HeartAttackHoya]

the numbers are stacked against him making the Knicks roster but you have to believe Ewing can make this team based on the intangibles that the Knicks have lacked since Charles Oakley that he brings on a nighly basis.

[DudeSlade]

So Ewing is now on his 3rd team since draft day? That's crazy. From what I could find, Ewing makes the 17th player under contract with the Knicks and only the 2nd with a contract worth less than $1 million a year. A team can only carry 15 and only suit up 12. That means 3 millionaires won't even suit up for games for the Knicks (if they aren't cut)--that's a lot of wasted money! I'm trying to figure out how Pat can make this team and get playing time, but it doesn't seem particularly well set up for him. The one good thing is that D'Antoni is the new coach and he seems to recognize the intangibles and his quick-paced, high-flying style should fit Pat well.

Here's the roster:
1) Stephon Marbury
2) Eddy Curry
3) Zach Randolph
4) David Lee
5) Danilo Gallinari
6) Chris Duhon
7) Quentin Richardson
8) Jamal Crawford
9) Nate Robinson
10) Malik Rose
11) Jerome James
12) Jared Jeffries
13) Wilson Chandler
14) Mardy Collins
15) Fred Jones
16) Anthony Roberson
17) Pat Ewing, Jr.

Only the last 2 make less than $1 mil a year (Roberson makes almost $800,000).

The first 12 I assume are going to make the team, unless they are traded or cut for cap purposes or something I don't know about. That would mean the last 5 are fighting to just make the team, let alone suit up and the other 4 besides Pat all have a decent amount of NBA experience. This isn't an ideal situation at all, but if he can make it onto the team and into the rotation, I have no doubt he will prove himself worthy of the minutes. I know some on here will say that the other players are garbage and the Knicks suck, so Pat should get the minutes, but there are many well-entrenched thoughts about some of these players and the huge contracts of many of them will make it hard to cut them or not suit them up as execs will want to get some return on their investment, rather than cutting their losses and moving on. If Isaiah was still coach I would not be hopeful for Pat, but with D'Antoni I think he just might have a shot.

[prhoya]

It will be tough for him to get in with those numbers. But, if he makes it, he'll have front-row seats to the Hoya games at MSG, including the BET. He can continue his role as biggest and loudest cheerleader.

[Hank Scorpio]

looking at the Knicks roster, listed out like that, makes me want to throw up.

www.thelenincloset.com/knicks/

we were all witnesses.

[lichoya68]

go patrick history repeats itself good luck go hoyas

[Nevada Hoya]

Good luck to Patrick. I really hope this works out. He is ready to play and give it his all.

[KennaHoya]

Fred Jones is a free agent and will not be back. They have 6 other guards who like to handle the ball or play point guard - so they will have to eat some cash and get rid of one (or more). They would like to get rid of any one or two of three big men (except no one wants them, so they may have to eat more cash). It won't be easy for Patrick given the numbers, but I have to believe the Knicks would love to dump some of Isaiah's mistakes and keep Patrick, if only until they can acquire some proven talent for the rotation.

As a long-time Knicks and Hoyas fan, this was well worth Frederic Weis.

[HoyaAtHeart]

He has a better chance of making that Knicks roster than he did with the Kings and the Rockets.

Fred Jones won't be back with the club and remember the Knicks have NO plans of bringing Steph back. He will be bought out if they can't swing a deal for him.

[HealyHoya]

Could you imagine a GM trading FOR Marbury? Imagine the GM trying to explain that to the owner.

[The Stig]

Nice to see that even NBA GM's have a sense of humor!

It's a very nice PR move by the Knicks. I checked two Knicks message boards to see the reaction, and in both cases the people who broke the news were told to stop making things up!

Hopefully Pat can impress the right people in training camp and make the roster. I think he has what it takes to be a solid role player in the NBA.

[02hoya]

Outside of GU's upcoming season, I can't wait until Jeff and Roy come to the Garden.

Best of luck Pat!

[FewFAC]

Congrats to PE!

The Knicks have Marbury and Rose coming off their cap after 08-09 at $21.9M and $7.6M.

Wilson Chandler, Mardy Collins and Anthony Roberson are team options after 08-09 at $1.3M, $1.8M and $850K.

Eddy Curry, Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford, and Jerome James have player options after 08-09 at $10.5M, $9.4M, $9.4M and $6.6M. You would have to think they would all pick them up, though if I were the Knicks front office, I'd be trying to get rid of all of them.

The Knicks could probably unload a lot of expiring contracts somewhere, and the longer term has to look pretty good for PE as a Knick, especially as a PR move for the organization.

[RBHoya]

YES! YES YES YES.

I have to think that the Knicks are at least somewhat serious about keeping Pat on the team if they're acquiring him at this point in the game.

As mentioned, the Knicks right now have 16 guys under contract, including Pat (Fred Jones will not be resigned). Teams can only keep 15, and only dress 12. Fortunately, a couple years ago they created the rule where the team can send rookies or second year guys down to the D-league for a stint and retain their rights. So, if any of the 3 guys that are on your team but not dressing are rookies and second year guys, you can send them to the D-league to get more experience. Frankly, I think that would be a great thing for Pat.

Rumors have been flying around for months, since Donnie Walsh was brought in, that Marbury's time was up. Supposedly they've been trying to see if they could get anything for him, but if not he will be released. It doesn't make sense for him to stay a Knick, the organization is clearly going in another direction and he's getting up there in years. He could conceivably sign with a veteran squad, or maybe go over and play in Europe as Josh Childress did (he has said he has interest in doing this in the past). Would probably be the best for all sides, and since this is the last year of his contract, not a big deal.

Another guy rumored to be on the outs is Jerome James. It's obvious to every person who knows anything about basketball that giving him the contract he has now was a huge mistake. At some point, you probably have to cut your losses, and with a new administration this is probably a good time. Yes, they'll have to pay him for this year and next year and they won't get anything out of him. But they're not going to get anything out of him either way, because he's a bum. And that doesn't even take into account that his fat ass could never make it up and down the floor in D'Antoni's system. So, I'm hopeful they will cut their losses on him and that will free up another roster spot.

Honestly I don't see Pat cracking the Knicks rotation yet, but I don't see him cracking most teams rotation as a rookie. He's still got some developing to do, but he's got a world of athletecism and a good name with connections that should keep him around a while. The Knicks just used a top 10 pick on a combo forward, and they've got another first rounder from last year who plays small forward and who really emerged late last year and in the summer league (Wilson Chandler, "The Brother from DePaul"). They've also got a lot of money invested in guys like Jared Jeffries and Q Richardson, both of whom have underperformed since coming to NY but who will hopefully improve under D'Antoni. So, I don't see Pat seeing much court time, but I think he could make the team, spend some time in the D-league and grow into a contributor in the years to come. He'll replace Renaldo Balkman, a similar player who was basically given away earlier this offseason.