Knicks trade Randolph & Crawford

Quote :

NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks traded Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford in separate deals Friday, parting with their two top scorers to free up coveted salary-cap space for the summer of 2010.

Crawford was sent to Golden State for forward Al Harrington. Hours later, Randolph was shipped to the Los Angeles Clippers along with reserve guard Mardy Collins for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas.

The Knicks gave up 40 points per game for a chance to cash in on something much bigger.

Knicks president Donnie Walsh has repeatedly said his goal was to get under the cap in time for a potentially sensational free-agent crop that could be headlined by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Both Randolph and Crawford have deals that extend past 2010. Randolph is scheduled to make US$17.3 million and Crawford $10.1 million in 2010-11. None of the players the Knicks brought back are under contract past 2010.

I gotta say, I'm surprised the Clippers took a guy like Randolph. They already have a starting centre in Marcus Camby, another capable starting centre in Chris Kaman, and now they just add another big to the mix along with Harrington who is a SF/PF.

Actually, Crawford was traded for Harrington which means harrington goes to the knicks and crawford to the warriors. Randolph and Collins go to the clippers, and Mobley and Thomas go to the knicks.

I say the most beneficial here is the warriors. Even if they already have stephen jackson, they can move him to SF, Maggette to PF

C - Beidrins
PF - Maggette
SF - Jackson
SG - Marrow
PG - Crawford

until Ellis comes back atleast

Though the Warriors are the beneficiaries in the short term, I really don't see how Crawford is going to help their team in the long run. I would've only made this move for Crawford, a combo guard, if he had 1 year left. Neither him, nor Ellis are true point guards and he really just seems to be a temporary fit until Ellis returns, then they have to eat his contract.