stwasm
January-9th-2007, 07:04 PM
John Hollinger calls it one of the 10 worst off-season moves:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&id=2725209&CMP=ILC-INHEAD
Knicks waive Ime Udoka, sign Jared Jeffries
Isiah Thomas has an unusual fondness for dumping his full midlevel exception on mediocrities with "J.J." for initials, particularly when there's a better player already sitting on his roster. A year after ignoring the presence of Jackie Butler and giving Jerome James his full midlevel exception, Thomas repeated the effort by waiving Udoka after the season and then signing Jeffries for the full midlevel exception as a free agent.
Udoka would have provided exactly what the Knicks need: a defensive stopper on the perimeter who doesn't need the ball but can hit 3-pointers from the corner. Instead, he's doing it for Portland and helping the Trail Blazers to a surprisingly competent start … and doing it while making the minimum.
As for Jeffries, he has some value in the right system but he is much more effective in trapping, pressing defenses like the one he left in Washington, where his length could create deflections and shorten the floor. Plus, Jeffries can't stretch defenses like Udoka can -- other than rebounding, his primary offensive weapon seems to be the missed layup.
Two things make matters worse. First, Jeffries hurt his wrist and missed most of the early part of the season (not to mention his four-game suspension for his part in the brawl); since coming back he's underperformed offensively even by his modest standards. Secondly, because the Knicks are over the luxury tax he costs them twice as much, making this a $60 million mistake rather than a $30 million one.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&id=2725209&CMP=ILC-INHEAD
Knicks waive Ime Udoka, sign Jared Jeffries
Isiah Thomas has an unusual fondness for dumping his full midlevel exception on mediocrities with "J.J." for initials, particularly when there's a better player already sitting on his roster. A year after ignoring the presence of Jackie Butler and giving Jerome James his full midlevel exception, Thomas repeated the effort by waiving Udoka after the season and then signing Jeffries for the full midlevel exception as a free agent.
Udoka would have provided exactly what the Knicks need: a defensive stopper on the perimeter who doesn't need the ball but can hit 3-pointers from the corner. Instead, he's doing it for Portland and helping the Trail Blazers to a surprisingly competent start … and doing it while making the minimum.
As for Jeffries, he has some value in the right system but he is much more effective in trapping, pressing defenses like the one he left in Washington, where his length could create deflections and shorten the floor. Plus, Jeffries can't stretch defenses like Udoka can -- other than rebounding, his primary offensive weapon seems to be the missed layup.
Two things make matters worse. First, Jeffries hurt his wrist and missed most of the early part of the season (not to mention his four-game suspension for his part in the brawl); since coming back he's underperformed offensively even by his modest standards. Secondly, because the Knicks are over the luxury tax he costs them twice as much, making this a $60 million mistake rather than a $30 million one.