New York Knicks: What Will New York Do If the Baron Davis Experiment Fails?

It's desperation time for the New York Knicks.

Thursday's 105-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls means 10 losses in their past 12 games. At 8-14, the Knicks are eight games behind the Philadelphia 76ers for the Atlantic Division lead.

Their guard play is inconsistent. They take bad shots with the game on the line. They don't spread the floor and move the ball.

But don't worry. Baron Davis is looking to come back soon, and he's supposed to be the savior for all the Knicks' struggles.

No pressure or anything on him, right? Just come in and save the team before it's too late.

What will the Knicks do if the Davis experiment fails, though?

People sometimes forget that Davis is a guy approaching 33 years old with a bad back. They also forget that he hasn't played in an NBA game in almost a year. He can be cleared medically and practice all he wants, but there is no substitute for game action.

Initially, there will be some rust on Davis. There will also be some confusion with Davis running the offense off the bat. It will take some time for him to learn the tendencies of his new teammates.

You also have to consider that he might not be able to play major minutes off the bat.

Add all of that up and you have to ask what the Knicks will do if the Davis experiment fails.

For one, they likely won't be making a run at the postseason unless they figure something out quickly. If Davis doesn't pan out, there aren't really many options on the table for New York.

Looking at potential moves down the road, the Knicks have checked in on Cleveland point guard Ramon Sessions, but several other team will be in the mix as well, so the Knicks' chances at landing him won't be great.

Then there's the chance at a blockbuster deal around the deadline that would likely involve Amar'e Stoudemire, whose name, along with Tyson Chandler's, has popped up in connection with Dwight Howard.

That's a very unlikely situation though.

So, what it comes down to for the Knicks is that the Davis experiment must work out. If it doesn't, it's going to be a long rest of the season in the Big Apple.