Amar'e Stoudemire and the New York Knicks: 10 Problems Plaguing the Team
The Knicks may be playoff bound, but they are far from being considered an elite team.
Although the Knicks have exceeded season expectations, they have yet to reach their full potential. The team has certain weaknesses and issues that need to be addressed before they can make it to the next level.
Adding Carmelo Anthony to their roster would be a giant step in the right direction, but it does not resolve all of New York's issues.
As the season progresses, the Knicks' weaknesses will continue to be exploited by the rest of the league and as a result, the hype currently surrounding them will die down.
Here's a look at the top 10 problems plaguing the Knicks this season that need to be addressed in order to ensure New York can take their game to the next level.
No. 10: Eddy Curry
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Thankfully, Eddy Curry's tenure with the Knicks will soon be over.
Many believe that he will be traded by the trade deadline whether it be in a package for Carmelo Anthony or someone else. The longest that Knicks fans will have to wait though is the end of the season, which is a refreshing thought to say the least.
Eddy Curry has caused nothing but problems while he has been in New York. And it is universally known that he needs to get his act together off the court as well as on it.
Curry has not been in shape since he arrived in New York in 2005. He struggled to stay healthy in his first three seasons in New York and has only played in a total of 10 games in the last three seasons.
Even though Curry is not suiting up or on the floor, he is still hurting the Knicks. Besides the $11.5 million in cap space he is eating up this season, he serves as a reminder of the pain that was.
The Knicks are trying to forget their losing ways and the Isiah Thomas era. Curry is a constant reminder of everything that was wrong during that time.
So he has got to go.
Things may have worked out better for Curry if he had played some college ball instead of turning pro right out of high school. But the fact is that he is dead weight on this Knicks team.
Don't get me wrong, given the right system Curry can still make a valuable contribution in the low post. The question is: Does Curry deserve another chance to play?
The answer is debatable. There may be some team out there willing to give him a chance so he can start anew. There may be a team out there he can contribute to.
That team just isn't the Knicks.
No. 9: The Chip No Longer Seems to Be on Knicks' Shoulders
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The Knicks set out this season with something to prove.
Many believed that Amar'e was not that big of a free agency catch. Many also believed Rudy Gay or Luke Ridnour may have been a better fit than Raymond Felton.
So the new-look Knicks set out to prove the critics wrong.
The season started off rough, but they picked up their game and began making a case for themselves as a relevant team in the Eastern Conference.
Over the past four games however, the Knicks look incredibly flat. They look like they no longer have anything to prove. They seem to have lost their edge.
And they need to regain it.
The Knicks haven't proven anything except that they are a .500-level team. And that shouldn't satisfy them. They need to become hungry again.
How can they do this?
This is where Amar'e Stoudemire needs to step up. He needs to fire his team up and give them something to play for.
The Knicks are currently on a road trip that will bring them to San Antonio and Oklahoma City, making the possibility of them returning home on a six-game losing streak very possible.
Amar'e needs to make sure that that doesn't happen. He has been very vocal and motivating up to this point and he needs to stay that way.
And Coach Mike D'Antoni needs to do the same.
It has been painful to watch him over the past few games. He has been so desperately trying to instill a sense of urgency in his team and they aren't responding.
This needs to change immediately. The players need to respond to their coach's wishes and put that chip back on their shoulder.
Fact of the matter is that the Knicks need to regain their composure that has earned them all the hype. They need to run the floor and make teams play their game.
Or else they may wind up proving their critics right.
No. 8: New York Needs a True Center
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You may be surprised that the Knicks' need for a legitimate center is not higher on the list.
Although the team has been exploited in the paint this season, the truth is that they do not "need" a true Center. Amar'e Stoudemire is more than capable at the position.
When Amar'e plays the five, he has an edge over almost every other Center in the league. He may not be as tall or built as some of the league's Centers, but at 6'10 and 240 pounds, he is no pushover either.
Stoudemire is more versatile and explosive than the rest of the NBA centers. He can run the floor extremely well and can hit the outside jumper consistently.
Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has even said that he prefers having Stoudemire as the team's center.
"Every time Amar'e plays Center, we got an advantage on everybody," explained D'Antoni. "That's my mindset...I think we're building a team where when he plays Center we can be really, really good."
Despite D'Antoni's preference and Stoudemire's success at the five, the need for a true Center still exists.
The small-ball lineup may work against many teams in the NBA, but there have been games where the Knicks have been simply overpowered down low.
The Knicks last game against the Lakers demonstrated New York's need for a Center more than any other game as of late. Andrew Bynum simply had his way with the Knicks in the post.
Bynum scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds, three of which were offensive. The Knicks just could not find an answer for Bynum.
The solution?
I believe they should continue to develop rookie Center Timofey Mosgov. At 7'1, he has the potential to make a huge impact. He just needs to become less foul-happy.
And if that doesn't work, the Knicks can always control their cap room and make a run at Dwight Howard in 2012.
No. 7: New York Needs To Hit The Boards
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New York is 17th in the league in rebounding, and to reach the next level, that needs to change.
The Knicks' inability to rebound can be contributed to their lack of size, but not all the blame can be placed on this factor.
Shooting Guard Landry Fields is the team's second leading rebounder at 7.4 per game. Other players on the team need to step up and use their size to grab some rebounds.
Danilo Gallinari and Ronny Turiaf are the biggest culprits in this department. Combined, the two of them are averaging 7.6 rebounds, barely more than Fields alone.
At 6'10, both Gallinari and Turiaf need to hit the glass more effectively. They should each be averaging close to nine boards a game each.
The Knicks can also look outside the team to solve this problem. Marcus Camby of the Portland Trail Blazers may be able to be pried away at a reasonable price. He would solve the Knicks problems at Center and on the glass.
However, the Knicks are better off looking within the team to solving their rebounding woes. Turiaf and Gallinari especially need to step it up.
And again, if we look ahead a year, Dwight Howard may be available via free agency in 2012 to provide a resolution to this.
Just saying.
No. 6: Lack Of Roster Depth Needs To Be Addressed
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Depth is essential for any NBA team, and the Knicks just don't have it yet.
All five current starters for New York are averaging way too many minutes. Landry Fields plays the least amount of minutes among the starting five, at 32.1 per game.
Tony Douglas and Ronny Turiaf have been valuable off the bench, but a seven-man rotation is not going to cut it the entire season.
As of late, Coach D'Antoni has began to use Shawne Williams and Bill Walker more, but they aren't enough to fill the needs of the team.
There is still no one to back up Felton and Turiaf, albeit an energetic player is not a fit substitution to cover the Center and Power Forward positions.
Turiaf has been effective, but he is not as versatile as Chandler or Stoudemire. He needs more consistency in the position he plays. Moving back and forth between the four and five has hurt his performance.
Also, Turiaf is an injury risk and cannot play too many minutes. And right now, Tony Douglas is pretty banged up.
Williams and Walker have stepped up when they have gotten minutes, but both are still relatively raw as far as in game experience goes.
To solve this, the Knicks are going to have to look outside their roster unfortunately.
Mosgov belongs in the NBA, but he is simply not "in-game" ready yet. Anthony Randolph is loaded with potential, but he does not work hard enough to play consistently, or he would be on the floor.
The Knicks will have to look to the trade market for solutions. Players such as Marcus Camby and Sebastian Telfair have been discussed. The idea of trading for the Memphis Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo has even been entertained.
There is not too much available on the trade market right now at an affordable enough price. This leaves the Knicks General Manager Donnie Walsh with the difficult task of finding someone who can be valuable and contribute to the team, and who can be had at the right price.
All this "slim-pickens" talk is Carmelo Anthony-aside, of course.
No. 5: Knicks Lack a Backup Point Guard
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Point Guard Raymond Felton has simply been a warrior for the Knicks this season.
But he's exhausted.
Felton is averaging 38.7 minutes per game. For his career he's averaged 35 minutes per game, which is only three minutes less.
That being said, 38 minutes per game in D'Antoni's run and gun system is probably the equivalent to playing 90 straight minutes in any other coach's system.
Some of the burden needs to be lifted off Felton's shoulders, and Tony Douglas just isn't cutting it. Douglas is an undersized two-guard more than anything else. He simply just cannot run the floor and move the ball as well as Felton can.
Raymond has seemed to have been able to power through most of this season, but his fatigue is starting to show.
He's developed wrist and ankle issues, and his stats are starting to decline. Felton's fatigue has definitely been a major factor contributing to the Knicks' current four-game losing streak.
What must New York do to solve this?
Minnesota Timberwolves' Sebastian Telfair may be available and wouldn't cost the Knicks much.
Telfair is no Felton, but he can run the floor effectively, and has the ability to execute the pick and roll with Stoudemire when Felton is on the bench.
Acquiring Telfair would give Felton the extra five to seven minutes of rest that he needs, and so very well deserves, each game.
However, if Telfair is not the answer, someone else has to be. The Knicks need to acquire a back up Point Guard capable of running the offense in Felton's absence.
And they need to do it now, before Felton pushes himself too far, making a sprained ankle the least of their worries.
No. 4: Knicks Need to Play Some Defense For a Change
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Mike D'Antoni's teams have never been known for playing great defense, but its becoming evident that this needs to change.
The Knicks have the second-best offense in the league right now, but they have the third--worst defense.
Needless to say, this is a problem.
When opponents shut the Knicks down on the offensive end, New York has nowhere to turn. Their defense has been terrible.
New York currently allows almost 107 points per game, and this is with them leading the league in blocks per game.
It's a little scary to think what type of team we would be watching if they didn't lead the league in blocks.
How can this be solved?
Well, boxing out is a problem for one. The Knicks allow opponents 44.6 rebounds per game, the second most in the league.
The Knicks are simply not boxing their men out and letting teams grab offensive rebounds too easily, too often.
The Knicks also lack a low post player to be feared. Amar'e is fourth in the league in blocks per game with 2.32, but he is no defensive genius.
Stoudemire is aggressive on defense, but finds himself in foul trouble often. And when he is in foul trouble, opponents walk all over him, scoring at will.
Aside from foul trouble though, the main problem is that defense needs to be stressed more in New York. D'Antoni's teams are never known for playing consistent defense.
But I don't think, just this once, that D'Antoni would mind if this changed.
No. 3: Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors Are Beginning To Take a Toll
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The Carmelo Anthony saga has dragged on for eight months and counting, and although the Knicks seem to never have had serious discussions with the Nuggets regarding Anthony, the rumors are starting to take a toll.
With the Nets being removed from the Carmelo sweepstakes, rumors involving the Knicks have increasingly surfaced.
Many speculate that negotiations between Denver and New York will begin to heat up very soon, and this has got to be on the mind of Knicks' players involved.
Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Landry Fields have been the main pieces discussed in any deal for Anthony.
All three have played well thus far this season, but as of late, their play has been slipping, contributing to the four-game losing streak.
Things will only get worse from here on out once talks between both parties begin to heat up.
Chandler has already publicly mentioned he does not want to play in Denver. Gallinari has already stated his love for this team and Fields has been thrilled at the opportunity to play for New York.
How will they react when trade negotiations reach an all-time intensity and become even more public?
They may begin to cave under the pressure and let their play slip even more than it has of late.
Furthermore, the Carmelo Anthony saga has been a distraction for the entire team, not just the previous three.
It has got to be frustrating when a team is meshing so well together like the Knicks have been, and all anyone can talk about is the possibility of them adding Anthony.
This season, the focus has seems to be more on who the Knicks could potentially get and not on who they currently have.
Anthony has been just as big a distraction for the Knicks as he has been for Denver. As a result, we will see just how tough these Knicks truly are in the coming weeks when talks really begin to heat up.
The rumors are going to get worse. But the Knicks are going to have to try and power through.
No. 2: Amar'e Needs a Consistent Number Two
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Felton has been phenomenal.
Chandler has been a major surprise.
Fields was a steal.
Gallinari may be the next Dirk.
However, neither of them have been able to take any of the burden off of Stoudemire's shoulders consistently.
The Knicks lean on Amar'e, especially late in the game. But when teams are stopping him or he is just not having a superb night, there has been no one to step up and fill his shoes.
This is why the Carmelo Anthony rumors are plaguing the Knicks so frequently. Amar'e needs a guy who he can rely on game in and game out to fill his role when he cannot.
I am a true believer that once Felton is healthy, and when Chandler, Fields and Gallinari are fully developed, they can all relieve some of Stoudemire's burden.
New York may not be able to wait, though.
In the new era of the NBA, a team seems to need to have a "big three" to be championship contenders.
Felton has made his case to be considered a piece of the puzzle to a "big three." Gallinari and Chandler have not quite made it there yet though. And Stoudemire is 28, so the time is now, not later to build a contender.
Carmelo may be the answer to this problem.
Or he may not.
The Knicks best option has always been to sign Carmelo in free agency and give up nothing. However, in light of the Knicks' recent struggles, a slight sense of urgency within the organization has developed to obtain Carmelo via trade.
Urgency has reached such an all-time high that even Felton has been mentioned in trade talks for Carmelo.
It's clear that the Knicks front office realizes that they lack a second star to take some of the burden of Stoudemire's shoulders.
And its up to Gallinari, Felton and Chandler to prove them wrong.
No. 1: Danilo Gallinari Is an Untapped Resource
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The biggest issue for the Knicks also has the biggest upside, and is the easiest to resolve.
Danilo Gallinari is under-appreciated and isn't utilized to his fullest potential.
Yes, Gallinari needs to work on his rebounding and on being more aggressive, but aside from that, he's a great player.
Danilo is a willing defender and even performed up to the task of defending and containing the Miami Heat's LeBron James twice this season.
The real problem with Gallinari is the Knicks do not tap his resources enough.
Countless times, Gallinari has been left open beyond the arc and Felton or someone else has failed to get him the ball. Furthermore, the ball is not in Gallinari's hands nearly enough.
The thing about Gallo is that he can do it all on the offensive end. He can hit the jumper or take it to the hole.
The ladder is especially true because great things have happened when Gallo has driven the ball to the basket. When Gallo drives the ball, he has been able to draw the foul and this is nothing but good news to the Knicks because he is 88% from the line this season.
Plain and simple, Gallinari needs to be more involved. He needs to be more aggressive and his team needs to make more of an active effort to get him the ball.
In the past three games, Gallinari has taken 26 shots combined. That's not even nine shots per game. Not to mention, there have been games where he has taken five or fewer shots.
Despite the Knicks' inability to feature Gallo adequately, he is averaging 15.2 points per game.
Imagine what he could do if the team featured him more often.
Effective would be an understatement.
Case closed.
