Courtesy of Inner-City Newspaper
In sports journalism, one should
typically shy away from allowing his emotions about a team to seep into the
writing process. Being a Knicks fan, however, has driven me to the brink of
insanity at times. Although the franchise was consistently a joke for a decade,
Mike Woodson has infused a high level of intensity that Mike D'Antoni never
could. The Knicks had their best season since 1994, and their explosive offense
was the main reason. Carmelo Anthony was dominant, and proved it by winning the
scoring title. There should be optimism for New York fans this year, but there
is a huge issue that will hold them back.
I am a young aspiring journalist, so
claiming to know more than the professionals would be irresponsible at this
point. But I'm shocked that even the biggest Knicks homers on television do not
talk about the Carmelo conundrum. I like to hear what Stephen A. Smith has to
say on ESPN, and I'm a huge fan of Boomer and Carton on MSG. Neither ever
focuses on how bad Carmelo is defensively. Everyone knows this, but the
argument is made that his superior offense makes him worth it. I actually agree
with this. I never questioned the move to acquire Anthony, because I knew the
firepower he would bring. Though he was a defensive liability, I knew Woodson
would use his defensive genius to find ways to lighten the load. A tweak has
occurred, though, and it is negatively affecting the team is constituted. Last
season, Anthony dominated in the offensive post due to his quickness and
athleticism. He was able to drive through the lane easier, which played right
into Woodson's isolation offense. This is not football though; everyone has to
play both sides of the ball. The biggest need the Knicks have is a rugged power
forward. Tyson Chandler is a fierce competitor, but he is usually on an island
in the defensive low post. Kenyon Martin can fill this role, but I do not
expect big minutes from him. Andrea Bargnani is a nice addition, but he adds
little from a toughness perspective despite being seven feet. 
Obviously the
cap situation complicated any potential moves, but quite frankly they could
have let J.R. Smith go. The fact that he got surgery right after signing the
deal is quite unsettling, but I felt this way beforehand. The Knicks drafted
Tim Hardaway Jr. and signed Metta World Peace, which are both key acquisitions.
I would have much rather seen the team use that money on a big man. Big men do
not grow on trees, but there were actually a few good ones available. Tyler
Hansbrough left the Pacers to sign with the Raptors. He would have been a nice
addition, primarily due to his continuous motor. Former Jazz power forward Paul
Milsap signed with the Hawks for 2 years, $19 million, a move that would have
made sense considering the Knicks' cap situation. Drew Gooden is currently
available, and he is a very good rebounder despite not being an amazing
defender. They could probably sign him to the veteran minimum. None of these
guys are end-all solutions, but they would make an impact. There are still many
who have no problem with Anthony playing the four. They are wowed by the fast
paced style the Knicks can play. Unfortunately, this can only get a team so
far. The Knicks are still a good matchup for guard-laden teams who lack size,
but that's it. With other teams looking to replicate what Indiana and Memphis
did last year, the Knicks will struggle come playoff time. Mike Woodson was
brought to New York to implement a physical nature, but the current roster
inhibits this philosophy. I hope the clueless front office eventually gets
their act together, but who knows. I was teased as a Knicks fan earlier when I
saw reports that LeBron James will strongly consider New York as a possibility
next year. This is nice, except for the fact that the Knicks will not have cap
space until the 2016 offseason when A'mare Stoudemire is a free agent. So I am
not too optimistic to say the least.
Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com
Photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com
