lefty
09-03-2008, 02:53 PM
First off, hiring Mike D'Antoni was a masterstroke of a P.R. move. This team needed to give fans a reason for optimism and hiring the most fan-friendly coach in the NBA is a good move in that direction.
Now, will it make lick of difference for this team? Nope, not at all. At least, not in the immediate future. This is still the same roster bogged down with ill-matching parts and bloated egos that Isiah Thomas coached last year. Even if D'Antoni can somehow corral them into a cohesive unit it is still far from useful enough to compete in the slowly-improving Eastern Conference.
First off, this team doesn't have a Mike D'Antoni point guard. His offense in Phoenix was predicated on having a player that could be his facilitator on the court. Chris Duhon is not that player. This preview is also being written under the assumption that Stephon Marbury isn't on the opening night roster. It's a somewhat stubborn assumption to make considering that he's been on the verge of exile for years now and yet is still taking up one of fifteen roster spots as of this writing. However, even if he does manage to survive training camp and sit on the roster come November, this team has no intention of making him a relevant part of their future, so his presence is not of much note here.
Which brings us to our second point, and that is that the only way to look at this team is with a long view to the future. Despite all the managerial and coaching changes, the Knicks haven't truly started rebuilding yet. Right now they are in a quagmire; stuck between the mistakes of Isiah Thomas's past and Donnie Walsh's vision of the future. The goal is to free up cap room for 2010 (just like every other NBA team) and make a big splash then, and so that adds another factor that makes it impossible to deal with this team seriously today. No one, including team management, sees this iteration of the Knicks as anything but a stumbling block. There is not a player on this roster that can be said to be an integral part to any kind of rebuilding process that is about to kick-off. Even rookie DaniloGallinariremains a question mark until he proves he can ball in the NBA. While guys like him, or Wilson Chandler or even Jamal Crawford may prove indispensible once D'Antoni has had a season working with them, for right now they're just pieces representing a team that will be vastly different in two years time.
So what are we left with, a wasted season? Not necessarily. There is much left to transpire in the ensuing months that could have a huge impact not only on the Knicks but on several NBA teams. Consider that Marbury does eventually have to dealt with (or simply dealt outright). Ditto Eddy Curry and/or Zach Randolph, who failed miserably as a tandem a year ago. Any team that makes a swap for them is going to be markedly different for the transaction, and will have to send the Knicks some serious salary to make it happen. Without unloading some of their cap-killers the Knicks will be irrelevant in 2010, but hamstringing themselves be insisting no trade include salaries that eat into that summer could kill any trade offer that comes their way.
Another useful part of this season will be watching to see how the youngsters acquit themselves. The aforementioned Gallinari and Chandler each have a wonderful opportunity to blend in with D'Antoni's free-flowing offense. Both could be huge surprises in an otherwise dreary season. Nate Robinson, likewise, will be tasked with a similar role as Leandro Barbosa in Phoenix, coming off the bench to spark the offense. While it's virtually unimaginable that Robinson could be nearly as effective as Barbosa, a season like this is a perfect opportunity to prove that he can be.
Basically, this season is about the many things that occur outside of the standings and competitive action. It's about the first glimmers of light after a long, dark night. It's not much, but to Knick fans it has be better than anything that's come about in recent memory.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
PG - Chris Duhon
Some people love this signing for it's steadying of the point guard spot on a team that has so long demanded it. However, Duhon, as steady as he is, isn't going to inspire a lot on the offense end of the court. His ability to make plays is somewhat lacking, and his shooting is just shy of woeful. He's undersized (though admittedly a good defender), and truth be told Jamal Crawford will probably wind up handling more of the playmaking duties for this team because he is better equipped with the ball in his hands. If that winds up being the case, then Duhon and his streaky shooting become a borderline liability for his new team pretty early in his tenure.
SG - Jamal Crawford
One of the biggest reasons it's so unfortunate that the Knicks have been so irrelevant of late is that Jamal Crawford has turned out to be a real player. While his shooting numbers are still paltry, his ability to score at will has become indisputable, going for a career-high 20.6 ppg last year. However, the remarkable part of his game came through his passing, once a nonexistent part of his game has become a staple after he was forced to handle much of the playmaking duties when StephonMarbury had unexpected surgery last season. While his five assists per game may seem somewhat paltry, consider the pathetic, broken-down offense he was forced to lead. While he'll never be D'Antoni's new Steve Nash, he could well become D'Antoni's new Joe Johnson, playing off-guard in the starting five then sliding to the point when his starter rests, whenever that permanent starter shows up.
SF - DaniloGallinari
There is a chance that Wilson Chandler winds up in this spot playing a Shawn Marion-like role on this team while Gallinari plays a all-position facilitator like Boris Diaw, but for now lets assume the borderline-controversial sixth-pick in the draft takes the starting spot on opening night. If he does, look for flashes of serious potential subdued somewhat by several nights of struggling. This is not a roster that is tuned to his particular abilities of shooting and cutting. This team features two big frontcourt players who don't really like to move all that often and that could make life very difficult for a player used to playing a more wide-open, FIBA-friendly environment. However, he's going to have to learn to play the NBA style at some point, so he may as well be thrown to the wolves to fend for himself right out of the gate so the Knicks can see what they have in Gallinari as they look to fill out their roster in the years to come.
PF - Zach Randolph
He is a huge key to the future of the Knicks. If he can recapture some of the magic of his 2006-2007 Blazer campaign, where he posted career numbers and looked like a borderline franchise-caliber player, then the Knicks can unload him and his bloated contract onto someone else and move forward. After all, Randolph is an All-Star level talent when motivated. He's basically Al Jefferson without the promise offered by youth. He doesn't play defense, but he can score at will when he's given an entire offense that will cater to him and his slow-footed post-play. The problem is that if he cannot recapture some of what made him special enough for the Knicks to trade for him then they are probably going to be stuck with him and his cap-killing contract. So not only will they have an ineffectual player but a disastrous financial situation, as well. Not an enviable position to be in, to say the least.
C - Eddy Curry
He had more games with zero rebounds (3) than he did with double-digit rebounds (2) last year. He played in only 59 games and saw a six-point and two-rebound drop-off from his per-game statistics from the year before. That's bad even for Eddy Curry. Oh, and he's also signed for over $10 million per year until 2011, one year after the free-agent bonanza of 2010. If the Knicks could get out from under his contract it would be a miracle beyond anything they should realistically hope for. He's an unmitigated disaster for a rebuilding team and could well do even more harm to his already battered reputation trying to play in an up-tempo D'Antoni offense. Good luck, Eddy, good luck.
Now, will it make lick of difference for this team? Nope, not at all. At least, not in the immediate future. This is still the same roster bogged down with ill-matching parts and bloated egos that Isiah Thomas coached last year. Even if D'Antoni can somehow corral them into a cohesive unit it is still far from useful enough to compete in the slowly-improving Eastern Conference.
First off, this team doesn't have a Mike D'Antoni point guard. His offense in Phoenix was predicated on having a player that could be his facilitator on the court. Chris Duhon is not that player. This preview is also being written under the assumption that Stephon Marbury isn't on the opening night roster. It's a somewhat stubborn assumption to make considering that he's been on the verge of exile for years now and yet is still taking up one of fifteen roster spots as of this writing. However, even if he does manage to survive training camp and sit on the roster come November, this team has no intention of making him a relevant part of their future, so his presence is not of much note here.
Which brings us to our second point, and that is that the only way to look at this team is with a long view to the future. Despite all the managerial and coaching changes, the Knicks haven't truly started rebuilding yet. Right now they are in a quagmire; stuck between the mistakes of Isiah Thomas's past and Donnie Walsh's vision of the future. The goal is to free up cap room for 2010 (just like every other NBA team) and make a big splash then, and so that adds another factor that makes it impossible to deal with this team seriously today. No one, including team management, sees this iteration of the Knicks as anything but a stumbling block. There is not a player on this roster that can be said to be an integral part to any kind of rebuilding process that is about to kick-off. Even rookie DaniloGallinariremains a question mark until he proves he can ball in the NBA. While guys like him, or Wilson Chandler or even Jamal Crawford may prove indispensible once D'Antoni has had a season working with them, for right now they're just pieces representing a team that will be vastly different in two years time.
So what are we left with, a wasted season? Not necessarily. There is much left to transpire in the ensuing months that could have a huge impact not only on the Knicks but on several NBA teams. Consider that Marbury does eventually have to dealt with (or simply dealt outright). Ditto Eddy Curry and/or Zach Randolph, who failed miserably as a tandem a year ago. Any team that makes a swap for them is going to be markedly different for the transaction, and will have to send the Knicks some serious salary to make it happen. Without unloading some of their cap-killers the Knicks will be irrelevant in 2010, but hamstringing themselves be insisting no trade include salaries that eat into that summer could kill any trade offer that comes their way.
Another useful part of this season will be watching to see how the youngsters acquit themselves. The aforementioned Gallinari and Chandler each have a wonderful opportunity to blend in with D'Antoni's free-flowing offense. Both could be huge surprises in an otherwise dreary season. Nate Robinson, likewise, will be tasked with a similar role as Leandro Barbosa in Phoenix, coming off the bench to spark the offense. While it's virtually unimaginable that Robinson could be nearly as effective as Barbosa, a season like this is a perfect opportunity to prove that he can be.
Basically, this season is about the many things that occur outside of the standings and competitive action. It's about the first glimmers of light after a long, dark night. It's not much, but to Knick fans it has be better than anything that's come about in recent memory.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
PG - Chris Duhon
Some people love this signing for it's steadying of the point guard spot on a team that has so long demanded it. However, Duhon, as steady as he is, isn't going to inspire a lot on the offense end of the court. His ability to make plays is somewhat lacking, and his shooting is just shy of woeful. He's undersized (though admittedly a good defender), and truth be told Jamal Crawford will probably wind up handling more of the playmaking duties for this team because he is better equipped with the ball in his hands. If that winds up being the case, then Duhon and his streaky shooting become a borderline liability for his new team pretty early in his tenure.
SG - Jamal Crawford
One of the biggest reasons it's so unfortunate that the Knicks have been so irrelevant of late is that Jamal Crawford has turned out to be a real player. While his shooting numbers are still paltry, his ability to score at will has become indisputable, going for a career-high 20.6 ppg last year. However, the remarkable part of his game came through his passing, once a nonexistent part of his game has become a staple after he was forced to handle much of the playmaking duties when StephonMarbury had unexpected surgery last season. While his five assists per game may seem somewhat paltry, consider the pathetic, broken-down offense he was forced to lead. While he'll never be D'Antoni's new Steve Nash, he could well become D'Antoni's new Joe Johnson, playing off-guard in the starting five then sliding to the point when his starter rests, whenever that permanent starter shows up.
SF - DaniloGallinari
There is a chance that Wilson Chandler winds up in this spot playing a Shawn Marion-like role on this team while Gallinari plays a all-position facilitator like Boris Diaw, but for now lets assume the borderline-controversial sixth-pick in the draft takes the starting spot on opening night. If he does, look for flashes of serious potential subdued somewhat by several nights of struggling. This is not a roster that is tuned to his particular abilities of shooting and cutting. This team features two big frontcourt players who don't really like to move all that often and that could make life very difficult for a player used to playing a more wide-open, FIBA-friendly environment. However, he's going to have to learn to play the NBA style at some point, so he may as well be thrown to the wolves to fend for himself right out of the gate so the Knicks can see what they have in Gallinari as they look to fill out their roster in the years to come.
PF - Zach Randolph
He is a huge key to the future of the Knicks. If he can recapture some of the magic of his 2006-2007 Blazer campaign, where he posted career numbers and looked like a borderline franchise-caliber player, then the Knicks can unload him and his bloated contract onto someone else and move forward. After all, Randolph is an All-Star level talent when motivated. He's basically Al Jefferson without the promise offered by youth. He doesn't play defense, but he can score at will when he's given an entire offense that will cater to him and his slow-footed post-play. The problem is that if he cannot recapture some of what made him special enough for the Knicks to trade for him then they are probably going to be stuck with him and his cap-killing contract. So not only will they have an ineffectual player but a disastrous financial situation, as well. Not an enviable position to be in, to say the least.
C - Eddy Curry
He had more games with zero rebounds (3) than he did with double-digit rebounds (2) last year. He played in only 59 games and saw a six-point and two-rebound drop-off from his per-game statistics from the year before. That's bad even for Eddy Curry. Oh, and he's also signed for over $10 million per year until 2011, one year after the free-agent bonanza of 2010. If the Knicks could get out from under his contract it would be a miracle beyond anything they should realistically hope for. He's an unmitigated disaster for a rebuilding team and could well do even more harm to his already battered reputation trying to play in an up-tempo D'Antoni offense. Good luck, Eddy, good luck.