New York Knicks: Jeremy Lin Isn't the Only Right Move GM Glen Grunwald Has Made

After the horrid start the New York Knicks had gotten off to, it looked like all the risks team president Glen Grunwald had taken weren't paying off. But whether you want to chalk it up to knowing basketball or dumb luck, Grunwald has ended up making all the right moves so far this season.

At the beginning of the season, the Knicks were in limbo waiting on a possible Chris Paul deal to come along but at the same time battling the urge to sign a defensive big man in Tyson Chandler. Ultimately, Grunwald passed on waiting for something that might not happen and went the sure route signing Chandler.

After a dismal 8-15 start, it looked as though Grunwald made a bad decision, seeing as how lost this team was without a legit point guard running the show. Both Toney Douglas and Iman Shumpert either failed miserably or just weren't ready to do the job now and maybe ever.

That's when Grunwald was saved by what could become the most auspicious signing in NBA history when he took a chance on young Harvard point guard Jeremy Lin, claimed off of waivers. Despite Grunwald's admission that the team almost cut Lin, he was someone they were looking at for a while.

"He's been on our radar for a long time. Sometime like when he was at Harvard. We liked him. We worked him out in the draft. We had discussions with Golden State when he was there. It was just an opportunity to acquire him when we needed someone who has his skill set. And it worked out. So far, so great."

Taking a chance on Lin and it working out as well as it has was pure luck, but without the Harvard grad being on Grunwald's radar in the first place, Lin would have never been on this team and quite possibly some other team would have gotten as lucky as the Knicks did.

Now, taking the chance on Chandler looks ingenious as he is an important anchor to the Knicks defense in the paint and is crashing the boards with ferocity on a nightly basis.

Looking further back, the Knicks amnestied Chauncey Billups before the Chandler signing in order to make room to make such a move. It was a decision that was criticized because it left a void at the point.

Where is Billups now? Out for the season with a torn left Achilles tendon.

Going even further back, the Knicks trading for Carmelo Anthony and, in the process, emptying out their bench and entire team depth was heavily criticized as well. At this moment during the season, two of the trade's casualties, Danillo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, aren't even on the floor for the Denver Nuggets.

Gallinari is out until after the All-Star break with an injury while Chandler is stuck in China, unable to get out of his contract. Both of those players would have been absent from the Knicks lineup for extended periods this season like they currently are with Denver.

Former Knicks point guard Raymond Felton is sitting on the bench as a backup with the Portland Trail Blazers while Timofey Mozgov has remained with the Nuggets but isn't exactly paying dividends in 2012.

And who said the Knicks couldn't fill out their bench with minimum salary players?

Steve Novak was one of Grunwald's signings and has become a huge asset off the bench, making it a routine to knock down clutch three-pointers for New York in important moments of tough games.

Iman Shumpert was the Knicks' draft selection of 2011 and he has become a lockdown defender the likes of which almost every championship team needs. Along with his defensive prowess, he has shown the ability to create off the dribble, making him a budding offensive player at the 2.

Jared Jeffries' return to New York this season wasn't very heralded and didn't get any press. But that's okay. Jeffries is picking up where he left off defensively against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs last year and has become one of the most reliable defensive assets on the Knicks roster.

Also, he's developing a short-range jump shot that has made defenders have to step out on the big man. Jeffries' effort can't be questioned and he often is seen flying across the court taking charging fouls.

And Grunwald's latest acquisition, J.R. Smith, helped the Knicks knock off the defending champs in his first game with New York, scoring 15 points in the winning effort. Grunwald added even more depth to the Knicks roster by signing Smith for a very reasonable $2.5 million roster exception.

Some will question Smith's attitude from past clashes with George Karl, but he did pass up a starting job with the Los Angeles Clippers, so it is possible he's bought into the team philosophy developing in Madison Square Garden.

Granted, Baron Davis hasn't exactly worked out and he will lose what was supposed to be his starting job after not returning in time because of multiple setbacks. But even so, Davis is a very serviceable backup to Lin and will ensure that New York always has a solid point guard running the offense when Lin is on the bench resting.

And forget about Mike Bibby. The Knicks were only relying on Bibby earlier this season when Shumpert and Davis were injured during different points, but now that both have returned and with the emergence of Lin, he is a fourth point guard and Bibby's days could be numbered on this team.

You can call it luck or a great job, but no matter what you call it, Grunwald has given coach Mike D'Antoni all the pieces he needs to be successful.

But what wasn't luck was Grunwald bringing in guys like Lin, Novak, Shumpert, Jeffries and Chandler. All stepped up their games at the toughest point of the season and helped get the Knicks back to .500 and playoff contention.