Patrick Ewing Jr’s Basketball Skills May Not Be Tested but His Penmanship Will

The trades the New York Knicks effectuated during the off season have been somewhat assertive. Their need to go after players that seem to be "right" for the job or that show promise (Chris Duhon, Anthony Roberson, and Gallinari) in a two-year future in my opinion, is the right thing to do. (As opposed to hiring a big name for big bucks and big time but no big results!)

I'm sick of falling deeper and deeper into the abyss known as cap space. 

Maybe it's the new mindset Donnie Walsh wants to incorporate into his hometown team…or, it just may be the very simple and realistic view that the Knicks do not want to go after big names until the 2010 season and that's the only reason why they haven't gone back to their old ways.

Who knows? Donnie Walsh did hire a coach with a high tempo basketball mind! Go figure...the Knicks are probably the slowest team in the league.

However, the acquiring of Patrick Ewing Jr., is probably one of the most stunning moves the Knicks will make this off season, and may be the smartest one yet.

Yes, the smartest!

If you know anything about Patrick Ewing Jr. and his college career you’ll see an explosive defender and that’s pretty much it. He owns no offensive skills and no incredible athleticism that would make him stand out in a Knicks roster packed with forwards (Chandler, Lee, and Z-BO) that can play on both sides of the court.

So…making the move to acquire Ewing Jr. should be seen as nothing more than a marketing scheme. Another Ewing jersey running up-and-down Madison Square Garden after all this time will most definitely get more people to the games, sell more jerseys and inevitably acquire more publicity for what was once the cornerstone franchise of the the National Basketball Association.

Can Ewing Jr. make the squad and prove everyone wrong? Or will he be over shadowed by his father?

Well, the good thing is if he's half of what his pops was, he'll do fine...New York needs any Ewing they can get!

It's said that he's a long shot to win a roster spot when the Knicks hold training camp in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. in October.