Which Way New York Knickerbockers?
123 million. 23 wins. A team that is literally giving their coach heart attacks. Players threatening to fight one another. Players jumping each other in the shower... to fight. Things pretty much couldn't get any worse for the New York Knicks. So how is Isiah going to turn it around?
Clean Out the Front Office
Fire Isiah. This is obvious. While he isn't as bad as Scott Layden (Layden built a team with a high payroll and no talent) he also is likely to make deals bringing in Darius Miles, Kenyon Martin, and Ruben Patterson which would make the Knicks about as dysfunctional as a team could be.
This might shock many people but the Knicks next move is obvious IMO: Fire Larry Brown. While Brown is one of the best coaches of all-time, the man's longest tenure was six years in Philly and that was before he was one turnover away from having heart failure. The man's schtick doesn't work everywhere and it clearly didn't work in NY. At best, he'll be around for a few years but it'll take that time to clean up this mess.
Who do you bring in to replace Larry? Honestly, I don't know but one guy who could work, even though I can't stand him, is Jim O'Brien. Am I an Obie fan? No, not at all. I actually was glad when he finally left Boston but the bottom line is that the man wins. He has been to the playoffs every year in which he has coached a full season. And for all of the talk of him not playing the right guys in Philly, it's not like Sam Dalembert and friend exactly lit it up this year.
Since tanking in hopes of a great draft pick doesn't work for NY (they dealt their 2007 pick in the Curry deal), they might as well at least find the guy to make the team mediocre for a year or two when, hopefully, the Knicks should be able to take the next step towards contending at which point they hire a better coach. (Then again, name me a better coach and I'll probably immediately admit that it's a better option than Obie but for now, that's who I'm going with.) The Moves(Note: These moves are very questionable but it's the basic idea that I think could work) Stephon Marbury, David Lee, Nate Robinson for Jason Williams and Antoine Walker: This is a HORRIBLE trade for the Knicks but honestly they are going to have to give up a lot to dump Stephon. Antoine is reunited with old friend O'Brien and the duo eyes Beantown in hopes of luring Paul Pierce away. Miami seems like the one team that could possibly handle Starbury. Shaq is the man and Wade's versatility and ability to run the point now and then helps open up Steph to focus on scoring. I also thing Marbury will realize that he will never get a better opportunity to win than in Miami which should help him keep his ego in check. The Heat take a gamble but if they don't win it this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see them risk it before Shaq's window of winning a title closes any further. Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson for Rashard Lewis and Damien Wilkins : The Sonics are looking to move 'Shard and they get a guy they've always loved In Crawford and a replacement at the three in Q. Damien Wilkins is a solid guy to do the dirty work which NY needs and Obie will love. Dump Stevie Francis for the #6 pick, Eddie Griffin, Trenton Hassell, and Marko Jaric : While everyone is expecting Stephon to go to Minnesota, maybe the better option is Stevie Franchise? The Wolves need something and they give up next to nothing in this deal. The Knicks do it to get more role players and to pick up the 6th pick in the draft. Malik Rose or Mo Taylor, Jerome James, #6 pick for Carlos Boozer : If the Jazz really want to move Boozer, they'll have to take back, at least, Jerome James' contract. They get a high lotto pick and a servicable big man in Rose or an expiring contract in Mo Taylor. Odds are they'll go with the cap space and select Mo Taylor. The Lineup
C: Eddy Curry, Channing Frye, Jackie Butler
PF: Carlos Boozer, Antoine Walker, Malik Rose
SF: Rashard Lewis, Eddie Griffin
SG: Jalen Rose, Damien Wilkins, Trenton Hassell
PG: Jason Williams, Marko Jaric While the Knicks take on some bad long term deal, they are smaller long term deals than the ones they had. The biggest question mark is Boozer but you'd hope that he could stay healthy and give you the 20/10 that he delivered in the final month of the year. You hold on to Jalen Rose either to move him at the trade deadline or to just let him walk and give James Dolan some financial relief. At #20 and #29 in the draft you take the best players available. I'm sure Obie would push for Kevin Pittsnoogle but he's a short term fix so you don't have to listen to him. This is some major league spitballing but I think deals like these are the kind that can get the Knicks a cohesive unit and a team that could fight for the final playoff spot in the East.
Since tanking in hopes of a great draft pick doesn't work for NY (they dealt their 2007 pick in the Curry deal), they might as well at least find the guy to make the team mediocre for a year or two when, hopefully, the Knicks should be able to take the next step towards contending at which point they hire a better coach. (Then again, name me a better coach and I'll probably immediately admit that it's a better option than Obie but for now, that's who I'm going with.) The Moves(Note: These moves are very questionable but it's the basic idea that I think could work) Stephon Marbury, David Lee, Nate Robinson for Jason Williams and Antoine Walker: This is a HORRIBLE trade for the Knicks but honestly they are going to have to give up a lot to dump Stephon. Antoine is reunited with old friend O'Brien and the duo eyes Beantown in hopes of luring Paul Pierce away. Miami seems like the one team that could possibly handle Starbury. Shaq is the man and Wade's versatility and ability to run the point now and then helps open up Steph to focus on scoring. I also thing Marbury will realize that he will never get a better opportunity to win than in Miami which should help him keep his ego in check. The Heat take a gamble but if they don't win it this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see them risk it before Shaq's window of winning a title closes any further. Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson for Rashard Lewis and Damien Wilkins : The Sonics are looking to move 'Shard and they get a guy they've always loved In Crawford and a replacement at the three in Q. Damien Wilkins is a solid guy to do the dirty work which NY needs and Obie will love. Dump Stevie Francis for the #6 pick, Eddie Griffin, Trenton Hassell, and Marko Jaric : While everyone is expecting Stephon to go to Minnesota, maybe the better option is Stevie Franchise? The Wolves need something and they give up next to nothing in this deal. The Knicks do it to get more role players and to pick up the 6th pick in the draft. Malik Rose or Mo Taylor, Jerome James, #6 pick for Carlos Boozer : If the Jazz really want to move Boozer, they'll have to take back, at least, Jerome James' contract. They get a high lotto pick and a servicable big man in Rose or an expiring contract in Mo Taylor. Odds are they'll go with the cap space and select Mo Taylor. The Lineup
C: Eddy Curry, Channing Frye, Jackie Butler
PF: Carlos Boozer, Antoine Walker, Malik Rose
SF: Rashard Lewis, Eddie Griffin
SG: Jalen Rose, Damien Wilkins, Trenton Hassell
PG: Jason Williams, Marko Jaric While the Knicks take on some bad long term deal, they are smaller long term deals than the ones they had. The biggest question mark is Boozer but you'd hope that he could stay healthy and give you the 20/10 that he delivered in the final month of the year. You hold on to Jalen Rose either to move him at the trade deadline or to just let him walk and give James Dolan some financial relief. At #20 and #29 in the draft you take the best players available. I'm sure Obie would push for Kevin Pittsnoogle but he's a short term fix so you don't have to listen to him. This is some major league spitballing but I think deals like these are the kind that can get the Knicks a cohesive unit and a team that could fight for the final playoff spot in the East.
