New York Sports Fan Blog

Against all odds Baron Davis left MSG to a standing ovation. It’s no coincidence that following the injury the Knicks won their first and probably only game of the series. Not only that, but Baron’s replacement Mike Bibby hit a clutch three with about a minute to go. Davis’s playing time was based more on desperation then ability. Mario Chalmers has destroyed Davis in the series averaging 12.3 points and 4.8 assists to Baron’s 7.8 points and 3.3 assists (and 3.3 turnovers). Every player on the Knicks roster not named Carmelo Anthony or Iman Shumpert (who’s lost for this series and probably part of next year) is a liability on either offense or defense. Baron found a way to be a liability on both.
Despite how much I despise Baron as a player it was hard not to feel bad watching his knee (or patella, whatever) dislocate. You know it’s bad when players on the court can’t even look at it. This will probably end the career of one of the most overrated players of the last decade (the guy made only two all star teams and advanced past the second round just twice). I guess that’s what happens when an old overweight man tries to play in the NBA. Now Baron can sit on his couch and gain weight this offseason. Only this time no one will care.

Once again Jim Dolan has dragged his famed New York Knicks into the doldrums of oblivion. On the surface all is great with Knicks, not only did they land their superstar that will put them on the basketball map for the first time in 15 years, they truly believe they are contenders again in a top heavy Eastern Conference. However the surface is a thin sheet of hardwood, a sheet that will collapse under the increased pressure to win now that Carmello Anthony is in town. The Knicks sold their entire core to the devil and I don’t believe they made a good deal.

The reason the Knicks were in the position they were in has nothing to do with Carmello, or the players or proven GM Donnie Walsh. The reason the Knicks have been floating around in oblivion for so long is because of Dolan! He spent the post Patrick Ewing years trading and selling draft picks for has-beens that ate up salary cap and spent more time on the injury list then on the court. It wasn’t until Walsh showed up did the Knicks become somewhat relevant again, he got rid of the dead weight, he made smart business moves and good draft choice’s he brought excitement back to Madison Square Garden. Then Dolan erased Walsh’s Knicks legacy in a matter of seconds, he took the core and traded it to Denver for Anthony, the same Anthony that refused to sign an extension with the Nuggets, the same Anthony that was never going to accept a trade to the New Jersey Nets, the same Anthony that was going to become a free-agent in June and would hit the open market for the same $65 million dollars the Knicks will be paying him.

Dolan took the Knicks from a 7th seed in the East to a 6th seed in East and traded everything he had to get there. Lets face the facts; the Knicks now have no youth, no draft picks and no way of building around Carmello and Amare Stoudemire. They aren’t going to win a NBA championship as long as the big three are in Boston, Lebron James and Dwayne Wade are in Miami and Kobe Bryant is in the league.
So I ask you Knicks fans, you got Carmello, but was it worth it?

Amare Stoudemire stuff!!!

With Chris Paul “demanding a trade” (who knows the real truth), many Knicks fans were hoping to land the superstar point guard. However, this would not be a good idea.

Right now, the only all-star on the team is Amare Stoudemire. They have an overlooked, solid point guard in Raymond Felton. Danilo Gallinari and Anthony Randolph are both very young, and both have all-star potential. Add Wilson Chandler and Toney Douglas, and the Knicks have a solid core. But to get Chris Paul, most of those pieces would have to be traded. So New York would be left with Paul, Stoudemire, and not much else.

If the Knicks really wanted Paul, they would get him in the 2012 off-season. Before then, there is the 2011 off-season, where New York will surely target Carmelo Anthony, the top free agent. Imagine if they signed Carmelo, and then had him, Stoudemire, Gallinari, and Randolph. The Knicks could either trade Felton to attempt to sign Tony Parker, or they could outright just wait for Paul to become a free agent.

Either way, an immediate lineup with Amare Stoudemire, Chris Paul, and a bunch of nothing does not compare to a lineup of Tony Parker or Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Danilo Gallinari, Anthony Randolph, and Amare Stoudemire. It has been a tough wait Knicks fans, but that wait should continue.

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

After missing out on LeBron earlier this offseason, it appears the Knicks are now moving their sights onto another young superstar. Chris Paul has recently asked the Hornets to trade him, giving them a list of teams with the Knicks on the top of his list. This news coming after Chris Paul made a toast at Carmello Anthony’s wedding to the big 3 in NY (Paul, Anthony, and Stoudemire) to compete against the big three in Miami. The Knicks have the assets to make the trade, and it seems like a strong possibility the Hornets will trade Paul, so will the Knicks get two coveted superstars in the offseason after all?

It seems like a strong possibility. New Orleans is a team in transition. They have a new GM, a new head coach and no great talent next to Paul. They have a lot of bad contracts and Paul realizes they will not be able to compete for a title any time soon. He saw LeBron leave and form his big three and now he wants one of his own. The Hornets are a small market team, and while keeping Paul helps their ticket sales, he can also hurt them if he isn’t buying into the system. The new guys don’t need someone questioning their system, and they don’t need a player constantly telling their fans the team will never be successful. In addition the Hornets could pick up a lot by trading Paul. There are a lot of young players available to them, and you bet they are going to be able to unload a bad contract or two. They are a team that is not going to compete now. With a new coach and GM why not start a rebuilding project.

For the Knicks they have the players to acquire Paul. Anthony Randolph, Danillo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas, and Bill Walker are young players with a lot of upside. Package any of those guys with a few 2nd round draft picks or a 2014 first round pick, in addition to taking on a bad contract like an Emeka Okefor or a James Posey, and the Knicks have an attractive offer. Definitely competitive with the other teams on Paul’s list, the Mavericks, Magic, and Trail Blazers.

So New Orleans have reasons to trade Paul, the Knicks have the means to get him, so will they get him and more importantly should they get him? For the first question I believe if the Knicks want Paul they will get him. Perhaps it is my NY bias, but there is a lot going in their favor. First, Paul has picked them above any of the other teams, and while New Orleans has the final say, I am sure it has some play. Second the Knicks can offer so much to the Hornets, with the Blazers the only team that can really match it.

So, yes I believe the Knicks will get Paul if they want him, but should they want him. Well it depends. If you can get Paul with keeping your flexibility open to get Mello later, that would be a no brainer. Imagine a big three in NY that could stick it to Pat Riley and those guys in South Beach. But my feeling is that to get Paul they would need to take on Okefor and Posey all while giving Curry’s expiring contract up. So depending on what young guys we have to give up, we could have a team with Stoudemire, Paul, and a lot of big contracts for guys that don’t exactly fit the system. We would lose all the flexibility we worked to get. While we might not be assured a player next offseason, I believe the Knicks could get either Tony Parker or Mello, even with a new CBA looming. They can achieve this and keep their young players and flexibility.

It is extremely tempting to want to get Paul, and if the deal makes sense I am sure the Knicks will make it. But if the deal costs too much the Knicks won’t and shouldn’t do it, and will instead wait till Dec 15 or next offseason.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

Assuming the Knicks are done with improvements, and aside from a trade they seem to be done until next summer, how will the Knicks look next season. We have waited quite some time for this summer for the front office to make this team a contender again and so how have they done.

I say as of right now the Knicks are around a 40-win team. That is not where we expected to be after this summer, but its a good start.

The Knicks did sign a superstar in Amar’e Stoudemire and added a true point guard in Raymond Felton. They also added another nice young piece in Anthony Randolph.

With expected improvements from some of the other guys (Gallinari, Chandler, Douglas) 40 wins is definitely attainable with a possible 7th or 8th seed in reach.

While Lebron would have been nice, just getting back into the playoffs will be a good first step.

Aside from Stoudemire none of the moves the Knicks made are long term and so they have room to bring in a max-type player next season if anyone wants to come, and be free to make moves in the future.

The rebuilding is not over, but it is pretty promising considering our worst-case scenario happened. It’s hard to continue to preach patience but the Knicks are one superstar away from being a true contender.

While it won’t be official till Thursday, Amar’e Stoudemire has agreed to terms on a 5-year max contract with the New York Knicks. When Donnie Walsh took over as the GM of the Knicks he laid out a plan to shed salary and bring stars to the Knicks to restore the franchise. With Stoudemire stating, “The Knicks are back,” during his press conference has Donnie Walsh restored the Knicks to prominence in the NBA?

This signing alone probably boosts the Knicks up to a playoff team in the weak East. While Stoudemire’s numbers do not look significantly better than what Lee had, nor is his defense an improvement, he brings something else to the table…star power. It might seem overrated, but it is very important to a team. Kobe makes the players around him better not just because of what he can do on the court, but his leadership off it. He is a guy that his teammates do not want to let down and his play forces everyone else to play better. It appears Stoudemire is ready to be the man and do this as well. In addition as well as Lee played he was not a player who could lead a team at the end of games, to get to the line and carry his team to a win when they need it most. Think of all the games the Knicks lost at the end of games or in overtime. Stoudemire will be the difference and lead the Knicks to their first playoff appearance in quite some time.

In addition the importance of this signing is it makes the Knicks a more attractive place for current and future free agents. If Bosh and Wade go to Miami, LeBron could see his best option in New York, or Wade could come if LeBron and Bosh go to Chicago. I do not think LeBron prefers to play with Bosh over Stoudemire and I don’t see Wade and LeBron teaming up. Even if New York misses out this year they have the cap to bring in a guy or two next year, a year they could get Carmello, Parker, or Paul.

While the ultimate prize was LeBron, the Knicks accomplished a lot already with the signing of Stoudemire. They have a star and a playoff team for the first time in a while. They now have more to offer players than the bright lights of NYC and either this off-season or the next the Knicks will be able to acquire the players to make them championship contenders once again.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

I know all of the talk is about Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in Chicago, or Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, but I still think the Knicks have a lot to offer. His name is Danilo Gallinari.

Lebron James is a player that needs the ball in his hands, and he is a player that loves to slash to the basket and slam it down while drawing a foul. That does not work as well when you don’t have people that can spread the floor. While clearing Kirk Hinrich’s salary has given Chicago room to sign two max guys, it also rids them of any player that can knock down the three. Rose is not much of a shooter and can see his effectiveness wane if Lebron is the one handling the ball. In addition Noah is a great defender and rebounder but he is not making many outside shots. In fact the most likely target for the second max is Chris Bosh, another guy who is not hitting the three consistently. Without the threat of an outside shooter opposing defenses are going to clog the lane making it harder for Lebron to drive to the basket. Remember the Cavs became a lot better after the addition of Moe Williams, a point guard who didn’t need the ball in his hands and was ready to knock down a three when Lebron charged in and dished the ball out to him.

Miami can offer Lebron the chance to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but there are many problems with this scenario. One Lebron would have to be willing to essentially be the second guy there. He is going to Wade’s team and even if they win five titles he will have to swallow the fact that Wade has six. He will have to hear how Lebron needed Wade, not Wade needing Lebron. For a guy that wants to go down as the best player I don’t think he would want to be the second guy on his own team. In addition, for this to happen the Heat will have to get Bosh in a sign and trade. Meaning Bosh will be the highest paid player despite being the third option on the team. No one is going to like that. Also where is the bench on this team. They will have 5 people under contract with no salary room. I know they can sign people using the mid-level exemption, but are they going to find seven quality veterans to come?

Then there is the Knicks. While no one is talking about their players, they have some pretty good pieces to complement Lebron. Danilo Gallinari is the perfect teammate for Lebron. He is a good defender and will only improve with age. Remember last season was only his first full season as a starter. His numbers for a second year pro compare with those of Hedo Turkoglu and Dirk Nowitzki, two very good players in this league. He is an excellent three point shooter, a solid passer and rebounder, and most importantly, he does not need many shots to stay in the game. Let’s be honest, if the Knicks execute their plans Gallo will be at best the third option. So the fact that this guy can put up 30 points a night, but will still play great defense and knock down a late game three when only putting up ten points is huge. In addition the Knicks have Wilson Chandler, another guy who can hit the three, but can also make his own shot. He is also young and is a guy that has improved each season he has been in the league. Then there is Toney Douglas. Last year he was first round pick that cracked the starting line-up after the trading deadline. Like the other two, Douglas can hit the three. He was an amazing defender in college and showed flashes of that last season. More importantly he is a point guard who does not need the ball in his hand, in fact he is better without the ball in his hand. These three are talented, young, and complement Lebron well. All of this without mentioning the fact Lebron could bring a number two with him this year, and another quality player this year or next depending on when the Knicks can shed Curry’s contract.

I am not saying the Knicks are the best situation for Lebron, but I have no idea why it is considered the worst place. There are just as many problems with Chicago and Miami. Even Bosh said he doesn’t think Miami is working out. The Nets could be a good option, but I can’t imagine Lebron coming to New York and not going to the Knicks. Despite what people are saying the Knicks still have a good chance of signing Lebron and if I had to guess I would say its Cleveland or New York.

While the New York Knicks hope to land LeBron James, there is a good chance that he will choose to go elsewhere. With that in mind, they need a backup plan. That plan seems to involve the duo of Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire. It is tough to believe all of the 1,000,000 rumors out there about the 2010 free agency. But it seems legitimate to believe that the Knicks will be meeting with Joe Johnson at 12:01 on July 1st. Whether or not they get James, the Knicks would still have enough to offer big money to Johnson.

If they fail to land LeBron, the Knicks may go after Amare Stoudemire. Like Johnson, Stoudemire played for Mike D’Antoni back in Phoenix. Every Knicks fan wants to see LeBron James wearing blue and orange. But if not, the combination of Johnson and Stoudemire is not too shabby.

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

Knicks blogs these days have only been harping on whether or not superstar Lebron James will come to New York in the offseason. I understand plan A (whether Walsh will refer to it as that or not) was to clear enough cap space to entice James and another superstar to come to the Knicks, but what if he doesn’t come?

He has plenty of other options, including staying in Cleveland, joining Derrick Rose in Chicago, going to Jay-Z and the Nets, or even the Clippers. So what do the Knicks do if he doesn’t come?

Aside from James the other top names available are Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki and Joe Johnson. There are plenty of other players available, but if the Knicks are looking for a star, they have to sign one of these guys—unless they plan on working out a trade for a player like Chris Paul or more surprisingly Carmelo Anthony.

I do not see Wade signing with the Knicks. He has never given any sign that he is interested in New York and from all indications he likes Miami. Most sources have said he would like to stay put with the hope Miami can bring in another top player this off-season. If Wade does leave, it will most likely be for Chicago, his hometown and a team that is already set up pretty well.

Putting a trade aside and taking Lebron and Wade out of the mix, I think the Knicks best option is to sign Joe Johnson.

Bosh is good, but he has failed to prove he is good enough to lead a team to the playoffs or a championship. He has missed the playoffs the past two seasons and the two years he made it his team was eliminated in the first round. Personally I don’t think he is that much better than David Lee and if Lee could be signed for 10-12 million I would rather that than the 18 million they would have to pay Bosh. Plus I doubt Bosh would come to New York without Lebron signing anyway.

Amare has proven to be dynamic, but he has health issues and is worse at defense than Lee is. As for Dirk, there is no way he leaves Dallas for New York unless a really good player is coming with him.

Joe Johnson has proven he can lead a young team to the playoffs. He is a professional in the locker room and is the scorer the Knicks need for down the stretch. In addition there is a chance the Knicks will be able to sign him for less than the maximum.

With the extra cap space they could sign a proven point guard like Raymond Felton, or trade for Darren Collison from the Hornets as it is believed he will be available. They could send Curry’s expiring contract alongside Wilson Chandler for Collison and Emeka Okefor solving their issues at both point guard and center.

They might even have enough left to re-sign fan-favorite David Lee. Lee has been working on his 3-point shooting and improving his defense, if all goes well he could slide over to power forward and play at an All-Star level.

If they could pull these moves off the Knicks would sport a starting line-up that consisted of Collison at point guard, Joe Johnson at shooting guard, Danilo Gallinari at small forward, David Lee at power forward, and Emeka Okafor at center. They would also have Bill Walker, Toney Douglas and their two second-round picks on the bench.

There are a lot of options out there and this is just one of the possibilities. Not only would this be a very good offensive unit, but a top-notch defensive one. I truly believe the Knicks can assemble a team like this, and it can easily lead the Knicks back to the playoffs, and possibly even a championship. It just goes to show you that there is more to talk about than Lebron.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

Despite not being physically fit for most of the season, Wilson Chandler quietly – he knows no other way – performed above expectations.

A painful groin injury eventually knocked him out for good in March, and now it appears that his surgically repaired left ankle also hampered the Knicks’ shooting guard/small forward. According to a team source, Chandler might need surgery to remove scar tissue from his ankle. Last June, Chandler had surgery to remove bone spurs.

No decision on Chandler will be made until after Tuesday night’s season finale against Toronto. If surgery is required, the procedure will not keep Chandler sidelined for an extended period of time.

He should be healthy well before the Knicks report back to work in late September. Chandler, a surprise first-round pick by then-team president Isiah Thomas in 2007, is a player Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni agree will be a big part of the club’s future.

Click here to read the full article – By FRANK ISOLA of Ny Daily News

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