Since reports surfaced Saturday that Mike D’Antoni would be the next coach of the New York Knicks, there has been strong response throughout the sports community. Almost all of these reactions, including those posted on this site, have been negative.
And rightfully so. The coach with the league’s most up-tempo style goes to a team comprised mostly of aging, overpaid underachievers who might not even listen to him. Sounds like Larry Brown part II.
But, from the Knicks’ perspective, don’t they at least have to try? Maybe D’Antoni’s previous success, and more importantly his fun style, will make their players—who still do have talent—want to play hard again. Maybe Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph will lose weight and run the floor. Maybe Stephon Marbury will rededicate himself to basketball.
Or maybe Donnie Walsh just thinks his new team’s roster is better suited to an up-tempo style than everyone else realizes. Maybe he has given up on Curry, Randolph, and Starbury.
Maybe he is ready to turn over this team to his young players—you know, the ones who actually like playing basketball. And maybe he thinks D’Antoni is the best guy for the job.
So I’m going to do what few others have done in this past week. I’m going to give D’Antoni and Walsh a chance.
What follows is a breakdown of the Knick roster, detailing who works in D’Antoni’s system, who doesn’t, and what the 2008-09 edition of the Knick team might look like.
What Doesn’t Work
Let’s start with the easy part of the equation. Curry and Randolph are perhaps the worst possible fits for D’Antoni’s fast-paced system. They both like to take their time setting up on the block and are slow to move up the court.
Despite Marbury’s recent declaration that he is preparing to play for D’Antoni, he has run out of lives in New York. For a team that is trying to start afresh, Marbury has to go.
Down the bench, center Jerome James and reserve forward Jared Jeffries also stand out as players who will struggle to find a role on D’Antoni’s new team.
What Works
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6 months ago
Great analysis. I want to give D'Antoni a shot too. However, I'm concerned with the lack of shot-blocking ability on the team right now. Would the Knicks draft a forward such as Brook Lopez instead of Bayless or Rose? If the Knicks have the #1 pick, I agree that Rose must be taken, but if they fall to 5 or 6, I like Lopez, especially if you're right and Curry and Randolph don't stick around.
from 6 months ago
Lopez is an interesting option. I think he would certainly be a consideration, but the one thing I'm worried about is if he would be able to play effectively off the ball on offense. That said, if they do think they could land a point guard such as T.J. Ford and want to compete immediately (often an unfortunate concern in New York in my opinoin), you are right to think Lopez might be the best piece to add to that team with the 5 pick.
6 months ago
Good article. Looks like you beat me to the punch writing this.
6 months ago
um...no. as a Knick fan I'm pretty sure this soap opera disaster is going to continue with D'Antoni being Larry Brown part 2. This only has a chance if Donnie Walsh can move both Curry and Randolph this offseason. As for making the PLAYOFFS, DON'T TALK ABOUT PLAYOFFS, YOU KIDDIN ME? PLAYOFFS...the East isn't as bad as it seems for next year. Boston, Orlando, Detroit, & Cleveland are locks. Toronto is a good team. Philly and Atlanta should show marked improvements next year. That leaves the Knicks fighting a Bulls team prime for a rebound, a Wizards team that will be much better if they move Arenas, and a Bucks team that at some point is going to mesh together.
As for who we're taking in the draft, if we're outside the top 5 the Italian, Gallinari is a lock (not that I agree with it but in NY you're not supposed to).
6 months ago
You are too negative David. There is no reason for you to believe the "soap opera" will continue, or that D'Antoni will be like Larry Brown. The whole appeal of them hiring Donnie Walsh is that it gives the team the opportunity to leave the disasters of the past few seasons behind, and there is no pressureon anyone in the near term because Walsh has already declared that making the team a winner won't happen overnight. Hiring D'Antoni is another signal that the team is moving in a completely different direction with a different attitude, and that Marbury, Randolph and Curry are one the way out unless there are drastic changes in their games. Anyway, bottom line is that Walsh has too good a track record for us to think that he doesn't have a pretty good idea what he is doing.
from 6 months ago
what exactly did Walsh do in Indiana when he didn't have Reggie?
6 months ago
Well, he drafted Reggie and it wasn't a popular move at the time for various reasons--and he has a history of pulling off against the grain moves that end up working out. Maybe hiring D'Antoni into a Knicks team that seems incompatible will be another example. In any case, the Pacers went to the conference finals five times in the 90's--partly during the Jordan era--with Walsh making the decisions. That is not so bad
6 months ago
Let's see. D'Antoni is a very good coach. Excellent in taking versitile players and getting them to run. I think that Jared and Jones will do well because of their versatility. I don't like Randolph in his system, but Curry is a banger that can run. If Marbury doens't do better, Robinson may take his role and then a Marbury move will be enivitable, but I think Starbury knows that this is his last chance to get to star status again. Amazing what humble pie can do! I love Lee but he is not an offensive threat and will have to become better in the new system. Crawford may finally become the star that Isiah thought he could be. I still think the Knicks need a solidifying inside presence and I think that stabililty will come in the form of Roy Hibbert. I like him, but don't be stunned if its an international player which they have never had any good fortune doing. Overall, I think the Knicks know that this is a proven coach who can teach them to win... And they know talent alone won't get it done.
6 months ago
The Knicks need to make that trade for Barbosa and Diaw. Not to mention, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudamire, and Steve Nash... and sign Shawn Marion, then trade him for Shaq, who will then nickname himself "The Big Apple."
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