The Knicks will soon begin training camp in Charleston, SC, with what is expected to be an improved roster.
However, closer analysis shows that Knicks fans may be in for another disappointing season.
The team is still a turnover machine with no defensive stoppers. Stephon Marbury eats the PG minutes but can't run the offense effectively.
Unfortunately, not many available players would fit well on the Knicks' unbalanced roster.
Andrei Kirilenko of the Utah Jazz is asking for a trade, but he wants to play power forward and get shots down low. Sorry, but Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry will be clogging the lane in New York.
Ron Artest wants to be a franchise player, but that can't happen with the Knicks as long as Isiah Thomas insists on making Curry his centerpiece.
Jared Jordan plays like John Stockton—the 43-year-old John Stockton, maybe, but that's still not bad. His perceived defensive inadequacies could be fixed with shot blockers behind him, but the Knicks don't have them...and probably couldn't pry Jordan from the PG-challenged Clippers anyway.
And journeyman PG Carlos Arroyo? He could be a match, but maybe there's a reason he hasn't been able to keep a starting spot in an NBA lineup.
As it stands, then, the Knicks will enter training camp with a perplexing combination of talent, attitude problems, and poor decision-makers...
Starting Five
PG: Stephon Marbury
Marbury either knows his skills are diminishing and doesn't care, or still thinks he's a superstar.
Both are a problem for the Knicks.
"I'm working hard and sticking with my program that I've used the last seven or eight years," Marbury said when asked about his offseason preparation.
Has Stephon noticed that his stats have declined the last seven or eight years? A look at baketball-reference.com reveals that more than just his fantasy stats have diminished. He had the lowest PER of his career at 15, well below his career average of 19. Chauncey Billups, by comparison, maintained a PER of over 21 even though he is five months older than Marbury.
Marbury admits that he's played a lot of basketball and his body is wearing down, so why won't he change his training regimen? Instead of working harder, he's selling shoes, going to court, and embarrassing himself in front of the media.
SG: Jamal Crawford
Crawford will once again be a streaky player with absolutely no concept of shot selection. He's the Knick most likely to score 40 points in any game...and then follow it with two points the next night.
The media claimed his defense improved under Larry Brown, but he still can't be considered a good defender. He runs two plays: 1) dump inside to Curry, and 2) dribble around and launch a wild shot.
SF: Quentin Richardson
Richardson once again enters the season expected to be the Knicks' long-range shooter.
20 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
Hey Harris and welcome to Bleacherreport!
Pretty solid analysis of the Knicks although I disagree a bit on Marbury. Last year was easily the best season he's ever had in his career in terms of playing defense, playing unselfish, and being a good teammate on the court. That's why last season's meltdown was such a huge disappointment. It almost proves that the Knicks can't suceed.
And the reason they can't succeed starts from the top. Since you live in New York, you know exactly what kinds of phonies Dolan and Thomas are. And with them running things, nobody on the Knicks is really held accountable for their mistakes, and there is no leadership from the top.
Look at the whole court situation going on right now with Thomas right now. He's a bullshitter, and nobody with any leadership qualities would ever play hard for him. The only reason he has the players' respect is because of the Larry Brown disaster.
As it is, Zach Randolph may make New York too talented for even the Knicks to blow it and miss the playoffs, but with the payroll the Knicks have, is a first round sweep really any progress?
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
Though it's true that he appeared to be less of a cancer in the clubhouse, and his scowl was less present on the bench, his drop in field goal percentage and assists more than countered any improvement in other areas.
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Jared Reback about 1 year ago
I don't think you need to from New York to know that Dolan and Thomas are incompetent, I think you just need to not have the last name Dolan or Thomas.
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
lol, good point
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Ken McCarthy about 1 year ago
I have to admit, this is absolutely the worst preview article I ve ever read in my life.
there is no attempt to be unbiased, you could have effectively made the same case by editing down your article to the knicks suck, i would have respected you more for it.
You dismiss Zach Randolph s contributions to the team because of David Lee s stats and what Randolph Morris did in summer league against rookie competition? Zach Randoph has been putting up 20 and 10 against the best power forwards in the league (previously found in the western conference) for years and Randolph Morris hasn t even played 21 minutes in a single game yet, discussion over. David Lee still can t shoot, Zach Randolph has incredible range for a big man, not to mention an array of moves in the paint. yes, 6 9 , 255lbs IS a big man. Karl Malone was a big man, Carlos Boozer is a big man, Zach Randolph is a big man. when you dominate all other power forwards in the league, you have earned the title big man.
Stephon Marbury s game has statistically declined, which probably would matter to a fantasy basketball fan with no true concept of the game, but matters very little when the team is shifting it s offense from the perimeter to the paint. you could have easily compared his numbers last year to the older Chauncey Billups, but instead focused strictly on the negative.
your synopsis of Crawford: dump the ball to curry, easier said than done pal. you make it sound like you could go out there and do it yourself. when the entire league knows you are trying to get the ball to one guy on the post, and a certain player has a knack for doing just that, you shouldn t so easily dismiss the chemistry they have.
On Q getting hurt this season: well, you may have a point there, but I ve never heard of any writer saying, well, he ll probably get hurt and miss a lot of time, something is wrong with the way you phrase that. people may think it, but it is usually less negatively said.
eddy curry: again, you focused on the negative. you didn t mention that his offensive game on the low block was unstoppable, which is true. it is also true that he can t play a lick of defense, but if you are going to talk about the coin, why not present both sides of the matter?
Rookies Wilson Chandler and Demetris Nichols may be assigned to the NBDL. Shows how little you know about the knicks. they never share their players with the D league. I d bet the farm they never play D league for one minute as knicks property.
Mardy Collins never punched a player in his life, that was Carmelo Anthony. You have the facts mixed up. Is that all you know about Mardy Collins? He did average 14p 6r 6a 2st per game over the last month of the regular season, in case you didn t know.
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
By the way, I'm waiting for your farm. The Knicks were TERRIBLE last year, Marbury didn't play and was almost bought out. The entire team was pathetic. Q should have taken the whole year off- it would have helped the team more.
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
You have a knack for hyperbole and optimism. I never said the Knicks suck, I actually said they should do better than next year, but they have problems too. It seems that a lot of fans are way too optimistic and should be more realistic, so I offered the other side. One year with good stats does not make Zach Randolph a dominant player in the league. Even last year, Randolph's overall play was not close to Boozer's. I never said it was easy to dump the ball to Curry. Crawford's absence at the end of the season hurt Curry's performance because the two share good chemistry on the court. As for Wilson Chandler and Demetris Nichols, the team has about 15 players under contract. Unless Isiah waives many millions of dollars, or waives rookies he just drafted, the NBDL is an option. Yes, I know Isiah is more likely to spend the money, so he probably will. I meant there is a possibility, not that they will be, assigned to the NBDL. If you want to hear how good all the players are, just talk to Isiah Thomas.
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m sturm about 1 year ago
Zach Randolph will be a beast. He is excited, anxious, and ready to come play in Madison Square Garden. You are wrong in saying that "One year with good stats does not make him a dominant player in the league. He had a great 20/10 season that led to his current contract. He then got hurt and had microfracture surgery about the same exact time that Amare Stoudamire had the same surgery. Stoudamire came back, played only a few games and quit for the season. Zach came back and played the entire year gutting it out through pain. He put up 18/9 and was criticized for losing production. Last year he came back with a monster year. If he is healthy, he will always put up numbers and will do his best to win. Zach loves to win! The Knicks will have to have someone that can hit perimeter shots to keep proper spacing on the court. They will also need someone that can penetrate and get their shot off in the lane. Zach is great at following up missed shots after the defense has rotated to stop penetration. He will do well in New York.
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
Also, nowhere did I say that Randolph Morris or David Lee make Zach Randolph useless. Rather, I was showing how the team statement was a bit too optimistic.
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Steve Resnick about 1 year ago
Pretty good article, Harris. David Lee should have a pretty good season, but be prepared for another Starbury saga to unfold...I can already feel it.
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
We already have Marbury claiming he wants to play in Italy, and at least 3 other controversial statements that reflect negatively on his character and dedication to baseball. The Knicks need to clean house and just stick with the players 25 and under. A sale of the team could be the catalyst to remove the mess.
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Ken McCarthy about 1 year ago
though I'd love nothing more than for Dolan to sell the team to somebody with a clue, it isn't going to happen. he'd rather drive the team into the ground than let someone else like Magic Johnson right the ship.
"the Knicks already have multiple "powerful players," including David Lee, who averaged a double-double in his second season, and Randolph Morris, who averaged a double-double in the Summer League." That's what you said in reference to Zach Randolph. In any light, I can't see how that could be construed as praise.
I actually don't have a problem with your 8th seed prediction and regular season record prediction at the very end of your article, its just everything before the prediction I have beef with. It is like reading Frank Isola, or Mitch Lawrance, or Marc Berman. Not all of us are oblivious to the team you see before you. Some of us even went to the games last year. Not every delusional knick fan thinks this team is championship caliber, yet there are many of us that feel this team has enough to compete with New Jersey, Chicago, Toronto and Cleveland, all failing to really impress this past post season despite how far they got. Funny how all the previews herald the new celtics, while most point to the knicks being at the bottom of the east yet again.
I also disagree that everyone over 25 should be dumped. that would almost certainly mean the knicks would be in the lottery for years to come. The people of New York have seen enough of that for the past six years.
In terms of Marbury's summer comments, who can defend what he said? The guy is simply one of the worst interviews in sports today. Yet the media absolutely loves to give him opportunities to embarrass himself, so I blame the media as much as I blame stephon. I'm sure Nike is elated by Starbury's remarks. Yet, why take so much value in what an athlete says off the court? Because he makes so much money? Why not blame the people who decided to give him the contracts then? The man dribbles a basketball for a living, he's not Rahm Emanuel for crying out tears.
When it comes to Stephon and Zach Randoph, try not to judge by their actions off the court. If Stephon can change his ways and learn to win some games this year, people will forget all of his terrible impromptu remarks. Just look at what certain political leaders say when they are blindsided by questions and speak on the fly. Nobody holds them accountable for what they say during interviews.
Dan Dickau and Jerome James will be the sacrificial lambs long before Isiah sends Chandler and/or Nichols to the D league. Barring a multi-player trade, you can bet on it.
It was Zach Randolph's second full year of 20 and 10, actually. Zach Randolph has averaged 20 and 9 over three of the past four years in the league against nightly competition that included Boozer, KG, Camby, TD, Dirk Nowitzki, and Elton Brand. Out of all the aforementioned only one averaged 23 and 10 last year.
If the knicks don't do some major damage in the playoffs this year, Isiah should be fired. Isiah should have been fired last year, but the powers that be just happen to be insane. At the very least, it will be an interesting year to see how this collection of athletic talent --young and old-- will attempt to learn how to win for the first time in their lives.
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
Looks like Jerome James lasted longer than Nichols.
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
Just because Zach Randolph average close to 20 and 10 does not mean he dominated. On lousy teams, Zach can put up stats, but he was not efficient. Check out his efficiency ratings. Yes the Knicks may have to be in the lottery for the next 3 years, but there's no way they can advance in the playoffs with this team anyway. The player don't care enough. That is the most troubling part of Marbury's comments. It seems like he doesn't care about the Knicks or take this season seriously. Previews point to the Knicks performing poorly because their "stars" are overrated. I've seen the Knicks. It doesn't matter how many points he gets. Those points could be distributed to the other players. He is way below average in every other way. Most of the Knicks are losers with poor passing, defense, and decision-making. Randolph is like Al Harrington. Similar stats, similar effect on the game. Negative +/-, Don Nelson benched him to beat the Mavs. Somehow you are saying that stats don't matter, then quoting stats to prove a point. Seeing a player dominate one aspect of a game does not mean he is making a positive impact for his team overall. Think about it.
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Ken McCarthy about 1 year ago
To be honest with you, I have already thought about it. I'm no bean-counter that follows stats or player efficieny ratings made up by John Hollinger and I don't think fantasy league has anything to do with the game of basketball. Hollinger, the so-called inventor of the "player efficiency rating" thought Jackie Butler was going to be the next young Shawn Kemp, last I heard Butler wasn't even signed to a NBA team any longer.
If there is one knick I know less than everything about it is Zach Randolph. I can ONLY go by Zach Randolph's stats at this point because I basically see the kid play twice a year. Yet when you consider the amount of talent he was going up against for the past six years in the western conference, I would have to argue that his numbers would indicate SOMETHING. a consistent ability to score the ball and more than hold his own in the rebounding department. Sounds to me like an instant upgrade from what Channing Frye was bringing the knicks at the four position, despite neither of them being adequate defenders. What I know about randolph is that he goes left and nobody can prevent him from doing so, that he can shoot from outside and has an array of spin moves in the paint. Just how "dominant" Curry and Randolph are this year will be proved soon enough.
Discussing this any further with you is a lost cause because I will not budge on my view of the team that I see, and neither will you. Knick haters, these days, are a dime a dozen. You may feel safe being among the throngs knick-hating pundits, yet I will not concede for one second that you--or any of them--know even the slightest bit more about the game than I do.
By the way, 20 and 10 are not numbers scubs put up in this league, those are numbers often associated with all-star caliber players. 20 and 10 is pretty rare, even for a player on a losing team.
"We already have Marbury claiming he wants to play in Italy, and at least 3 other controversial statements that reflect negatively on his character and dedication to baseball."
maybe that was part of the problem, I'm talking BASKETBALL and you are thinking yankees and mets. I'm done here.
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
Remember when Bob Sura was getting triple doubles? Or when Dan Dickau was putting up solid numbers years ago? Numbers don't mean much. Just because Randolph got good numbers doesn't mean anything. In addition, you can't really say that every team he went against had a good defensive PF. There's Garnett and who else? Most of the other big guys play C. Channing Frye didn't play many minutes, so Randolph figures to take minutes away from David Lee, which is the worst part. The thing about Jackie Butler is that he is an anomaly. First, since he was on a crappy team, his stats were inflated. Second, sometimes players regress. Stats have shown that PER does not change much when minutes change. What this means is that over a large enough sample size, when a player starts to play more minutes due to injury or some other factor, PER stays pretty constant. Furthermore, there are plenty of other stats to show a player's value. Look at +/-, win%. Winning is the bottom line. Watch a game and see if he sets picks, facilitates ball movement, if his turnovers lead to fast breaks, if he runs down the court with the rest of the team or lags behind. Hey, there's no comment editing, and I don't proof read everything, so sometimes things slip by.
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Jay Bee about 1 year ago
Whine whine whine about David Lee all you want to but the real plan will be to have Lee be the bridge between Curry and Zach. I don't envision a Zach and Eddie show as much as I see a Zach and David or a David and Eddie show. Stop whining about his minutes. Do you hear him complaining? He's a team player and that's what they all are. How often do you see teams where guys are openly complaining about their minutes or their number of shots? On this team, if you play hard in practice you'll get on the court. It doesn't mean you'll start. because that's all a part of building a team to be able to compete for the whole game. If him starting ends up giving them the best chance to win, then I'm content letting the guys who get paid to make that call make the call. In the end, the accountability lies with the coach. And what coach has taken more grief from the media than Isiah? He does not push it onto the players like LB. He eats it. In return they give better effort. They fight for him. How many coaches can you say have that kind of loyalty from their players? Fifty win season coming right up! Would you like some pie with that?
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
David Lee would not whine about his minutes because he's a humble guy. Even so, the Knicks play better with him on the court and with Eddy Curry off the court. A loyal coach does not make a good coach. The team still hasn't proven it can drive, shoot, play defense, or pass.
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rob caldwell about 1 year ago
http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2008/02/zach-randolph-and-worst-possession-i.html
Ladies and gentlemen, your New York Knicks
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Harris Beringer about 1 year ago
Thank you. Zach Randolph, best basketball player ever.
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