ducks
10-15-2004, 01:54 PM
Camp Stories: Atlantic
by Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
October 13, 2004
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If Isiah Thomas has an unlimited budget, he's working hard to exceed it.
The bold general manager of the New York Knicks has brought a wealth of talent – and large contracts – to Gotham in an attempt to recapture the excitement that has been missing at Madison Square Garden the past few years.
After adding Stephon Marbury, Vin Baker, Tim Thomas and Penny Hardaway last season, Isiah snared talented Jamal Crawford from Chicago in a trade this summer. Add that group to Allan Houston and Kurt Thomas, and you have a gifted group of scorers.
But are there enough basketballs to go around? And do the Knicks have enough size to rebound and defend?
The talent doesn't seem to fit together, at least on paper, and one has to wonder if coach Lenny Wilkens can keep everyone happy and playing as a team.
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Isiah's acquisition of Crawford was a head scratcher. There's no doubting the guard's talent, but the Bulls moved him because of his overwhelming need to shoot the ball. And with the Knicks' offense already being run by the electric, offensive-minded Marbury, it's difficult to imagine Crawford finding peace in New York.
Isiah seems to be following the blueprint designed by Portland GM Bob Whitsitt several years ago – get the 12 most talented players you can find on one roster and let the coach sort it out. Ask Mike Dunleavy and Maurice Cheeks how they felt about that strategy.
By January, Wilkens may be begging for a few role players who will defend and pass. His teams have always been well-coached and unselfish, but getting this group to share the ball will be an amazing achievement. However, if he can pull it off – or even come close – the Knicks will be the favorites to win the Atlantic Division.
KERR'S THREE POINTS
1. Vince Carter has asked the Toronto Raptors for a trade, but if he looks around, he'll realize he has a pretty nice squad.
Chris Bosh is an emerging star and veterans Donyell Marshall and Jalen Rose are talented scorers. A lot of scouts believe rookie big man Rafael Araujo is ready to play right away, so he could fill an interior void. And after playing a deliberate, defensive-minded pace under Kevin O'Neill last year, Carter should enjoy the up-tempo offense that Sam Mitchell has installed in training camp.
It's time for Carter to prove to his detractors that he can play the leading role for a good team. And that he doesn't have to go elsewhere to do so.
2. Jason Kidd's behavior has been very disappointing. The league's best point guard is injured and out indefinitely, but that doesn't excuse him from attending practices. Kidd said last week that he would skip night sessions during training camp even though the New Jersey Nets wanted him there – saying something to the effect that his schedule doesn't take him in that direction at that time of day. Excuse me Jason, but isn't your job the first item on your schedule?
Kidd is understandably upset that management has made huge salary cutbacks and has dismantled a very good team. But that doesn't make it OK to act unprofessionally and hurt his own image and that of his team and the NBA. He's scheduled to receive about $90 million over the next six years. Can't he at least show up for work?
3. Danny Ainge took a lot of heat last season for some unpopular moves that weakened the Boston Celtics and prompted his coach – Jim O'Brien – to resign. But Ainge continually preached that his long-term vision would help the franchise, and he asked Celtics fans for patience.
Ainge had a productive summer, and there's reason for hope for one of the most storied franchises in sports. New coach Doc Rivers is dynamic and full of energy, and high schooler Al Jefferson, the team's top draft pick, played very well in the summer leagues. He is a manchild who could eventually develop into a dominant power forward. And with Raef LaFrentz returning from injury and Gary Payton manning the point-guard position, the Celtics should be good enough to at least get the critics off Ainge's back.
Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
by Steve Kerr, Yahoo! Sports
October 13, 2004
Headshot
Logo
If Isiah Thomas has an unlimited budget, he's working hard to exceed it.
The bold general manager of the New York Knicks has brought a wealth of talent – and large contracts – to Gotham in an attempt to recapture the excitement that has been missing at Madison Square Garden the past few years.
After adding Stephon Marbury, Vin Baker, Tim Thomas and Penny Hardaway last season, Isiah snared talented Jamal Crawford from Chicago in a trade this summer. Add that group to Allan Houston and Kurt Thomas, and you have a gifted group of scorers.
But are there enough basketballs to go around? And do the Knicks have enough size to rebound and defend?
The talent doesn't seem to fit together, at least on paper, and one has to wonder if coach Lenny Wilkens can keep everyone happy and playing as a team.
ADVERTISEMENT
Isiah's acquisition of Crawford was a head scratcher. There's no doubting the guard's talent, but the Bulls moved him because of his overwhelming need to shoot the ball. And with the Knicks' offense already being run by the electric, offensive-minded Marbury, it's difficult to imagine Crawford finding peace in New York.
Isiah seems to be following the blueprint designed by Portland GM Bob Whitsitt several years ago – get the 12 most talented players you can find on one roster and let the coach sort it out. Ask Mike Dunleavy and Maurice Cheeks how they felt about that strategy.
By January, Wilkens may be begging for a few role players who will defend and pass. His teams have always been well-coached and unselfish, but getting this group to share the ball will be an amazing achievement. However, if he can pull it off – or even come close – the Knicks will be the favorites to win the Atlantic Division.
KERR'S THREE POINTS
1. Vince Carter has asked the Toronto Raptors for a trade, but if he looks around, he'll realize he has a pretty nice squad.
Chris Bosh is an emerging star and veterans Donyell Marshall and Jalen Rose are talented scorers. A lot of scouts believe rookie big man Rafael Araujo is ready to play right away, so he could fill an interior void. And after playing a deliberate, defensive-minded pace under Kevin O'Neill last year, Carter should enjoy the up-tempo offense that Sam Mitchell has installed in training camp.
It's time for Carter to prove to his detractors that he can play the leading role for a good team. And that he doesn't have to go elsewhere to do so.
2. Jason Kidd's behavior has been very disappointing. The league's best point guard is injured and out indefinitely, but that doesn't excuse him from attending practices. Kidd said last week that he would skip night sessions during training camp even though the New Jersey Nets wanted him there – saying something to the effect that his schedule doesn't take him in that direction at that time of day. Excuse me Jason, but isn't your job the first item on your schedule?
Kidd is understandably upset that management has made huge salary cutbacks and has dismantled a very good team. But that doesn't make it OK to act unprofessionally and hurt his own image and that of his team and the NBA. He's scheduled to receive about $90 million over the next six years. Can't he at least show up for work?
3. Danny Ainge took a lot of heat last season for some unpopular moves that weakened the Boston Celtics and prompted his coach – Jim O'Brien – to resign. But Ainge continually preached that his long-term vision would help the franchise, and he asked Celtics fans for patience.
Ainge had a productive summer, and there's reason for hope for one of the most storied franchises in sports. New coach Doc Rivers is dynamic and full of energy, and high schooler Al Jefferson, the team's top draft pick, played very well in the summer leagues. He is a manchild who could eventually develop into a dominant power forward. And with Raef LaFrentz returning from injury and Gary Payton manning the point-guard position, the Celtics should be good enough to at least get the critics off Ainge's back.
Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.