Donnie Walsh a Magician? the New York Knicks Will Need Magic This off Season

Here’s some sobering truth for the Knick hopefuls out there. You better be praying Donnie Walsh has a plan that he can execute.

The debate of whether Dolan stepped on Walsh’s toes during the trade negotiations for Carmelo Anthony is no longer relevant. If your still depressed about the past, you might not be able to handle the future.

The reality is, at this moment the Knicks are already $2.5 million over the salary cap, with only nine players on the roster; luckily seven of those players are active. 

The Knicks have an aging point guard in Chauncey Billups. They still have Toney Douglas, although only in his second year, the verdict is out on him...label: combo guard. So the Knicks lack a true point guard to relieve Billups. 

The Knicks also lack a true shooting guard, which is one of the reasons it’s difficult for both Amare and Carmelo to play effectively together. The spacing is all wrong.

I’m sure with a complete training camp, the intricacies will iron out, but with the uncertainty of the collective bargaining agreement for next season, will there be a training camp?

Speaking of spacing, without a consistent three-point threat, teams were able to double Anthony and clog the middle on Stoudemire, resulting in either of them forcing the issue, or deferring to another less talented player to make a play.  

Luckily, by signing the right shooting guard, two problems are instantly solved, but wait, not so fast. Don’t forget, aside from the non-existence of a CBA for the 2011/2012 season, let's assume the salary cap is the same as this year's, just over $58 million.

Now the Knicks will begin the season over the cap. We can also assume they will re-sign some of the guys from last season, which will add another $2 million to $3 million. After that, the Knicks only have the league minimum, the veteran's minimum, and the mid-level exception to work with during the off season.

To compound the issue further, the Knicks are in dire need of a big to shore up the middle, and reduce the amount of time Amare spends in that bruising position (you have to protect your investments).

Last I checked, there are not many available; not to mention, the ones that are up for grabs come with a hefty price tag. 

The Knicks also lack the chips to make any significant trades that would effectively improve the roster as well as address some of the issues cited above.

Even if Donnie somehow executed a masterful, absolutely brilliant trade, it would almost guarantee the Knicks take back a horrendous contract or two. 

Truly, it would be wise to put your hopes into the CBA. The story is, the owners are pushing to lower player salaries. If they succeed, and the cap is not affected much, that could be the big break a team like the Knicks are looking for.

The Knicks are also hoping the lure of playing with two superstars, and maybe a superstar point guard to come, will be too much for some free agents to walk away from. 

Unfortunately, getting quality players at bargain prices by dangling superstars in front of them may sound good in theory, but it’s much more difficult in reality; just ask Miami.