How Isiah Thomas’ Demotion Weakens the NBA

April 19, 2008.

Memo to all NBA General Managers:

           The bar has officially been raised. No longer can you sign your question mark-laden rising free agents to long-term maximum deals and get bailed out the next year when you discover the financial outlay and the headaches far exceed the productivity. No longer can you merely speed-dial Isiah Thomas’ number and ship out your expensive chemistry-killer with fancy stat lines to the New York Knicks in exchange for expiring contracts and guys destined to become household names in Tonga. No longer can you position yourself salary cap-wise to pursue free agents while some delusional Knicks’ fans tell you - even though the record clearly states otherwise – that you got fleeced. Likewise, those lightly-regarded free agents like Jerome James and Jared Jeffries won’t get snatched up so easily and you’ll now have to resist the temptation to throw your MLE dollars their way. As of today, you’ll just have to find another route to fiscal responsibility, and presumably your coaches will now have to actually develop a game plan prior to facing the Knicks. Your chief enabler has been stripped of power.            

The Phoenix Suns righted a wrong by dealing the carcinogenic PG Stephon Marbury, the maximum deal they signed him to, his lack of court vision, and knack of alienating teammates and coaches, and Penny Hardaway whose mammoth salary was based on things the could no longer do, to the Knicks for a bunch of draft picks and expiring contracts. While some Knicks fans still unbelievably claim the Knicks won that deal, Phoenix cleared cap room to sign Steve Nash and haven’t looked back, averaging  57 wins in the four complete seasons since the deal while the Knicks have posted win totals of 33, 23, 33, and 23, averaging 56 wins every two seasons. The Suns also sent Quentin Richardson with his balky back and the rights to Nate Robinson, a 5’7” shooting guard, to the Knicks for Kurt Thomas. The Knicks haven’t guarded anyone or knocked down an opposing penetrator since.            

The Chicago Bulls received two unprotected first round picks, both of which ended up as lottery picks, plus two second-rounders along with negligibles like Mike Sweetney and Tim Thomas from the Knicks for Eddy Curry, his large contract, poor conditioning (he boasted about losing 20 pounds before the season then proceeded to gain about 40 duringthe season) and one-dimensional game. The Bulls also sent street-baller Jamal Crawford – a right-handed Bubbles Hawkins for you forty-somethings – and his poor shot selection, decision-making, and lack of defense to the Knicks – who promptly rewarded him with a $55 million deal, for a bunch of players with shorter deals including Dikembe Mutombo and Othella Harrington.            

The Orlando Magic sent a declining Steve Francis and his $15 million annual salary to the Knicks, basically giving them two Marburys – not Frazier-Monroe II as some suggested - and received Hardaway’s now expiring contract plus a promising SF Trevor Ariza. This enabled them to clear cap space to sign another perimeter sniper in Rashard Lewis and giving their franchise player, Dwight Howard, the room to maneuver in the paint. Meanwhile, Isiah conveniently blamed Larry Brown for the deal.             

The Toronto Raptors must have thought they were dreaming upon finding a taker for Jalen Rose’s $17 million salary, let alone Jalen Rose. They gave up a first-rounder – which the Knicks used to select Renaldo Balkman - received Antonio Davis and used the cap room to go international and zoom past the Knicks in the standings. Isiah ended up buying out the last year of the deal when it had its’ most value.            

The Portland Trailblazers sent Zach Randolph, his double-doubles, $61 million obligation, bad attitude, turnovers, and defensive apathy to the Knicks for Isiah’s one Knick lottery pick Channing Frye and Steve Francis, whose $30 mil was immediately bought out. Again, some Knicks’ fans claimed victory only to later witness Randolph the ball-stopper verbally spar with teammates and coaches, while the Blazers finished 18 games better than the Knicks in the more difficult Western Conference and now have cap maneuverability to go with their impressive young core of players.            

So have another cup of coffee, NBA General Managers – your job, and that of your coaches, just got a lot tougher.