5 Players NY Knicks Would Have on Their Roster If Isiah Thomas Was Still Around

As the New York Knicks pursue the formation of a "big three," they must not lose sight as to where they could be instead.

If it was not for the tactical genius of former GM and President Donnie Walsh, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire would be no more than what they both were a little over a year ago: opposing players.

The loss of Walsh is a major blow, but he left the Knicks with a blueprint in Anthony and Stoudemire that even James Dolan cannot justify dismantling. That being said, it would be a different story if Isiah Thomas was still in charge.

Some, including myself, chastised the decision to let Walsh walk because he did not agree with "big three" approach, but in reality, blowing up the roster yet again for a third superstar is nothing compared to where the team would be with Thomas.

So just for fun, or rather to appreciate where the Knicks currently are at this point, let's take a look at the possible starting lineup Thomas would have assembled over these past few years.

Center: Andris Biedrins

If Isiah Thomas had still been around last summer, David Lee would not have showed such an inclination to stay, and the thought of signing Amar'e Stoudemire would not have existed.

Would Lee still have wound up with the Golden State Warriors? Perhaps, as they showed the most interest in him. However, while Donnie Walsh pursued the likes of Monta Ellis in return, Isiah Thomas may have targeted Andris Biedrins instead.

Thomas' excuse would have been that he is 7-feet tall and would make an obvious impact in the low-post. He also would have pointed to the two mediocre seasons Biedrins had a few years ago as a sign of things to come.

Thomas was a sucker for obtaining bad big men, and Eddy Curry and Jerome James prove this. So if he was still around, not only would New York not be welcoming in Stoudemire, but the fans would be listening to Thomas proclaim that $9 million a year Biedrins was an All-Star to be.

Power Forward: Kenyon Martin

The 33-year-old Kenyon Martin wouldn't be heading to China if Thomas was still a member of the Knicks brass.

Once Thomas heard whispers of Martin playing in China, he may have taken it upon himself to break the code of the lockout and through back channels tell Martin he had a mid-level exception offer waiting for him if he stayed.

More likely though, Thomas would have tried to acquire him a year or two ago when the Nuggets were getting really sick of him. Martin was a former All-Star who the Knicks could have acquired—in terms of assets, not money—on the cheap. 

There also may have been a contract extension in there for Martin too as Thomas was famous for such deals.

Small Forward: Richard Jefferson

The San Antonio Spurs would welcome a new home for Richard Jefferson and the $30 million plus left on his contract, and Thomas would have been happy to oblige to such a request.

As soon as Jefferson's production slipped two seasons ago, Thomas would have made his move. At his peak, Jefferson was an athletic and explosive scorer, something any fan could embrace. That being said, his current slip in production indicates that his best days are behind him.

Would that have stopped Thomas? Of course not. Carmelo Anthony would not have been a legitimate option, so the Knicks would have focused on another former All-Star whose best days are behind him.

We complain about Anthony's lack of defense now, but with Jefferson, we would have that plus a diminishing offensive game to critique.

I know which situation I prefer.

Shooting Guard: Tracy McGrady

Whether or not Thomas struck a deal for Tracy McGrady in 2010 would have been irrelevant. Once he hit the open market, Thomas would have been salivating. After all, bringing in disgruntled guards was a specialty of his, something Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis could confirm.

The more likely scenario would have involved Thomas throwing a three to five-year, fully valued mid-level exception contract at him. McGrady only landed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with the Detroit Pistons this past season, but Thomas would have found a reason to give him much more.

At his height, few were as prolific as McGrady, and Thomas may have claimed he was headed for a comeback.

I'm not even sure the 32-year-old McGrady would have agreed with that. 

Point Guard: Gilbert Arenas

Remember how I said that bringing in disgruntled guards was a specialty of Thomas'? Well, bringing in a combination of both disgruntled and overpriced guards was something he was even more adept at.

The Washington Wizards would have just about given Gilbert Arenas away, so all Thomas would have had to do was make salaries match up and possibly throw in a first round pick for the year 2030, considering that's all New York would have had left after Thomas was through.

Most had Arenas pegged to put up incredible numbers for years to come, but then he signed that lucrative contract of his. It was all downhill from there.

However, like the Orlando Magic, Thomas would have seen something that wasn't actually there. Whereas most see an overpriced, egotistical 29-year-old barley capable of averaging 10 points and three assists per game, Thomas would have seen a guy on the verge of resurrecting his career and putting up 20 and 10 a night.

With Arenas running the show and a supporting cast consisting of the aforementioned, where would the Knicks be? Heading nowhere fast. 

Most of these players—with the exception of Biedrins—had their day. Their days are gone though, and the outlooks for the rest of their careers are anything but promising, just as the outlook on the Knicks future would be with Thomas at the helm.

Donnie Walsh was a huge loss, and we can criticize the Knicks willingness to decimate what little depth they have left to obtain another star all we want, but at this point in time, we should consider ourselves lucky that's the biggest concern the team has.

With Thomas, there would have been many more.