Tag Archive | New York Knicks

With The Trade Deadline Looming, Are The Knicks Looking To Unload?

By Brett Malamud

When Knicks Owner Jim Dolan brought in Phil Jackson to be the President of Basketball Operations, Dolan expected Jackson to do two things:

A) Take the pressure of being a New York team off of Owner Jim Dolan

B) Attract marquee free agents to New York

Last June, Jackson attempted to do both, and the Knicks acquired three-time NBA All Star and 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls for Jose Calderon, Jerian Grant, and Robin Lopez. The Knicks also received guard Justin Holiday and a 2017 2nd round pick in the deal. To take the words of former Knick Amare Stoudemire, the Knicks were back. At the time, the thought was that the deal would turn the Knicks into a new era, and all would be well in the Big Apple.

By trading for Derrick Rose, Jackson took a flier on a former MVP and a former number one overall pick. If it didn’t work out, that would be ok too, as Rose’s $21 million salary comes off of the books at the end of the 2016-17 season. At the time, the Knicks decided that if Rose isn’t worth the headaches, they can just let him walk at the end of the 2016-17 season, and go chase a marquee free agent player. That said, the Knicks set themselves up to have over $60 million in cap space for the summer of 2017, where player of the like of Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, Paul Millsap, Gordon Hayward, Greg Monroe, Rudy Gay, Andrew Bogut, Jrue Holiday, Danilo Gallinari, Andre Iguodala, J.J. Redick, Taj Gibson and George Hill would all be available. Or so they thought.

After all, the move created an attractive place for summer 2016 free agents, and Kevin Durant would be sure to look at the Knicks a little harder than he would have the week before. Players like Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, and Joakim Noah, who were all linked to the Knicks after the trade was made, were being mentioned as plan-B options if they didn’t get Durant.

Fast-forward a week, and they didn’t. Instead, Durant joined the Warriors, and the Knicks came away with two-time NBA All Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah, on a four year, $72 million contract. Suddenly, a pipe dream was gone. The Knicks were giving $72 million to a player coming off major shoulder surgery, and whose numbers declined in almost every category each season since he was named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2014.

Fast-forward eight months, and that’s a contract that the Knicks wish they never handed out. In fact, it was totally unnecessary, because the big-man that they wanted was already on the roster. That was 22-year-old rookie Willy Hernangomez, who has averaged 11.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in the month of February, all well Noah tweaked his hamstring just five games before the All-Star break.

The Knicks find themselves without that $70 million in cap space for this summer, but rather anywhere from $20-25 million. Yikes. Yes, the Knicks still have their first round pick for this season, but with Russell Westbrook off the market, and reports that Chris Paul will stay in Los Angeles for north of $200 million, the point guard market is slim pickings. Sure the Knicks could always re-up with Derrick Rose, but do they really want to spend most of their remaining cap space on Rose? Rose apparently is seeking a max contract this summer, and after multiple knee injuries, paying him a max deal wouldn’t be a wise investment. Instead, the Knicks should seek a trade, so at least they can get something for Rose. One proposed deal sees Rose being shipped to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ricky Rubio. The move is intriguing from both sides. For Minnesota, the Tom Thibodeau-Derrick Rose reunion could work, as Rose attempts to rekindle his career in the hopes of landing that max-deal that he desires. If Rose leaves at the end of the year, Minnesota has rookie point guard Kris Dunn waiting in the wings. On the other side, the Knicks would get a solid player in Rubio, and wouldn’t lose Rose for nothing, The 26-year-old Rubio is also under contract for the next two and a half years, averaging a reasonable $14 million. Yes, the deal would take the Knicks out of the running for a marquee free agent in the summer of 2017, barring an extremely unlikely major cap dump. Normally the Knicks wouldn’t sign up for being out of the running (See Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and of course LeBron James) before the sweepstakes begins. But the timing is right and Rubio would be a good young piece to place with Hernangomez and Kristaps Porzingis.

Both Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony could be on their way out of New York at the trade deadline (Via CHI Tribune)

But then we come to the bigger issue at hand:

The Melo Conundrum.

Yes, Carmelo Anthony has been shopped around by Phil Jackson. That much is confirmed. The Cavaliers, Clippers, Celtics, and Lakers are rumored destinations but it all hinges on Anthony waiving his no-trade clause, and at this rate, Melo has been stating his desire to stay in New York. But let’s explore the scenario for a bit, as Anthony is hungry for a championship, and clearly won’t get that scenario in the near future with the Knicks. The only realistic piece that would change the culture of the Knicks by trading Carmelo Anthony (if actually trading him at all) is Blake Griffin (sorry Austin Rivers fans). Of course, the Knicks would have to trade Rose first, because of the CBA rule stating that two players under a certain rookie contract extension can’t be paired on the same roster. That said, the Clippers are holding on to the hopes that Griffin stays with the team and does not view the Clippers as an aging team with a window closing fast. A fresh start with the new look Ricky Rubio Knicks on a max deal sign and trade wouldn’t be the worst thing for the soon to be 28-year-old Griffin, and as for Carmelo, he’d get a shot to go for a title with his good friend Chris Paul. The pipe dream reopens for Knicks fans, and the Knicks are back.

But it’s not looking as if Carmelo will be traded, and the idea remains—yes—a pipe dream. It’s still worth returning to the reason why all of this is happening: Phil Jackson. With a series of cryptic tweets bashing the team’s superstar, Anthony, the Knicks are quickly becoming a toxic wasteland, and as a result, the pressure is on owner Jim Dolan again. Jackson may have to make a few moves before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline to save the Knicks ship from sinking, or it could be his job on the line.

Brett Malamud is a graduate of Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy

07/03/15

Quick Reaction: Robin Lopez to the Knicks

By Brett Malamud

This morning we received news from Yahoo Sports Insider Adrian Wojnarowski that the Knicks have agreed on a four-year, $54 Million contract with free agent center Robin Lopez. The deal is pending DeAndre Jordan’s decision on his destination. However, the Knicks are not expected to sign Jordan, who is reportedly “50-50 and torn” between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers.

Let me say that $13.5 million a year is an absurd amount of money for a player that cannot play offense. Lopez averaged 9.6 points per game last season. While he’ll definitely help on defense, I’m not sure that the signing was a good move. Signing Lopez to this lucrative deal leaves the Knicks with just $5.5 million of cap space. Well what’s next?

Do the Knicks really think they’ll contend with the likes of Kendrick Perkins and Derrick Williams alongside Carmelo Anthony and Lopez? Instead, the Knicks should have stayed patient and waited till next year where they could have built themselves in an intriguing 2016 free agency class. Instead we’ll see a team that will struggle…again.

Brett Malamud is an English Rhetoric Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy

12/02/14

Despite Rough Start, Knicks Future Looks Promising

By Alex Horowitz

For the first time ever, Phil Jackson is at the helm of a losing team.

Entering December 1, the Knicks stand at a dismal 4-14 record and are 9.5 games out of the first in the division. Despite my overly optimistic feeling entering this season, this is simply not the Knicks year at all. One would think that a team with a star in Carmelo Anthony would lead his team to a decent record, especially when surrounded by players with enormous potential and leadership like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jose Calderon, respectively. Not these Knicks, though. Even after acquiring Calderon from Dallas, a new point guard has not changed the team’s fortunes. Their offense ranks 23^rd in the league, while the defense is even worse at 26^th. But could this have all been a part of Jackson’s long-term plan for success?

Can Phil Jackson turn it around for the Knicks this summer? (Via USA Today)

Fast-forward ahead six months. It is right before the NBA draft and the Knicks have a first round selection. Yes, you read that correctly. Even though it seems as if the Knicks trade their prized first round selection each year, the NBA luckily prevents such foolishness from occurring on a yearly basis; teams are unable to trade away a first round pick in consecutive drafts. With a first round pick in their arsenal, the Knicks will have a shot at drafting Duke’s Jahlil Okafor or Kentucky’s Karl Towns, among other top prospects. The catch is, though, that they’ll need to be bad in order to have a chance at grabbing one of those guys- and really bad, at that. Okay, maybe not 76ers bad. But nonetheless, bad enough to be at the top of the lottery.

So, let’s theoretically say that Okafor comes to New York. Already a huge improvement over Samuel Dalembert. Jackson won’t be done just yet, however. It has long been known that the Knicks will heavily pursue Marc Gasol, who is one of the top available big men in the 2015 free agent class. His brother Pau played with Derek Fisher and was coached by Phil, so he’d be key in convincing Marc to come to Manhattan. The Knicks will have ample cap space too, so a max deal is definitely in the realm of possibility. Let’s go with 4 years / $85 million. Let’s also assume that they fill out the remainder of their roster through low key and minimum salary contracts. Here’s what the 2015-16 opening night starting lineup could look like:

PG: Jose Calderon

SG: Iman Shumpert

SF: Carmelo Anthony

PF: Jahlil Okafor

C: Marc Gasol

Playoff caliber? No doubt.

Championship contender? For sure.

Realistic? Maybe. Obviously I’m banking on a ton of good stuff to turn in the Knicks favor, but hey, it’s the Knicks; they’ve been without a championship since 1973- they need some good luck for once. Knowing the capabilities of the Zen Master, this dream scenario may be anything but a dream come this summer.

During a lost season, it’s tough to find positives to look forward. And, quite frankly, I hate to root for my favorite team to tank. But I see what the Knicks’ plan is leading towards. It’s a process, and not one for the hasty minded fan, but if all goes according to plan, the end results will be basketball paradise.

For the first time ever, Phil Jackson is at the helm of a losing team. Hopefully it’s his last.

Alex Horowitz is a senior at Briarcliff High School and is an aspiring sports writer. As a lifelong sports fan, he has rooted for the New York Knicks, New York Mets, and Detroit Lions. You can follow him on Twitter @alexhorowitz3

10/29/14

2014-15 NBA Predictions

As you know, the NBA season began last night. However, we decided to release our predictions today marking our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY. Thanks for your continued support over the last year and thank you in advance for your support in our second year! Feel free to comment with your own opinions, as these are simply ours. Without further ado, we present our 2014- 2015 NBA Season Predictions:

	EAST
Place	Sam Breiter	Brett Malamud
1	Cleveland Cavaliers	Cleveland Cavaliers
2	Chicago Bulls	Chicago Bulls
3	Toronto Raptors	Washington Wizards
4	Indiana Pacers	Toronto Raptors
5	Washington Wizards	Miami Heat
6	New York Knicks	New York Knicks
7	Brooklyn Nets	Charlotte Hornets
8	Charlotte Hornets	Brooklyn Nets
Bubble Team (9th)	Atlanta Hawks	Atlanta Hawks
ECF	Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks	Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls

	West
Place	Sam Breiter	Brett Malamud
1	L.A. Clippers	San Antonio Spurs
2	San Antonio Spurs	Oklahoma City Thunder
3	Dallas Mavericks	Golden State Warriors
4	Oklahoma City Thunder	L.A.Clippers
5	Houston Rockets	Portland Trail Blazers
6	Portland Trail Blazers	Houston Rockets
7	Phoenix Suns	Dallas Mavericks
8	L.A. Lakers	Phoenix Suns
Bubble Team (9th)	New Orleans Pelicans	Minnesota Timberwolves
WCF	L.A. Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks	Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs

	Champion and Awards
	Sam Breiter	Brett Malamud
FINALS	Cleveland Cavaliers vs LA Clippers	Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs
Champion	Cleveland Cavaliers	Cleveland Cavaliers
Defensive POY	Dwight Howard	Joakim Noah
Rookie of the Year	Andrew Wiggins	Andrew Wiggins
Coach of the Year	Doc Rivers	Gregg Popovich
Most Improved	Tim Hardaway Jr.	Anthony Bennett
MVP	Blake Griffin	LeBron James
Sixth Man of the Year	Isaiah Thomas	Jamal Crawford

10/05/14

Knicks Season Outlook

By Jack Allen

For the diehards it seems so far, for the casual fan its just a few weeks away. For the Knicks, it has been an offseason with a large sense of relief as they were able to bring back superstar forward Carmelo Anthony. Last season could of easily been the most disappointing year that many fans have witnessed in recent memory. A team that finishes shy of making the playoffs with a player like Carmelo Anthony is simply hard to believe.

Carmelo Anthony hopes to lead the Knicks back to the playoffs after missing out last season. (Via NYT)

Somehow for this upcoming season, the Knicks fans around New York are expecting a season similar to 2012-13 when they won the Atlantic Division and beat the Boston Celtics in the first round and lost to the Pacers in the 2nd round of the playoffs. My question to you, Knick fans, is why should a team coming off of a 37-45 season, that has a rookie head coach in Derek Fisher, and didn’t do much to improve in the offseason have a higher expectation? Acquisitions like Quincy Acy, Samuel Dalembert, Jose Calderon, and Jason Smith adds more depth, yes. The addition of draft picks in Cleanthony Early and Thanasis Antetokounmpo is great too. But, I still can’t really see the team having much success.

The Knicks lost Tyson Chandler, Jeremy Tyler and Shannon Brown, and the team definitely improved. They didn’t improve like some other teams did, but I also consider a healthy Amar’e Stoudemire, and Andrea Bargnani improvement in the front-court as well. The improvement is not by much though. In due time, I believe that having Derek Fisher as head coach will work out eventually, but a lack of experience may hurt his chances this season.

On to prediction time. My Knicks season prediction is a bad start, ending in a good finish that will propel them into the playoffs. I think they’ll have the opposite record as last season and go 45-37, reaching the sixth spot in the East. They’ll give my predicted three seeded Washington Wizards a run for their money, but not quite good enough and fall in seven games. For those of Knicks Nation, good luck in 2015.

Jack Allen is a writer for dabuzzza.com. He is a fan of the New York Mets, New York Islanders, New York Knicks, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Queens Park Rangers, and West Virginia Mountaineer football and basketball. His favorite athletes are David Wright, John Tavares, Geno Smith, Allen Iverson and Charlie Austin. He is a very passionate and determined fan. You can follow him on twitter @JackAllen99.

07/10/14

Carmelo Re-signs with Knicks

By Brett Malamud
Carmelo Anthony has announced on thisismelo.com that he has re-signed with the New York Knicks. The 30 year old chose New York over Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Carmelo Anthony will head back to the Big Apple

Let’s get this straight, the news comes as a huge blow to Chicago and a huge sigh of relief in New York. Knicks president Phil Jackson pushed hard to retain Anthony, and keep him away from his other options. Phil needed Carmelo and honestly, Carmelo needed Phil. The Knicks were Melo’s best option for teaming up next season with a big name free agent. Speaking of free agents, Melo was spotted with Kevin Love and Kevin Durant at UCLA a few days ago. Love and Durant will be free agents in 2015 and 2016, respectfully. You can bet that Carmelo was in their ear about a possible change of scenery for them. With an attractive option like the Big Apple, Phil will continue to recruit into the future but for now, Knicks fans can rejoice. Their top dog is on his way back.

Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy

06/26/14

The Three Major Questions Heading Into Tonight’s NBA Draft Plus Mock Draft 2014

By Nick Guy

What will Cleveland do?

The choices seem to be down to three: Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins or Trade out. While nobody would ever imagine trading out of the first pick in a draft where there are such high ceiling players, we ARE talking about the Cavs. One rumor has the Orlando Magic offering the 4^th and 12^th picks plus scoring forward Aron Afflalo. If Cleveland is truly in love with Joel Embiid this might make some sense as they could try to add Embiid with the 4^th pick and add a second lottery pick and a good player in return. On the other hand if Embiid’s injury problems are chronic and Wiggins or Parker turn out to be…well you know the rest. As for Parker, there are rumors swirling that he wants no part of Cleveland and would be much happier in Milwaukee. If I am the Cavs I would not listen to anyone or anything and just take the best player, pair him with Kyrie Irving and move on. In my eyes that would be Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins has the most upside of anyone in the draft and will be a future star in the league.

Where will Joel Embiid land?

Is Embiid’s injury bad timing or good timing? Depends who you ask. I would say bad timing for Joel Embiid but maybe lucky timing for the Cavs? As the draft banter has progressed in the last month or so all I kept hearing was Embiid was going first to the Cavs who were drooling at his potential. My thoughts? Always take the best player which to me means Andrew Wiggins 1^st, Jabari Parker 2^nd and Joel Embiid 3rd. I wondered if Cavs management had been stuck in a cave for the past 30 years and never heard the stories of Sam Bowie and Michael Jordan or Greg Oden and Kevin Durant? Is it possible they would pass on Wiggins and Parker to pick the injury prone big man with potential? Bad timing for Philly who at pick number 3 had to be giddy in thinking the Cavs would leave them Wiggins or Parker. How lucky can Cleveland be? First they come all the way up to win the lottery and snag the 1^st pick and then an injury might actually force them to take the best player? WOW!! With that said, please understand that this is not to denigrate Joel Embiid who is an exceptional prospect. Just not the top prospect. So where does he land? I think the highest spot he could go is 3^rd. The 76ers will choose between Embiid and Dante Exum or possibly maneuver within the top 6 or 7 with someone who will take a shot at Embiid. I don’t think he will last past Boston at number 6 and the teams most involved seem to be the 76ers, Celtics, Lakers and Magic.

Look for Joel Embiid to go in that 3-6 range in tonight’s NBA Draft (Via USA Today)

How will LeBron and Melo’s free agency impact the draft?

When you are chasing free agents of this magnitude there are always two things to remember. First, the more cap room you have the better off you are and second, only one team gets them and the rest are left in limbo. So what does this mean for the draft? Teams will look to couple expiring deals with draft picks to create room for marquee names. The Lakers have already offered #7 with Steve Nash’s contract to suitors. The Bulls are looking to offload their 2 first rounders with Carlos Boozer to fit a max guy. Houston, Miami and OKC are all looking at moving out of the bottom of the first round and into the top of the second round where contracts are not guaranteed. The NBA draft has become a chess board where cap space has become more valuable than a mid level prospect. Expect to see at least a half dozen and potentially more first round picks move tonight. All the movement will be designed to free up valuable space and the beneficiaries of that could be teams like Philly, Utah, Detroit, Phoenix, Cleveland and Milwaukee. Those are the key teams that will have the maneuverability to add a player with an expiring contract without trading one away plus get a sweetener in return. Should be a very interesting night.

And now Mock Draft 2014

I will not include trades but I expect at least 6 or 7 and maybe as many as 10 or 12 before the night is over.

1. CLEVELAND- Andrew Wiggins-Kansas

2. MILWAUKEE- Jabari Parker-Duke

3. PHILADELPHIA- Dante Exum-Australia

4. ORLANDO- Joel Embiid- Kansas

5. UTAH- Noah Vonleh-Indiana

6. BOSTON- Doug McDermott-Creighton

7. LA LAKERS- Marcus Smart-Oklahoma State

8. SACRAMENTO- Aaron Gordon- Arizona

9.CHARLOTTE- Nik Stauskas-Michigan

10.PHILADELPHIA-Julius Randle-Kentucky

11. DENVER- James Young-Kentucky

12. ORLANDO-Elfrid Payton-Louisiana Lafayette

13. MINNESOTA- Rodney Hood- Duke

14. PHOENIX- Dario Saric- Croatia

15. ATLANTA- Zach Lavine-UCLA

16. CHICAGO- Gary Harris- Michigan St

17. BOSTON-Jusuf Nurkic- Bosnia

18. PHILADELPHIA- Kyle Anderson –UCLA

19. CHICAGO-Adreian Payne- Michigan State

20. TORONTO- Tyler Ennis- Syracuse

21. OKLAHOMA CITY- Jerami Grant- Syracuse

22. MEMPHIS- Shabazz Napier- UCONN

23. UTAH- Mitch McGary- Michigan

24.CHARLOTTE- TJ Warren-NC State

25.HOUSTON- Jordan Adams-UCLA

26. MIAMI- Patric Young- Florida

27. PHOENIX- KJ McDaniels-Clemson

28. LA CLIPPERS- PJ Hairston_ Texas Legends

29. OKLAHOMA CITY- Cleanthony Early- Wichita State

30. SAN ANTONIO-Clint Capela- Switzerland

06/23/14

Carmelo Opts Out of Contract to ‘Explore his Options’

By Brett Malamud

Reports surfaced last night that Carmelo Anthony has informed the New York Knicks that he will opt out of the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. This morning it became a reality. Melo’s agent Leon Rose announced this morning that Anthony will become an unrestricted free agent this July. “Carmelo loves being a Knick, he loves the city and he loves the fans,” Rose said. “At this stage of his career, he just wants to explore his options.” The Knicks have recently communicated to Anthony their desire for him to opt in to his final year of his contract. Since his introductory press conference, Knicks President Phil Jackson has privately and publicly expressed interest in keeping Carmelo Anthony, and newly hired coach Derek Fisher has said the same of their top player.

Could Carmelo Anthony be joining forces with Derrick Rose? (Via ChiCitySportsFan)

But Anthony didn’t listen and come July 1^st, he could be on his way out of the Big Apple and on his way to the Windy City. That’s right, the Chicago Bulls. The idea of playing with Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose is a dreamland for Carmelo. Melo recently said, “The most important thing right now is winning.” Sound familiar? Sounds to me like the man who left his hometown to take his talents to South Beach. It was reported yesterday that Carmelo was already researching places to live in and around the Chicago area. If I’m the Knicks, I’m worried but not panicked. Who’s going to lead the team next year if Melo bolts? You’re telling me that Iman Shumpert, Tyson Chandler, and Tim Hardaway Jr. going to lead the Knicks to the playoffs? No way! As of this morning there are rumblings that Jackson may flip Shumpert for a late first round pick in Thursday’s draft. But there’s no room for panicking. In fact, with Carmelo gone, the Knicks will have a lot of cap room come 2015 and you can bet they’ll be knocking on Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo’s doors. Then of course there’s the Knicks fan’s ultimate fantasy of Kevin Durant dropping the only team he’s ever played for to go to the bright lights of Broadway in 2016. The recent Knicks hire of his good friend Derek Fisher has added some spark to that rumor, but who knows if Fisher will even still be coaching the Knicks in 2016.

As a Syracuse basketball fan, Carmelo has been my favorite NBA player and I’ll be sad to see him go. However, the move will allow Phil Jackson to start fresh with a team that’ll struggle this upcoming season (of course not having any draft picks won’t help), and a boatload of cap room in the next few seasons. So as a Knicks fan, if Chicago is what Melo really wants, all I can say is good riddance.

03/19/14

Phil Jackson Videos

Phil Jackson was introduced Tuesday morning at Madison Square Garden as the new president of the New York Knicks. Here is a video of the press conference

The Zen Master was then introduced to the Garden crowd during their game on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers, where he received a standing ovation.

______________________________________________________________

11/12/13

in NBA Basketball, New York Knicks
1 Comment

A Knick Fan’s Lament

By Nick Guy

So there I was back in February of 2011, screaming to anyone who would listen, please do not give up the house for Carmelo Anthony. We had chips, lots of chips, and to trade some of them for a super scorer who did not make his teammates better would only serve three purposes. First, it would create a team that would win 45 to 50 games per year. Second, that team would never get past the second round of the playoffs and that was if they even got that far. Third, it would fool the masses and sell lots of tickets.

Let’s look back at what happened on February 22^ndof 2011. We did indeed make that trade that concerned me and acquired Carmelo Anthony. The town was abuzz. Tickets were hot. I was disgusted. We knew Denver needed to make the move so we played hard to get, right? No, not the Knicks. Instead of having our experienced GM and team president Donnie Walsh do the negotiating, our team owner Jim Dolan took over the negotiating and he did not give up SOME of our chips. Instead, he gave up ALL the chips we had amassed. Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Anthony Randolph, Timofey Mozgov, Eddy Curry’s expiring contract, 2012 & 2013 2^nd round picks, a 2014 1^stround pick, the option to switch 2016 1^st round picks and of course the obligatory 3 million bucks. Eleven assets in all. But we didn’t just get Melo. No, we were also able to snag Chauncey Billups and his 15 million dollar salary and four other spare parts who would be gone within a year. And of course we would lose our potential amnesty provision with this deal, as we needed to use it on Billups. And as a byproduct, it also cost us our team president in Walsh because who could blame him for not wanting to work with Dolan and his personal advisors.

That brings me to the next question. Where are we now and what can we do to win a championship? Well its simple really. Trade Carmelo Anthony or bring in a guy above him!! I agree with all of you who will tell me that Melo is a great player and one of the ten best players in the league. I could see him winning a couple of scoring titles in the next few years. He will NOT win a championship as the lead dog. You can look it up. Bernard King, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, Alex English are just a few. Scoring forwards who hog the ball do not win NBA titles. They never have and they never will. They need to play second fiddle to a player who makes their teammates better. Melo, for all his greatness, does not make his teammates better. Great centers and great guard play win. Scoring forwards just score. The Knicks had a golden opportunity and missed it. Would they be better today with Chris Paul or Deron Williams and Dwight Howard? Could a scorer be added to that combo? Maybe even Melo? Now we’re talking. Knick ownerships shortsighted view cost us as Knick fans. If the Melo trade was not made we could have used the amnesty on Amare instead of Billups and brought in three guys the same way the Miami Heat did. Our three guys ended up being Melo, Amare and Tyson. Where’s the guy to run the game? WOW….

Carmelo won’t lead the Knicks to a championship if he’s in charge, whether you like it or not. (Via Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images)

And so in conclusion, what do we do? Start over! My only qualifications as a GM are that I’ve been a Knick fan and a basketball guy forever. Does it make me an expert? No, but if I knew not to make the Melo deal, it makes me more competent than the guys running the Knicks. So, here’s my stab at it. Trade Carmelo Anthony to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline. Send Melo to the Lakers in a three team deal but they must take Amare too. What I want in return is simple. I want Pau Gasol and his expiring 19 million, a good young roster player that the Lakers would need to acquire elsewhere and two first round picks. I want their 2014 pick because they probably won’t make the playoffs in a very strong draft year and I want their 2016 to replace ours that’s been traded away. Why would the Lakers do it? Kobe is a lead guy! Nash is a lead guy! Melo will score 30 a night in LA and they will win with Kobe and Nash running the show. Amare can even chip in for the year that’s left on his deal. When Kobe comes back fully recovered for 2014-2015, showtime will sell tickets, be relevant and win alot, which will make Jim Buss a happy guy.

As for the Knicks, it gives us a mulligan to build a championship contender. With a few additional veteran departures in trade, we clear out the cap and add draft picks and young potential cornerstones. Free agents over the next couple of years will include some big time players that we could add. Flush with draft picks and loaded with cap space is the way to go. Getting to the first or second round of the playoffs is not acceptable. I want to feel what its like to win it all! Will the Knick fans or ownership stand for rebuilding again? No way! But if we want to celebrate a Knicks championship in the next ten years there really is only one viable option. I know it won’t happen, but a guy can dream can’t he?

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