Knicks Beat Bobs

Knicks 12 - 18.

Knicks Lose to Nuggets

Knicks 11 - 18 (6 - 7 @MSG).

Yet another hard-fought loss.

The Art of Rebuilding

On the New York Times forum, many years ago, the question of deconstruction vs a rebulid was a lively exchange. It's time to revive the conversation.

The Knicks have a terrible record after playing a fairly tough schedule thus far. But last night's loss against the Timberwolves has sent many a Knicks fan into shock. A blowout at home against a gimme win will do that.

The Knicks are in a position similar to the waning days of the Knicks 90's teams. In those days Checketts and Grunfeld knew what they had to do. That was, to reload. And they did so brilliantly by acquiring Camby and Sprewell.

Since then, Dolan has made brilliant moves only to impatiently destroy their potential by snuffing them before fruition. In times like these, when the Knicks are at their low ebbs is the most dangerous time for management. It is the time that Dolan intervenes in the delicate intricacies of the Knicks rebuilding plans.

The fans who demand immediate gratification are usually season ticket holders who can't give their seats away. They want action, NOW! And their money talks.
On the other hand, lifelong Knicks fans who acutely feel a thirty year emptiness, are distressed but want a road map to a competitive team.

For both constituencies, the management decisions are not as different as they may seem.

This is the third straight coach to fail to win with the Knicks squad that he inherited from his predecessor. Last year I defended Larry Brown and this year I'll defend Isiah Thomas.

The coaches are not the problem and haven't been since JVG got Grunfeld fired.

This year the talent pool was better than any time since the Sprewell/Camby Knicks. And Walsh is the best team architect we've had since Grunfeld. The Knicks losing streak has come at an unfortunately bad time in Walsh's remolding of the team. Trades don't usually happen until weeks after the holidays. The short-handed Knicks are stuck in a personnel purgatory that couldn't have been anticipated.

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An angry fan base will soon rouse Dolan's ire. Let's examine what's in play.

Deconstruction of the existing team. Many fans believe Walsh, like Isiah before him will attempt to get rid of "Isiah's" roster and replace them with his own. Quite frankly, I doubt this is the case.

The decon part of Walsh's job is largely complete. Crawford, Randolph and Marbury are gone. Curry remains and may survive assuming he proves more functional than Jerome James. Deconstruction is a subtractive activity that reduces payroll and often returns less than book value.

Dolan cannot adversely affect anything that's already taken place so Knicks fans can rest easy on this front.

Beyond this housecleaning however, Walsh should have few axes to grind with Isiah's youngsters. Lee, Nate, and Chandler are true assets.

The rebuild. Walsh has already added Al Harrington, Duhon, and Gallinari that can be considered assets as well. The other addition Roberson has thus far proven a bust and Gallinari needs some good minutes to calm the growing fear that his was yet another wasted draft pick.

The delicate balance that Walsh and D'Antoni need to orchestrate is to have the patience to wait for the right deals before losing so much that the team and fans despair or Dolan steps in.

From Walsh's history, we know what the Knicks will eventually look like. The Pacers were tough teams top to bottom. They were not necessarily nice teams and that's where Dolan can derail Walsh.

Prior to 2010, Walsh will harden the Knicks substantially. And he will not leave D'Antoni with a dysfunctional squad for long. Both men must understand that whatever the long term goal is, the short-term history of losing does not end well in NY.

By February, the Knicks will be competitive enough to make the playoffs. And, assuming they succeed the rebuild will be considered a success.

2010, the transformation. It is this writer's guess that 2010 is not the beginning of the transformation of the Knicks but the consummation. Walsh and D'Antoni must have a competitive squad by 2010 if they hope to lure true talent to NY. By then they will be looking for pieces that complete the team rather than someone "to build around".

The idea that the Knicks will be a gutted team for signings is absurd. The Knicks fans remember years of free-agent shopping. wasn't Allan Houston supposed to be the final piece of the Ewing reign? And what of the Grant Hills, Chris Webbers, and so on - you remember, the LeBrons of their day who never signed in NY but went on to become albatrosses elsewhere.

The signing of free agents is publicity sexy but fraught with the same uncertainty as draft picks and trades. Knicks fans would be wise to advocate for a combination of means to acquire the right team chemistry.

there's nothing wrong with winning before 2010.

T'Wolves Beat Knicks

Knicks 11 - 17 (6 - 6 @MSG). Just disheartening.

Update: However there's a silver lining to all of this. Berman has shut down his blog! Ah, let's give thanks for small mercies.

Boston Beats Knicks

Knicks 11 - 16. Short-handed and over-matched.

Bucks Beat Knicks

Knicks 11 - 15 (6 - 5 @MSG)

Worst game of the season.

LA Beats Knicks

Knicks 11 - 14, looking more and more like late-season contenders.

Suns Beat Knicks

Knicks 11-13. One of those games where nothing goes right.

Yanks Considering Signing Another Right-hander

Foreign dude.

Knicks Pwn the Kings

Knicks 11 - 12.

Jerome James has a chance to shine.

Knicks Pwn Nets

Knicks 10 -12.

Harrington, Duhon, and Chandler make their case for All-Star consideration.

Tim Thomas having best year of his career enjoying being a Knick.

Bulls Beat Knicks

Knicks 9 -12. Duhon shines. The Magnificent Seven fall just short of a win.

Knicks looking for Guard help

Blake Ahearn and Bonzi Wells would be my druthers.

Is a Jemaine O'Neil/Stephon Marbury trade in the offing? Toronto could lose cheaper.

And speaking of Toronto - use him or lose him - if Jamario Moon is available, he has to be on a short list as a pure, inexpensive talent. Would love to see Moon in a knick uniform.

Knicks Beat Pistons

Knicks 9 - 11 (6 - 4 @MSG).

Duhon continues to impress. Chandler and Lee with nice games. Jeffries a welcome addition.

The Knicks will contend this year and this game is a minor turning point. Detroit is a good team that is struggling. Taking the win is huge for the Knicks. Over the past few games the Knicks are gaining confidence and the newbies are starting to gel with the veteran Knicks.

Duhon is becoming a bonafide NBA stalwart. Expect a few disappointments along the way but the Knicks will ride out this tough part of the schedule better than expected given the circumstances.

I expect more changes in January.

The door is wide open for Curry to show up ready to rumble as Jeffries has. If that happens the East becomes a dogfight that the Knicks will be in good position to win.

NO More Excuses

Hawks Beat Knicks

Knicks 8 - 11. Jeffries comes back strong, goes down with injury.

Cavs Beat Knicks

Knicks 8 - 10. Nothing good happened tonight.

Portland Beats Knicks

Knicks 8 - 9 (5 - 4 @msg). Lee and Duhon have a nice game.

Knicks Beat Warriors

Knicks 8 - 8 (5 -3 @MSG). Lee has monster game. Harrington gets comfortable. Duhon a fine effort.

New York Athletes Can't Get No Respect

John Ryan of the Mercury News reports Reebok rewards Nike Marathon winner:

Marketing can be a nasty business. That's when we love it the most.

Last month in San Francisco an elementary-school teacher named Arien O'Connell ran the fast time at the Nike Women's Marathon. But because she didn't run in the elite group, she wasn't recognized as the winner. After a few days of embarrassment, Nike retreated and called O'Connell "a winner," but the damage was done.

Most of it, anyway. Thursday afternoon, representatives of Reebok visited the Children Charter School in Brooklyn. They gave O'Connell free shoes every month for a year, T-shirts for her class and $2,500 to the school. They also gave her a trophy — the F.U.N. Award — recognizing her as the "winner and heroine of non-elite runners everywhere."

F.U.N. Are we correct about what that stands for, with the N being "Nike"?

Call Me a Contrarian

A lot of noise is being made in New York about the Knicks becoming a lousy basketball team because they are attempting to clear cap space in two years. As I've said before, I think the Knicks are improving the quality of the team while they are right-sizing the budget.

Yes, we are taking a few punishing loses thanks to injuries and the eternal soap-opera called Marbury.

I think once the health of the team is whole, these Knicks will surprise a lot of pundits who are already on the same campaign to tar and feather Walsh and D'Antoni as they had with Isiah and Brown.

I am not someone who believes that LeBron James is coming to NY as a free but I do think that if Walsh can acquire some talent worth passing in a sign and trade with a team whose superstar is ready to depart, the Knicks will have a chance of acquiring a true superstar talent soon.

As for Marbury, I think his behavior has become so outrageous that nobody will ever take a chance on him again at any price.

Pistons Beat Knicks

Knicks 7 - 8. Nothing to say. Ugly game, bad loss.

Cavs Beat Knicks

Knicks 7 - 7 (4 - 3 @MSG).

New Knicks getting their bearings if not a win.

Knicks Fan Doing Backflips Over Recent Trades

Are Knicks in the Running for Rip?

The trade of Billups has been a disaster for Detroit.

Rip hamilton's contract is daunting for most teams. Is a Curry for Hamilton swap a palatable one for Detroit? Curry brings size and a more inexpensive, shorter contract. My guess is Rip is moving over the winter.

For the Knicks, he would be a perfect addition.

Walsh and D'Antoni Pulling a Fast One

Walsh and D'Antoni are playing down the recent trades of Randolph, Crawford, and Collins as preparation for the summer of 2010 but that's not the whole truth.

Donnie for all his understated humility knows damned well that Harrington, Mobley, and Thomas represent a wholesale upgrade to the Knicks. Most obviously, Thomas brings far more to the table than Collins was expected to this year. ad to the fact that Thomas knows and thrives in D'Antoni's system and this is a major upgrade of the bench.

Also, refreshingly, Harrington wants to be here to win NOW. And Mobley isn't shy about seconding that motion. Harrington will fit much better than Zach and Mobley is an upgrade to Crawford who I couldn't wait to see gone.

The real question is just how far Walsh can harden this roster this year with the same subtle moves.

make no mistake, by the time LBJ is available the Knicks will be winners. Expect the Knicks to knock the Cavs out of the playoffs this year should the matchup materialize.

Quietly, we're seeing a contender form.

I'm adjusting my win expectation to 40 games.

Knicks Beat Wizards @MSG

Knicks 7 - 6 (4 - 2 @msg).

Q has a game.

Bucks Beat Knicks

The Knicks 6 - 6.

Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph, and Mardy Collins all traded today. Thus a short-handed Knicks team loses to Milwaukee.

Al Harrington, Cuttino Mobley, and the return of Tim Thomas, and maybe a future 2nd-round pick all coming New York's way.

Boston Handed Home Court Advantage Win

The refs handed the Knicks this loss in a winnable game. We'll be back.

The Knicks 6 - 5.

Thug Ugly in Boston

At the half, Knicks down by 9 in a rough and tumble game. Rivers playing a thuggish second unit against the Knicks. The refs have their heads up their ass when it comes to the rough play of the Celtics scrubs.

Nothing dropped for the Knicks in the second quarter - lots of shots rimming out. Chandler with a strong half.

Refs Beat Knicks

The Mavs, apparent beneficiaries of the Cuban chronic whine about officials, were handed a win against the Knicks at MSG.

Crawford played dismally. Q had a strong, strong game.

Knicks (6 - 4, 3 - 2 @home).

The Warm-Up Dance

Knicks Maul Grizzlies

Knicks 5 - 3.

Knicks Beat Okla. 6 - 3.

Spurs Beat Knicks

Knicks 4 - 3 (3 - 1 @home)

Knicks Beat Jazz

Knicks 4 -2 (3-1 @home).

After an ugly first half, Knicks re-discover defense and close out the Jazz.

David Lee's slump ends in the first half. Duhon looking more like the second coming of Chollie Ward. Zach Randolph and N8 playing like All-Stars. Chandler continuing to deliver.

Crawford coming up big but continues to make head-scratchingly bad decisions along the way.

Knicks Beat Wizards

Knicks 3 - 2. Two wins in a row.

Another ugly game. But Duhon, Chandler, and Nate did some nice things. Crawford still needs to work on shot selection. Lee in a funk

Knicks Beat Bobcats

Knicks 2 - 2. Knicks win at home (2 -1 @ MSG). Zach Randolph, N8, and Chandler shine.

Duhon is becoming more and more comfortable in NY.

Nice to see Larry Brown again in NY. He had many interesting things to say about the Knicks, Dolan, and Walsh. All good. His experience here remains as one of the tragedies of NBA basketball history.

Knicks Lose to Bucks

Knicks 1 - 2.

The Knicks should never lose at home. But from all indications an ugly game.

Crawford once again worthless.

God I am sick of rooting for a losing team.

Why a Kidd for Marbury Swap?

Here's why.

Dallas has to win this year or they are done for a long, long time.

If it wasn't obvious from last year's meltdown that Kidd wasn't the answer then when will it dawn on Cuban that Kidd is not the answer.

So why a trade? Well, if Cuban waits too long there will be zero takers for Kidd's contract. By trading for Marbury who is on a mission to show the league that they're all wrong, Cuban might catch lightning in a bottle. And that's exactly what Dallas needs is a wake-up call and a man possessed.

Kidd isn't cutting it in Dallas. Add to the deal a Dampier for Curry swap and Cuban eliminates the other disappointing player from previous campaigns. Curry's output is no worse than Dampier and both have worn out their welcomes in their existing situations.

Now this will cost the Knicks money but Kidd, in a limited role in NY, might extend his career and teach or young guards a few tricks. No, he won't be winning a ring here but NY is not Dallas either.

The Knicks could go so far as throw in Mardy Collins giving Dallas a future PG for the rights to a Euro contracted player that opens a spot up for Ewing on the Knicks.

Such a deal is counter-intuitive but fascinating given the dynamics of everyone's needs.

Just Another Day on the Campaign Trail w/Sarah Palin

Knicks Lose to 76ers

Philly played well and dominated.

It won't be the last game we lose this season.

Crawford looked bad.

Knicks at 1-1.

I Miss Studs

Curiosity did not kill this cat!

Marbury Tempest II

Alan Hahn has it wrong on his blog and most of the New York Knicks beat writers are equally out of touch. Marbury does not lose trade value sitting on the bench. Not at all.

His true value is as an expiring contract but secondly as a man possessed to win in a contract year. There is no doubt he is done with the Knicks but the Vegan Fish Tacos blog provides a strong clue as to one destination that Marbury might eventually find himself in. That is, Dallas.

Where Jason Kidd goes, so goes frustration.

He mangaged 7 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists and 4 steals, but the Mavericks still lost to the Rockets.

Who among us does not believe that this will be a recurring theme?

Jason Kidd is leading the Mavericks nowhere and that's obvious to many people. He, like Marbury, needs to be relocated. Marbury might thrive in Dallas and finally get a chance at a ring. Kidd is a veteran who is not Marbury and can contribute here in a system which will increase his resale value.

The clock has been ticking in Dallas and Mark Cuban is not one who will sit tight with Kidd. The championship expiration date on the Mavs is rusting. If any team is in a must-win-now situation it is Dallas.

Can the Knicks help?

Let's examine a broader trade that rids both teams of undesired baggage and maybe sets up Dallas to go long into the playoffs.

Would Dallas consider a Kidd, Dampier, and rights to Shan Foster for Marbury, Curry, and Mardy Collins swap?

Infusing Marbury into the Dallas line up might be juice Dallas needs to finally realize their dream. Curry complements Diop and is no better or worse than Dampier. Collins gives the Mavs a nice future piece.

The rights to Shan Foster, Who is currently in Europe gives D'Antoni a sharpshooter who can arrive next year and gives the Knicks that extra roster spot to bring Ewing back onboard.

Brooklyn: Too Big To Fail?

In my first post on the effect of the global meltdown of markets, let's tackle the question of a deepening financial crisis that effects New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut more dramatically than any other part of the country. A depression so sudden and disarming that New York is no longer the global financial epicenter of prosperity but just another backwater big city with an auction house.

Already there is the observation that the global power-players who have cash to burn are interested in New York properties and Ratner whose Nets have been little more than a money sink for years may be expendable.

In an exhausted New York economy, it is not inconceivable that an Asian buyer of a team like the Nets might simply pack up their acquisition and move them out to Seattle rather than keep them in the New York metro area.

Whether it is the Nets or another team, expect the face of the NBA to change dramatically and suddenly as the economic cancer spreads through the American sports market.

It won't be long before the Knicks are playing the Sheiks.

The Marbury Tempest

New York's usual suspects are creating a mini-controversy regarding the fact that Marbury did not play against Miami in a blow-out game.

D'Antoni explained that he is pursuing a futures line-up rather than a win-now strategy. At face value this makes perfect basketball sense. The issue isn't whether or not Marbury could play a better game than Mardy Collins who had a poor showing. The broader issue is that Mardy Collins needs the opportunity to succeed or fail in D'Antoni's system so that mid-season trade decisions can take that information into account.

Marbury's absence in garbage time may more be a sign of respect for Marbury than an insult. Marbury is not on the bench as a garbage time player. Inevitably, D'Antoni will insert Marbury into a high-pressure, must-win situation and D'Antoni will expect Marbury to respond with an "I'll show you attitude." Part of what makes D'Antoni's high octane methodology work is adrenaline.

You can be sure when Marbury takes the floor there will be sparks.

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There's some talk about an Eddie Curry swap with Golden State to acquire disgruntled Al Harrington.

No one would be happier than I to rid ourselves of Curry whose shelf-life in New york has expired. Curry has created a situation in which fans and team are emotionally exhausted from watching him mold his character around Jerome McJames instead of Shaq in his prime.

Curry should be working 24/7 to redeem any self-respect he has left or this contract will likely be his last.

But the broader issue for me is what Al Harrington might add to this squad and that's an odd algebra. I like the fact that Lee, Gallinari, and Chandler are developing. While Harrington is a better Malik Rose, he would inevitably steal minutes from our future core.

The real player question is whether or not Harrington enjoys playing the uptempo game. If he's unhappy under Don Nelson, anyone trading for him needs to understand why. After all, not even getting rid of Eddie Curry is a good enough excuse to acquire a player who hates the system we're running.

Knicks Beat Miami

Curry and Marbury sit.

Lee and Chandler shine.

D'Antoni livid - Knicks blow twenty point lead in the fourth. I'm guessing that doesn't happen again.

The skinny: Crawford needs to discipline his game, Mardy needs to shake a bad outing.

Predicting Surprises

I'm predicting 40 wins this year.

Tonight the Knicks will need to re-establish a tradition of winning at home. My guess is that they beat Miami with a superior offensive game.

Because the Knicks are not odds favorites to win anything, fans will be keeping a close eye on the injury situation of teams that need to win now and there are plenty of them. In the current economic climate few teams can afford to get off to a lousy start. Those that do will either trade for help or think about moving to Seattle.

Tonight the Knicks field a team that will never look back. Eddy Curry is going to have to work very hard to play again. I doubt that Zach, Lee, Gallanari, or Jeffries will let up their desire to play. That leaves Curry in a position to shape up or consider becoming an over-sized comedy duo with Jerome James in a Big Momma sequel.

Curry's benching has a strange sense of deja vu to it. Last year, Curry informed Marbury that he was being benched which set off the entire Marbury/Thomas disaster.

Yesterday, Curry was told by the press and not D'Antoni that he would be guarding the Gatorade. My guess is that Curry is traded at the first opportunity.

****************************************************************************

If TNT and ESPN have decided to eliminate Knicks games from the schedule their sponsors should accept the fact that nobody will be buying their product. Love them or hate them, the Knicks draw an audience that few other teams can claim.

Barkley will be howling to a lonely studio. I sure as hell am not tuning in if the Knicks aren't featured.

Ewing, Jr. Cut

I'm actually okay with this move.

Ewing was a project on a team that isn't in the business of developing projects. Ewing will be better off developing a game elsewhere, maybe Europe.

D'Antoni and Walsh I think have done the kid a favor. The primary job for the Knicks is to thin the existing roster when the opportunities arise. There is a lot of redundancy that needs to be pared before a kid like Ewing would ever have a chance to see the light of day.

There is a God

Alan Houston was cut.

He'll hang around to appease the holy-roller crowd but IMO this is a welcome sign that D'Antoni's Knicks are free of the circle jerk that became emblematic of the Knicks downward spiral.

Van Gundy's Observations

Berman's blog features an entry that reports on JVG's Knicks prediction:

"They have a definable identity and it's the first step in turning it around,'' VG said. "I definitely think they'll compete for the playoffs. I can't see them not making a dramatic jump in wins, from the low 20's to high 30's or even the 40's. That's what they should expect, to make the playoffs. You don't pay those players all that money if they don't have talent.''

I have had my differences with JVG over the years but I tend to agree with his analysis.

I think the Knicks are going to make the playoffs at the six or seven spot. They are in a pack of teams some of whom are worse and many of whom are over-rated. A season of uninterrupted play is really what the Knicks need. And that means no more delusional ideas that the size of the salary dictates the number of minutes.

So far, D'Antoni is doing what needed to be done for years - make the players earn their playtime.

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On a sidenote, the pre-season play of Zach Randolph apparently is opening the eyes of a contending team or two who are front-court player away from the top.

I'd hate to lose Zach but he might get reluctantly traded for a deal previously believed to be too good to be true (think three-way).

The Epiphany

Last year I advocated the trade of Curry and Crawford at the January trade deadline. Furthermore i speculated that Isiah's problems were largely his personal entanglement with the trio of Marbury, Curry, and Crawford - all of whom he wooed to New York on highly personal terms.

Marbury was a breath of fresh air after Layden although it worked out poorly.

I thought trading for Curry was worth a chance if the price was right. Isiah overpaid but I could live with it. Crawford I was never impressed with.

I thought Larry Brown exposed all three.

Thankfully D'Antoni has the integrity to reconcile the problem. Marbury is starting to earn his keep.

Curry and Crawford need to go. The problem is that there are few sensible trades or destinations for Curry.

Hold your nose. Here are some very risky and contrarian proposals:

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Malik Rose and Eddy Curry for Brad Miller and Kenny Thomas. Sacramento mostly saves cash and rents a younger Brad Miller clone for an extra year at a better price.

New York gets an aging Miller and a pine brother but moves the disappointing Eddie Curry to somewhere he can play.

This is basically lateral movement of players who no longer fit where they are.
*************

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Rose, Crawford, and Curry for Redd, Gadzurik, and Villanueva.

Milwaukee upgrades at Center, economizes at SG, and saves $$$ with Malik.

Knicks swallow Redd's giant contract and Redd adds 2 pts per game at SG. Gadzooks and Villanueva vie for the front-court pine.
*************

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Blount and Chalmers for Curry. Miami takes a chance on Curry, the Knicks buyout Blount and take a chance on Chalmers.
*************

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Rose and Curry for Darko and Walker.
*************

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Curry and Crawford for Dampier and Jason Terry
*************

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Curry, Crawford and James for Wallace and Szczerbiak
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Just speculating....

I Count Four Potential All-Stars

My gut tells me that David Lee and Nate Robinson are on a trajectory to become All-Stars this year.

Zach Randolph is also setting himself up for a fine year, maybe even one qualifying for an All-Star nod.

The only other player who I have a hunch about is Wilson Chandler. I think he's going to come out of nowhere to lock down the SF position and possibly a surprise pick on the All-Star team.

UConn Athletes

Here's a nice Where are they now feature from the Courant.

How About Giving Stuart Tanner a Tryout?

Get Back!

There's been a lot of discussion of Gallinari's back problems lately with an emphasis on a bulging disc.

Generally a slipped disc (e.g. bulging) isn't necessarily a ruptured disc (a disc that has broken through its surrounding wall).

I'm guessing Gallo's condition is a slipped disc and these usually reset themselves with therapy. Athletes who properly strengthen the back muscles can sometimes prevent future episodes because the back muscles refuse to allow the disc to escape its natural position.

In any case, fans who believe that back injuries are terminal indications of problems are prematurely writing off Gallinari.

Let's get this guy strong and gradually playing. Back issues require time and strengthening.

No rush.

Pre-season Win a Harbinger of a Knicks Run

D'Antoni is here to win. I haven't seen any games yet but I checked out all the blogs I respect and they reinforce the conclusions I've already come to.

First, 2010 cap space is a nice-to-have rather than a necessity. Chandler is going to be a monster. I said so when he was drafted and his physical presence is going to lock down the SF position forever. He will be to the Knicks the kind of dependable, everyday workhorse that Bernie Williams became for the Yankees (same athletic archetype as far as I can tell). He is going to put up double-doubles routinely and be a handful for opposing players.

By 2010, the free agent market will have trouble competing with our existing talent pool.

David Lee. He ain't leaving anytime soon. He's another hard core Knick who will contribute forever in a number of roles.

Zach Randolph is already making a fool of Milwaukee, Denver and the Clippers and any other franchise that passed on trading for him. He is going to have a monster year and will become as beloved a presence as Oakley and Ewing were.

Marbury still has some mileage left. The best trades are often the ones that don't happen. Marbury will never quiet critics but winning will overwhelm that conversation.

The other Knick who I've liked from day one is Mardy Collins. It is still too early to tell if he will blossom but this preseason is showing serious progress. we have to remember that it takes 3-5 years of being int the league for point guards to hit their stride.

That brings us to Chris Duhon. I liked this acquisition because Duhon is ready to take off. He's been around long enough with enough floor time to really show his stuff.

The Knicks backcourt is deep and is going to rock. D'Antoni can run teams ragged especially on nights where the other team has played back-to-back games.

The Knicks are going to shave a few extra wins based solely on their depth of talent.

Like it or not, this year's personnel remain the Frankenstein concoction of Isiah, Brown, and Dolan. They've been severely criticized for years. it will be fun to watch them gain league respect the hard way - by winning.

Better Late Than Never

I have a good feeling about the coming season. It's hard to know how the team will shake out before opening day but I fully expect the Knicks to make the playoffs and have a surprisingly strong year.

The talent is here and has been. At training camp there was an epiphany, though that's not the correct word, that not much had changed. There were a few new faces but the bottom line is that the eclectic set of talent Zeke had accumulated for the past four years is back and they can choose to win or to lose together.

The decision to keep Marbury around surprises me but at the same time makes some sense. If the Knicks have to pay him anyway they may as well get their money's worth. I'm not sure I buy the argument that Marbury's presence in the locker room is all that detrimental. For what it is worth these athletes are supposed to be professionals. In the world of sports that rarely translates into the expectation that they are mature, reasonable intellects.

As fans we've been burned so often by this group that believing in them one more time is both difficult and trite. Even those of us who believe they can win will be dismissed as hopeless optimists for expressing the sentiment. Yet, I think there is a winning team in this bunch. I have the same feeling about these Knicks that I had during the seventies after the Yankees had one losing season after another.

There are some misfits here but if Marbury, Jerome James, Randolph, and Richardson decide to play ball this could become a very interesting year. The Knicks are an unintentionally deep team mostly because their contract to winning record ratio has made too many of them immovable in trades.

Yet, it is precisely teams that have a degree of continuity that win in the NBA.

Put me down for 41 - 45 wins this year.

My guess is that Grunfeld, Roberson, and AH get cut. In February a trade will be made to make room for AH to rejoin the team as a player and to participate in the Knicks first playoff series since dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Nice Writeup of Knicks Blogging Sites

Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo Sports gave us a kind thumbs up for the efforts put into this blog as well as recommending a few more.

Thanks for the goodwill.

The Knicks play in the biggest NBA city there is to be had, all by their lonesome, until Jay-Z and his Nets come into Brooklyn. The Knicks haven't been good for a while, making the playoffs just once since 2001, but we can smell something in the air. Maybe not change, per se, but good bloggin'. You can smell it.

And if I can offer any advice when it comes to reading Knicks blogs, it would be to start your morning at Knicks Mecca. Why? It's a well-written, interesting blog that not only offers smart analysis, but also a handy little RSS feature on the left of the site, which quotes the top story leading off several Knick-related blogs.

Now That's Cute

HatTip: Posting & Toasting

Here's some great footage of a recent Knicks scrimmage as posted on YouTube by Posting & Toasting (many thanks). Enjoy:

Time to Put Lipstick On...

Well, McCain has "suspended" his presidential campaign to further dress up negotiations in Washington. A recent Jill Greenberg photo shoot as reported by BuzzFeed catches him looking dapper.



And of course in Knicksville Stephon Marbury is quoted as saying, "They're going to give me all my money."

It takes a lot of lipstick to make that sound pretty. I'm assuming he has a great year.

Memphis, Memphis, Memphis

As longtime readers know I would far prefer keeping Zach Randolph than Eddie Curry.

And no I don't buy into the premise that Zach is a troublemaker. Portland was a troubled franchise and traded Zach for a promising 4th round pick and Steve Francis who later proved to be truly washed up. So no, IMO, ZBo is both talented and a highly productive player.

Now, are there chemistry problems on the Knicks? Yep. But giving Randolph away doesn't solve a thing.

That brings us to the Memphis trade scenarios. I warmed to the idea of trading Zach for Darko, straight up with the Knicks getting a trade exception. It's a good trade for both teams. Memphis gets a guy who will transform their front-court, maybe even make a contender of the team.

The Knicks get closer to cap space and get a guy who could improve under D'Antoni enough to block shots and relieve Eddie when Eddie sucks (which is a lot).

But as time went by the trade -cough- evolved. Suddenly the Knicks were to acquire Jaric in addition to Darko. Okay. Jaric is superfluous and adds no value but okay. No big deal. Advantage in the trade now is overwhelmingly to Memphis.

Next, Memphis wants some cash. By now this writer is sighing because this is becoming a shakedown. But OKAY. It's the cost of doing business but in the back of my mind I'm remembering the Gasol *trade* in which Memphis got anally raped and said thank you to LA. But OKAY, its a few bucks.

But as a Knicks fan I'm getting uneasy. Jaric is a fifth wheel. But in looking around, the Warriors need a spare guard, they have a large contract to lose (Harrington), a Jaric for Harrington deal works. The Knicks bloat the payroll a hair this year but Harrington expires nicely, and his pickup is a great excuse to lose Jerome James once and for all. For GS, Jaric is a much cheaper contract than Harrigton, and Monta's absence is covered.

So there are possibilities.

But today, I read Memphis wants a first-rounder as well. Memphis has gone too far.



A first-rounder! are they sure they don't want to move to Brooklyn as well. I mean, c'mon, a FIRST-ROUNDER, ZBo, $3M, Headlines that the Knicks got raped, Charles Barkley sarcastically saying "I told you" so all season long, AND A FIRST-ROUNDER for, for...
Darko and his sidekick Marco!

Let's step away from the ledge and not do this trade.

Is Marko heading elsewhere?

The delay in the Zach trade may be because the deal is expanding.

Everybody wins if Marko heads to GS and Al Harrington goes to NY.

GS gets their temp PG, New York gets a shorter contract.

Crawford's Epiphany

Jamal Crawford has a blog on Newsweek and I have added it to the blog list column here.

I have been a critic of Crawford's for about a years or so and have called for his trade . In his blog he addresses the well-known criticisms many of us share. I must say that I'm impressed with his ability to confront the criticism.

Here's some of what I like in his initial post.

THAT I'M NOT A WINNER: First off, you win as a team and you lose as a team...but I do understand that the better players and leaders on your team have to provide more then a younger player would. No, I've never played on a winning team since college. BUT this year I'll be playing for my ninth coach in nine seasons.

I've had a few disappointments along the way in Chicago and New York and also bad timing with injuries. I thought my best chance was two years ago, but then injuries to myself, David Lee and Q-Rich happened. What other team could lose basically three starters at one time and still have a chance to get to the playoffs? Then last year was a total mess. We never recovered from all that off the court stuff that happened! And that's not an excuse, that's just a fact. I still tried to come to play every single night. I didn't always play without making mistakes, but I was there every single night.

I know I have this label and I don't want it. I don't think I've ever been the kind of player who looked satisfied with losing.

New Minnesota sport

Lindsey Beyerstein's Flickr photo exposes latest street sport in Minnesota; watching protesters get hammered.

There is a God!

The Knicks acquire Patrick Ewing Jr for - GET THIS - the eternal rights to Fredrick Weis.

FREEEEEEE_ DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDIE!

First Chenowith, now this. Give me a minute to compose myself.

Okay.

Okay.

I'll be alright.

Ewing, Jr is an upgrade over Freddie in that he will physically appear to compete for a Knicks spot.

I guess this means that Jerome James can be moved - and I do mean moved - at some future date.

An angel has just earned some sporting goods points.

ZBo to Memphis, Part Deux?

In a previous post, I talked about my feelings about a potential Zbo to Memphis trade.

I didn't believe the pieces were there. Now, i find that Milicic is not 100% having suffered an achilles injury earlier this year.

But after reading the pros and cons written by the old NYTimes group, I'm warming up to the idea despite the talent tradeoff (Zach being far more valuable to Memphis than Milicic to NY).

Here's the skinny. If NY just takes back Milicic, it solves the 2010 salary cap problem nicely. Memphis can afford to absorb Zach without handing back salary to the Knicks - a very good thing. The Knicks would no longer need to juggle roster just to save money going forward. And Memphis makes out like bandits talent-wise.

But let's assume NY has to take another body - probably an inexpensive PG - so what? NY cuts the worst PG on the roster (to eliminate clutter) or buyout JJames. None of Memphis's PGs have blossomed into anything special yet and Roberson and Mardy are on the bubble.

Better yet the Knicks should acquire a Memphis 2010 protected (1-3) #1 pick to make the deal a bit more even because I'm confident Zach will shine wherever he lands.

As for Milicic, once he's healthy - say Feb. the knicks can dump JJames without regret in trade or as a mercy buyout.And if Milicic simply blocks some shots and gets a few rebounds, I'm good with the deal.

Duhon and Obama

Last night I was watching post-Monday night Democratic Convention news and there's a segment about a fellow who has become Obama's right-hand man for logistical issues. This guy occasionally plays some pick-up basketball with Obama and while in Chicago apparently stays with Chris Duhon.

In any case Duhon also plays a bit when these pick-up games occur.

Interesting, no?

Gambler's Blues

I came across a link weeks ago of a guy who digitized a lot of 78 rpm records from the old days.

He used to allow people to download what they wanted but his provider discontinued that. However there is one tune available, a good one and one that certainly will remind everyone of the NBA referees.

Marbury, Cuban, and Italian Thunder

We have all heard Starberman's proclamations that echo Marbury's "love" of Italy. But the more I read of what's going on in Italy, marbs might reconsider his career choices.

In his customary midday Sunday address, the pontiff expressed concern at "recent examples of racism" and reminded Catholics it was their duty to steer others in society away from "racism, intolerance and [the] exclusion [of others]".

On any other day, his remarks might have been seen as no more than a restatement of official Catholic doctrine. But they came instead in the midst of a furious dispute over an editorial published by Italy's bestselling Catholic weekly, Famiglia Cristiana.

In an editorial on Friday, condemning recent government moves against immigrants and Roma, the magazine said it was to be hoped fascism was not "resurfacing in our country under another guise". The jibe outraged Berlusconi's supporters, many of whom are themselves pious Catholics.

As I read Pope warns Italy in danger of returning to fascism by John Hooper, I wondered how a wallflower like Stephon Marbury would fare in a country that is making the church squeamish.

As I daydreamed a scene from the comedy Tropic Thunder comes to mind. Toward the end of the film in which Ben Stiller's character, Tugg Speedman, waves the helicopter off from a bridge he's standing on. Tugg, after being re-educated by his captors believes he has found someone who cares about him, Little Half-squat. Tugg turns and returns to his captors.

The crew is stunned but resign themselves to living without Tugg [Stephon]. No sooner than the helicopter is about to take-off there's a ruckus coming from the bridge. In a flurry of angry captors chasing Speedman, the crew watches as Little Half-squat is firmly clinging to Tugg's back stabbing and choking him. By now Tugg can't leave his captors fast enough. He grabs Little Half-squat and tosses the kid over the bridge, sprinting to the helicopter.

It is not hard to imagine Marbury going to Italy, aggravating the fans, and chasing a plane out of the country with a horde of blood-thirsty euro-fascists clinging to his body as he flings them off.

---------------------------------------------------------------

I have written about this before but it's bubbling up again. Mark Cuban thinks Jason Kidd will deliver a championship in Dallas. I don't think so. Kidd will pout subliminally all season long without a contract extension. No money, no honey.

Marbury is a better, more hungry player than Kidd and a one-for-one swap makes sense. The Knicks can rent Kidd for a year or two with no grandiose expectations. Marbury may very well finally win a ring and redemption in Dallas.

It's a hellish deal but one that makes sense. If Marbury fails... well, Cuban rebuilds with no hard feelings.

Imagine the conversations Mark could have with Marbs (with apologies to Tropic Thunder):

Marbs: There were times while I was playing [with the Knicks]where I felt...
[pause]
Marbs: ...retarded. Like, really retarded.
Cuban: Moronical?
Marbs: Yeah!
Cuban: An imbecile?
Marbs: Yeah!
Cuban: Like the dumbest motherfucker that ever lived?
Marbs: [pause] When I was playing [with the Knicks].

Building a D' Team

The Search for the Holy Grail of building an NBA contender has come full circle with the ever-popular concept of creating cap-space as our latest crusade. According to Walsh, this is our goal and a fine goal at that.

This presupposes that whoever the free-agent stars who come available will be oh-so-happy to take our bazillions of dollars and lead the Knicks to the promised land of Stern mega-star playoffs.

And so we genuflect to the mighty sneaker endorser who will become our franchise.

And for this the forums are brimming with fans willing to trade everyone we have for a cheap contract David Lee for Eric Snow. Zach for Ben Wallace. The entire bench for a protected second-rounder. Anything for the mighty LeBron or Wade or player-du-jour.

Thanks to the insanity of the NBA's salary structure a handful of players are richer than nations and the rest are locked into a price-fixing scheme that keeps them on the plantation as court jesters to the mega-stars.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I believe Walsh will get us our brief moment of cap-space heaven for yet another brass ring star who may or may not be healthy upon arrival, who may or may not have anything left of his talent, who may or may not in the end be a winner.

BFD.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have always taken the approach that the free-agent can be acquired before becoming a free agent. Players are merely assets that are productive or not. Sport dominant players are very hard to sign away from their existing employers.

So if I were Walsh I would consider trading for a guy like Ben Gordon and front-load a contract that keeps him here through 2010 so that he can be resigned after the free-agent feeding frenzy that year. By maintaining a smaller salary footprint during the targeted cap-space year, we can begin building a franchise of high-quality players ready to surround Mr. Mega-Bucks whenever he gets here.

To be honest, I'd rather the Knicks win without a mega-star. Call me a fool.

Is Yao a Bust?

For the last year or so I have begun questioning Yao Ming's NBA credentials. His presence is less than awe-inspiring - a big man who can't get it done.

Now Realgm reports he was benched during an Olympics game (a loss).

Now that the hype has worn off, is Yao just another Chad Ford all-star?

The Cleveland Trade

Sources around the internet insist Zach Randolph is not the target of New York/Cleveland trade rumors.

Attention is turning to Eddie Curry and Cleveland fans are having some fun on Knick forums insisting that New York is going to pay a premium to trade Curry. That scenario seems highly unlikely.

Curry remains a highly desirable commodity due to a lock-tight contract, his size, and his potential for a team like Cleveland. Cleveland's roster remains an assemblage of dreck surrounding LeBron.

If Curry is indeed Cleveland's target then likely trades will be two-way financials that exchange contracts beneficial to both teams with talent being a secondary concern.

An exchange of Curry, James, and Jeffries for Wallace, Snow, and a second-rounder would not be out of the question. Snow and James are dead weight on either end with Snow representing an instant buy-out for the Knicks.

Curry and Jeffries represent a significant talent upgrade for Cleveland.

Plastered at the Olympics

As I watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games, every onece in a while they would show images of W. sitting in the stands and he was just bizarre. He and Laura looked as though they were strangers to one another. At other times Bush sat with knees as wide open as Texas imposing on Laura and looking like a john at a bachelor party.

Now there are pictures of Bush looking totally wasted and needing significant help in... well, just standing or walking. Notice Laura's concern for W. Very strange stuff.

From Gawker:



From Dependable Renegade:

Attributed to: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images

Lucali's Pizza

Last week, on the Elba blogs, someone recommended Lucali's pizza in Cobble Hill.

The recommendation stuck in my head and Sunday I went into the city to pick up my wife and see the Abstract Expressionist show at the Jewish Museum [highly recommended as a rare though uneasy treat].

I decided to get a hold of Chip Stern who exchanged phone numbers with me. So I got into the city called Chip and lo and behold our schedules and itineraries are impossible to reconcile on this trip. But I ask him about Lucali's and he tells me he hasn't tried it yet but warns me it might be a sit down restaurant rather than a pizza place.

So Chip and I resolve all the Knick's problems in a long phone call and resolve to try sharing a slice and a beer some other time.

Needless to say, later that evening, a former Magi alumnus and I trek back out to Cobble hill where we shared an apartment and many adventures in the early eighties. The old neighborhood is doing great but it takes me a while to find Lucali's on Henry St because there's like zero signage. There's just a waiting line to get in the door.

So I get there first and I'm on the waiting bench with Lucali relatives who are visiting from out of state and the kids are decked out in Mets uniforms and an uncle arrives in a Yankees shirt and I'm feeling like I'm back in NY.

From the street though, Chip's description is ringing true - it looks like a restaurant rather than a traditional pizza joint. the location is a bit odd in that its stuck in the middle of a block instead of a more traditional street corner and, as I said, no signs at all identifying the place.

Once inside, Peter and I find out that its a bring your own alcoholic beverage venue that serves only pizza and calzones AND Peter loves the place all the while wondering how I could know it existed. Lucali's is an inside NY secret favorite. So I tell him I read about it on the Knicks blog and he's impressed.

The Lucali's pizza is very similar to New Haven's Pepe's pizza - generally speaking a wood-fired, thin flat bread shell topped with a delicious sauce and fresh whatever-you-like. In a word, DELICIOUS.

But what makes the place a treat is that the restaurant is set up as a performance space for the making of the pie. The chef prepares it on an old table lit by candles and the effect is ambient, cozy, and warm - a great place to eat.

Don't tell anybody or I'll never get in again.

As for the chef, he's wearing a T-Shirt that says, Italian Stallion. I'm guessing he's a Knicks fan.

I rate it five of five pies.

Tales From the Vomitoriam

The Courant updates us on Travis Knight.

Knight Moves
Travis Knight splits his time between Connecticut (East Haddam), Texas and Nicaragua, where he purchased a home and a boat and runs a small charter fishing service.

"I went there and I liked it," he said. "Turns out a lot of other people like it, too. ... There's some real estate stuff, but I'm trying to get out of that because it's not fun anymore. "

Knight last played with the Knicks in 2002-03. ...

ZBo to Memphis?

Quite frankly, I doubt it. Alan Hahn is suggesting that Memphis could use Randolph and that part is true but there aren't enough pieces to work, IMO. I have long thought that a more intelligent transaction might be at least Curry to Memphis for Milicic because both may thrive in a change of scenery.

A deal could be broadened of course but it gets harder to make sense.

As for ZBo, I don't want to see him traded this year but if he is there is one logical destination and that is Cleveland. Ben Wallace or Szczerbiak probably work straight up. Cleveland loved Weatherspoon years ago and Randolph is a better version.

Wally is done but has an expiring contract. Wallace is serviceable as a Curry backup making a JJ buyout feasible.

Why LeBron Leaves Cleveland

I couple of days ago, a photographer at an Obama "town hall" meeting decided that the Pledge of allegiance had to be recited for whatever reason possessed the fellow at the moment. So another blogger noted who this guy was and I spent a little time just checking out his profile.

In doing so I came across a comment that illuminates just why LeBron is more likely than not to be fleeing Cleveland at the end of his contract. The meat of the comment was;

Oh yeah by the way Forbes just named Cleveland one of America's fastest dying cities so lets just vote for lower taxes, no to school levy's, and yes to moronic debates like this one because it is clearly working for the city.

heres the link for that article:
http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/04/economy-ohio-michigan-biz_cx_jz_0805dying.html

Finally, I am 26 years old, born/raised in Cleveland, and trust me I would NEVER raise a family in this town the way it is now. LeBron and I are getting outta here ASAP haha (to whom it may concern: please save that witty homophobic comeback you were about to type in for another day). And one more thing OT: can we stop with the Cleveland Rocks thing, I mean my dad is 60 plus and doesn't even say Rocks anymore.

Anybody remember Randy Newman's Classic tune, Oh, Baltimore? Somebody better write one for Cleveland as well.

The Kevin Ollie Basketball Camp

I just wanted to follow up on my son's experience at the Kevin Ollie Basketball camp held in Windsor CT last week.

A year ago my son and his friends attended a similar camp and the featured player (who will remain nameless)never showed up nor really compensated for the slight.

So this year we weren't sure what to expect. In many cases, the player who sponsors the camp may do little more than show up for a pep talk on the last day or, if you're lucky, show up more than once.

On Monday morning I dropped off a carload of players and waited for their matriculation just to be sure everything was adequate. Within a minute of being there Kevin Ollie greeted me with a warm handshake, introduced himself, and said hello.

At the end of the day I asked the boys how the camp went. Did Ollie stay? What happened?

Turns out Kevin Ollie spent the entire day working with the kids (all of them - personally) on their games! Every kid had a story of what he said about this play or that. Every story a positive one!

This went on all five days. Ollie was there working with the boys.

Thursday Ollie invited a guest speaker, UConn center Hasheem Thabeet. On Friday a UConn assistant coach gave the lecture.

To make a long story short, the Kevin Ollie Basketball camp deserves a five of five star rating when parents are considering basketball training camps. This guy was just fabulous in working with the kids and delivering a positive memorable experience for the young men attending.

Finally, I want to urge any NBA team needing a backup PG to get Ollie back on the court and in the league. This guy is a classy, first-rate player that the league could use more of.

Musings

Steve Adamek is reporting what may be the missing link to the logic of the Balkman deal.

Speaking of the Ewing family, reports indicate that Patrick Ewing Jr., drafted in the second round of last month's draft by Sacramento, may be sent to Houston as part of the deal that sends Ron Artest to the Rockets and could be waived thereafter.

Which means Donnie Walsh, who said he liked the younger Ewing, could snap him up and invite him to training camp.

Young Patrick probably becomes nothing more than a rotation player in the NBA, if he sticks at all, but he's one of those intangible players coaches and executives seem to like.

Inviting Ewing to camp makes sense as a gesture of goodwill and as a fan confection.

However, this still doesn't explain the roster cleansing move. Oh, yes, I understand that Balkman's lifestyle choices were keeping him from making professional progress on the court but I sense something more going on.

I don't believe for a second that Jerome James or Marbury will be around much longer.

To me this points to a multi-player deal being assembled behind the scenes and on the horizon. My logic?

Ewing and Roberson are strictly light-weight additions assuming either make it to opening day. Subtract Marbury and JJ and the Knicks are at 11 players or so. that leaves quite a bit of wiggle room in terms of accepting more contracts in than we might send out.

BTW: Sean Singletary has been waived and deserves a look. An undersized but interesting fellow.

The Year to Overspend

Given the hyper-inflation that is kicking in this year with the price of gas, food, and consumer goods, now is the time for the Knicks to overspend on a front-loaded contract.

All of the rules about staying under the cap are irrelevant this year because the luxury tax will be paid in inflation dollars that will represent a small percentage of an investment made now. For example, should the Knicks make the playoffs, the inflated profits will help reduce whatever luxury tax penalty in today's dollars the investment might require.

Now, Dolan and the front-office need to be smart enough to make the right move but, for example signing Lee now would be a smart move. If Josh Smith could be had by offering more cash up-front, the Knicks should not hesitate for a second if cash is the grease that makes the deal happen. Or maybe taking on Speedy Claxson's albatross contract.

Dollar inflation changes everything.

Balkman a Goner?

Alan Hahn of Newsweek speculates that Balkman will be involved in a trade soon.

An NBA front office source familiar with the discussions told Newsday Sunday night that the Knicks are considering trading Balkman to the Denver Nuggets for point guard Taurean Green and small forward Bobby Jones.

And while Ken Berger is hearing both would be cut to get the roster down to 15, I count Marbury spot on the roster as an open one.

My guess is that Taurean Green might improbably stick.

When the Money Runs Out

Pictures of Mike Tyson's abandoned mansion.

One of the Good Guys

Next week my son is going to attend a Kevin Ollie basketball camp in Windsor, CT. Ollie is one of the genuinely good guys in the NBA and there's a great Courant article about him in today's edition.

UConn and NBA fans will find it worthwhile. The article, Former Husky Kevin Ollie Honored As Role Model by Mike Anthony includes a video.

"I'm waiting for some of the big guys to sign and hopefully some of the crumbs will trickle down to me," Ollie said.

He smiled as he spoke. Ollie, 35, isn't so worried about what might happen, not like he used to be. He has made it, all the way from Crenshaw High in L.A. to Storrs as a member of some of UConn's best teams, to the NBA. Ollie has career averages of 3.8 points and 2.3 assists.

"He's dedicated himself to his job, he's committed himself to his family and he's committed himself to his community," said Allen, his former UConn teammate. "Those things are all commendable. Coming into college, coming into the NBA, he's a guy who could have petered out. But he's still around and we all take inspiration from that."

Allen, who was given the same award last year, introduced Ollie at the breakfast Thursday. He was funny, saying how the first time he saw Ollie was during a recruiting visit. Ollie was in a classroom.

"I always said that when he was sitting down, he looked 6-10," Allen said. "Then he stood up and I said, 'Oh, he's just a little guy.'"

But everyone looked up to Ollie.

"He had a lot of people on the team who followed him," Allen said. "Kirk King was my roommate. Every night I would look up and say, 'Where did Kirk go?' Kirk looked up to Kevin so much that he would sleep on his floor. Kevin's a great leader, not only with his speech but by his actions."

That's how Ollie feels about his family. He talked about his pride in his wife, who went back to school to study nursing and recently took a job at St. Francis Hospital. The family doesn't need the money, but Stephanie wanted her own identity. He talked about his daughter's compassionate nature, how she's always giving. He talked about his son being sedated for six weeks after he was born because of a birth defect. When Ollie thought he had it rough during that time in 1996, he would think of Jalen.

"Every time I went to the gym, I was like, 'I'm going to be just like my son. I'm going to get stronger today,'" Ollie said.

In closing, Ollie told the crowd, "Don't be a treadmill person. Don't keep walking only to get off right where you started. Be a person that embraces the elements outside the box."

Good stuff.

On Guard

Barbara Barker writes in Newsweek about Marbury:

I predict this to be the summer of the jerk-cleansing in New York, and that the Knicks will be the next team to tidy up their house by finding a way to make sure that Marbury is not on the roster come training camp.

Contrary to popular belief that stylized-looking No. 3 that Marbury recently had tattooed on the side of his head did not refer to his assist per game average. But it might refer to the maximum number of months he now has left as a Knick as the team continues to explore every possible avenue that could lead Marbury out of town before the start of the season.

The most likely avenue remains a buyout, because a trade would mean taking on equal salary, which makes no sense for the Knicks. It also makes no sense for whatever teams might be interested in Marbury because it would be a much better move for them just to wait until he's cut and then sign him with a mid-level exception or the veteran's minimum.

Of course this will cost some money, but the Knicks have spent money on much more foolish things before.

The Courant's Mike Anthony provides more insight into the Marcus Williams trade than any other sports outlet in the country.

Marcus Williams was traded from the Nets to the Warriors Tuesday, a move that should give the former UConn point guard a chance to rejuvenate his career.

It was becoming clear that Williams, selected by the Nets with the 22nd pick after his junior season in 2006, would have trouble earning minutes next season in New Jersey. The Nets acquired Keyon Dooling Monday from Orlando, and Williams would have had to fight just to keep his backup job behind Devin Harris.

Williams, 22, will likely be a backup in Golden State, too. The Warriors — reeling from the loss of Baron Davis, who signed with the Clippers — have committed to playing Monta Ellis at point guard next season. But the backcourt situation is not as crowded and the Warriors, who led the NBA in scoring last season, play an up-tempo style under Don Nelson that suits Williams' game.

In return, the Nets received a protected draft pick. According to The Associated Press, the pick is protected if it's in the top 14 in 2011, top 11 in 2012 or top 10 in 2013. If the Nets haven't gotten a pick by then, they will receive Golden State's second-round picks in 2013 and 2015.

Williams was basically traded for equal value, in other words, another mid-grade draft pick.

Finally, Hahn at Newsday speculates that Chauncey Billups is in play as a trading chip and that makes sense. Detroit hasn't won anything recently and is an aging, expensive squad. With the blossoming of Rodney Stuckey, Billups will be given away as a salary dump as soon as the season demonstrates anything less than a winner.

There are also rumblings of Artest coming back to Detroit which puts Prince's status in jeopardy as well. One cannot help but think that fiscal reality will soon dawn in Detroit and we'll see a significant domino effect of veteran trades taking place there soon.

They have little of value to the Knicks these days though even though Hahn's intuition may be correct. Billups to NY is an unlikely destination in all respects except the fact that NY can afford him and, like Duhon, he's the best Donnie can get for what we're offering.

And the idea of Artest returning to Detroit sounds like a desperate agent's attempt to move Artest somewhere, anywhere. Let's see new coach - check. Bring Artest back - check. Recipe for disaster - guaranteed.

Camby a Clipper

Thirty-four year old Marcus Camby was dumped as an aging diminishing return by Denver onto the Clippers. The Clippers assumed some salary in a Pyrrhic trade that gives Clipper fans the illusion of rebounding from the loss of Elton Brand.

As a Knicks fan I love Camby but he's done. The Clippers are a mediocre lot to begin with and reuniting Camby with Tim Thomas this many years later should give you a good idea of how old and out-of-touch the Clippers will be in the West.

The Knicks fans who demand instant gratification (usually the notion of giving away assets) are upset that Walsh didn't give Zach away -yawn-.

What they're missing -as usual- is the broader dynamic of fielding winning basketball and swapping asset for asset.

By moving Camby, Denver may be readying to move Iverson as well. I've spoken before about Karl being the kind of coach who might roll with Marbury as a last run for a title. Given Denver's trade exception, they might swap for Marbury whose contract would expire with Ivy's giving them a total rebuild option in a year or they might swap Ivey for Marbs to shake it up even more.

Likewise, Denver might just want a Zach kinda guy (20 & 10) now that Camby's gone. Karl wants a ring and Zach is a throwback to Seattle's glory days prototypes.

Finally, given Chandler and Gallo on board I don't anticipate an Artest move but it could happen. Ron-Ron is straddling the third rail out in Sacto and before long he'll be there for the taking for a second-rounder.

Maybe I'm crazy but I think Gallo is a year or two out before he contributes significantly. The bad back scare is a clue that he'll need time. And that's why a guy like Artest who adds muscle might actually give Gallo, Chandler, Curry, and Lee the breathing room to develop without getting too hammered. The Knicks could do worse than acquire an Artest.

It's very encouraging to hear that Q, Jeffries and the rest are showing up looking great. Isiah's team is a good one and many of them need a crisis free season to prove it.

The Clippers Summer

What a strange year this is going to be for the Clips. Mike Dunleavy insists the Clips got punked by Elton Brand - that Brand had agreed to a contract.

And now they're pursuing Zach Randolph as well they should. Zach may be the best of the lower first-tier power forwards in the league. But Zach won't come free nor inexpensively and that's as it should be.

Isiah may not have assembled chemistry but he amassed a stockpile of first-class talent in his tenure. Zach ain't chopped liver.

However, should the Clippers fail to get someone significant soon, one has to wonder if Baron Davis may request an immediate transfer to NY. Davis wanted NY as a first option but it was impossible at the time. The Knicks could send Randolph and Crawford for Davis and a trade exception and both teams might be more stable for the exercise.

I think Davis is on a bubble of deciding to stay and lose or join an upcoming team with an offense he's drooling to play under.

Spike Taking Things Into His Own Hands

This morning's Courant has a great article - Spike Lee to Shoot Biopic on UConn Professor by Grace E. Merritt about a UConn professor developing a Time Machine and Spike Lee's interest in creating a biopic of this man's dream.

STORRS — - Imagine picking up the phone and Spike Lee's on the line and he's telling you he wants to make a movie about your life. Not just a small, arty film, but a major motion picture.

That's exactly what happened to Ron Mallett, a University of Connecticut physics professor who has developed a theory for time travel that could be a blueprint for a real time machine.

It seems the award-winning filmmaker read Mallett's memoir and was captivated by the tale of an African American boy so traumatized by the death of his father that he was driven to try to build a time machine so he could go back and save his father's life.

Mallett's memoir is a frank, personal journey about growing up in the Bronx, facing poverty and racism and eventually becoming among the first African Americans in the country to earn a Ph.D. in theoretical physics.

Now, those of us know that Spike's interest in this Time Machine goes way beyond the movie.

I think Spike wants to send Pat Riley a message telling him to sit John Starks' ass down for awhile during the playoffs and maybe intercept that Freddie Weis recommendation, and...

Chip Stern and the Knicks City Dancers

Just got an email from chip with some footage of a piece he's putting together to celebrate Stephon Marbury joining the summer league team..

In the footage you can see Chip on standup bass and the Knicks City Dancers on vibes:

Marbury Deals?

They are hard to imagine just given the size of the contract involved but there are a few theoretical ones worth considering. And while these deals work straight up, my feeling is that the Knicks would have to do a side deal of Balkman for a future second-rounder to make it worthwhile talent-wise for the other team to consummate the deal.

Deal 1 - Extremely unlikely - Stephon for Kidd; Kidd never delivered the ring last year, maybe Cuban cuts bait (not that he ever does).

Deal 2 - Unlikely but intriguing - Stephon for Iverson; Denver hasn't won anything and is loaded for bear. Do they change the mix one more time before a wholesale rebuild?

Deal 3 - Unlikely but intriguing - Stephon for Odom and change; Odom didn't win it for the Lakers last year (maybe LA cuts bait). Bigger question is whether NY wants another SF, an aging one at that.

Deal 4 - A stretch but possible - Stephon for Redd and Villanueva (Balkman in side deal); Milwaukee is tying up a LOT of money in Jefferson and Redd. Marbury would spell Redd for a lot less money and shorter time. Villan wants out with no takers. For the Knicks, Crawford would be the next domino. Redd rain at the garden.

Deal 5 - A stretch but possible - Stephon (Balkman in side deal) for Artest and Thomas; NY eats Thomas' contract, Ron-Ron gets a NY audition. Again, does NY want another SF?

Wow! Duhon a Knick!

I like it. He made a smart decision. He's exactly the kind of point guard the Knicks needed in that he has a few years under his belt and should be entering a period of confidence and competence at the PG position.

My gut tells me the Knicks will never look back with Duhon. I suspect he becomes a keeper and an All-Star in the near future.

Congratulations to the management, nice signing.

Update; Duhon's agent is floating the idea that Duhon signed because he's being given preference at PG over others. The more obvious answer is that Duhon signed an excessively generous offer. The Knicks will be paying him the entire MLE for two years.

While I like Duhon the player and I think he may start his agent would do well to get Duhon into a alcoholism treatment program if the rumors circulating on the blogosphere are true. Much will be expected of Duhon at MSG and showing up to play in top form is not an option but a requirement. If he performs, a world of opportunity opens, if not a legion of fans will hound his every move. He and his agent should work together to make him a lasting star. That will require self-control on and off the court.

Two Bozos Gone

One, Jesse Helms, the ugliest kind of conservative ever to disgrace this country.

The other an entertainer who created a persona that the ugliest kind of conservatives have come to be identified with.

Happy 4th

Kazoo In The Hoo Hoo !

See more like this on kontraband.com

Artest Gets Kicked in the Stomach

According to the Sacramento Bee, Ron Artest met with Kings officials the day after he decided not to opt-out of his contract and was given the impression that he was not in the future plans of the team.

Given that the Kings have no future anyway, one can understand Artest's bitterness. Had he known their antipathy two days before, Artest could have at least guided his own future. Today, his fate rests in the hands of indifferent team bureaucrats.

Nothing good can come of this. Artest will likely not put his heart into a season of trade speculation and the Kings look more like ingrates for leading him on. I'm guessing this signals an everything must go sale in Sacto. They are a team going nowhere with an aging, pathetic roster.

Brad Miller and Artest are sure to leaving soon. Thomas and Rahim are untradable -cough- assets.

Marbury, where has the time gone?

Today's sports pages rustle with speculation about what will happen to Marbury.

The Post's Berman doesn't quite connect the dots because he's too busy with the dots. He gives us two tidbits. One, marbury is coming to camp. Two, the team is concerned about the health of the ankle.

Rather than buy Marbury out, my gut tells me that Marbury will end his career due to a medical exception. There's no way Marbury's ankle will support the kind of stress a D'Antoni run offense will require.

This may be the best resolution of all. The insurance picks up his salary, the Knicks get the medical exception, and Marbs can sell sneakers with Allan Houston.

The Jerome James/Eddie Curry Fitness Clock

Isiah on Gallinari

Alan Hahn's piece quotes Isiah Thomas and and Kevin Wilson who at least paint the Gallinari selection appropriately:

Another point that might make some Knicks fans wary is that Isiah Thomas played a role - albeit small - in the Gallinari decision. Walsh dispatched Thomas to Europe in May to watch Gallinari and he came back with a glowing report.

"The kid won't back down," Thomas said.

Wilson said that's one part of his game that makes him unique from most European players.

"American guys over there heard he was the man, so they wanted to put him in his place," Wilson said. "They would pop him, they would elbow him and they would hit. He wouldn't get rattled. He would just go down, make a basket on them and look at them. Stand right up to them. He didn't get intimidated.

"We're going to have to work with him, wait on him, encourage him, develop him, play him and let him take his lumps. It'll make him stronger and make him better. And he will get better."

In other words, Gallinari is a project not a messiah.

Actually, I'm okay with that but I would have been far happier with another pick no matter how remote of someone who could come in, make the team and contribute next year.

Oh, well.

The Friday Morning Hangover

I'm not reading anything I like about Gallinari. There's a lot of pom-pom fans out there parading around calling all of us who question the pick idiots but I must insist on asking again, "Where's the logic?"

We aren't the Spurs who can stash Euros away like unbaked goodies because we have nothing to lose by doing so.

All the scouting reports point to a kid whose upside will be little more than an average player. No lateral quickness, defensively challenged, and arriving with an entitlement mentality that has the management shipping the far grittier David Lee out of town.

I miss Isiah but I miss Larry Brown more.

Joe Alexander, we never knew ye.

Skunked Again?

Gallinari is a nice kid, no doubt about it. But the instant appearance of a Reebok "Rooster" sneaker gives every indication that the draft is as corrupt as the game. What the hell is that about? Reebok knows the pick before ESPN does?

True fans of sports teams are sick of the insider trading and incestuous dealing of former players scratching each other's gonads.

The selection of a Gallinari implies that the Knicks will continue to limp along for many years with no relief in sight and that is disconcerting to those of us who have lived through multiple iterations of this same "rebuilding" pattern.

It also means we're stuck with another prima donna who won't be traded until the next change of management (sad that the clock starts ticking already).

At #6 the Knicks needed a talent who could make a difference this year. The Knicks turned a blind eye to an awful lot of gifted players for the marketing rights to Gallinari. Isiah would have done better.

The problem starts when the ESPN salesdesk starts with "He's not really an athlete but..." Call me stupid but the one thing I expect a #6 pick to be is an athlete. Drafting a slow SF isn't precisely my idea of progress. And, quite frankly, I don't want my 6'10 guy putting the ball on the floor all that much.

Sorry if I sound grumpy but I have a very bad feeling about this pick - call it Freddie Weiss syndrome.

The Knicks are starting to freak me out with their ability to F"up with uncanny regularity with a total disregard for whoever calls the shots.

I look at the Nets who have crappy positional picks but getting wholesome players all the way through. Just maddening.

Is Artest in play tonight

Vegan Fish Tacos reports

Peter Vescey is reporting that Ron Artest will in fact opt out of his contract with the Kings. New York will likely be a heavy suitor, and Artest has long said he wants to play there. For Sacramento, drafting a PG like Augustin will still be a priority, but depending on how the Knicks view ther chances of signing him, their draft/trade strategy might change, with players like Balkman and Lee becoming more expendable.

Thorn is just a genius

The NJ trade just announced sending Richard Jefferson for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons is simply brilliant.

Yi will pack the seats. But that means the Nets are unlikely to be drafting Gallinari. The Knicks can move back to any early teen pick and grab Gallinari at a much more sensible draft position.

I would still love to see the Knicks pursue the #8 pick aggressively. Redd is probably still on the block as will be Gadzurik. Curry, Crawford and Nate is a fair package, no?

Finally, a Great Trade proposal

The NY TImes (Howard Beck) is reporting a potential Knicks/Portland trade that makes great sense for both teams.

According to executives with two teams, the Knicks are discussing a swap of first-round picks with Portland. The Knicks would send the No. 6 pick, forward David Lee and another player to the Trail Blazers for the 13th and 27th picks and a player, possibly Steve Blake or Jarrett Jack. (Portland is acquiring the 27th pick from New Orleans.)

The deal could make sense for the Knicks if they believe that none of the players they want will be available at No. 6. In a deep draft, they could acquire two useful players instead of one, while perhaps unloading an unwanted contract. Blake or Jack could fill their need for a point guard.

Now, I would insist on Steve Blake and presumably ship out Jerome James considering how lop-sided the trade is toward Portland.

But I agree with Beck, it offers the Knicks a nice player at 13 and a wildcard at 27. Blake is a perfect PG choice.

And I hate the idea of losing Lee but... here's a trade worth thinking about.

Keeping Cool

On another blog, Chip Stern posted a link to a Draft Express analysis of draft statistics worth studying and annotating.

The article statistically and indirectly explains why trading David Lee is a bad idea.

The meat of the argument might assert that Lee has already established himself as a top notch sixth man in a position where wash-outs far outnumber players who stick around. Lee is still on the upside ramp to being in the league five years at which point his trajectory is heading toward either an all-star or solid-starter rating. add to that the fact that he plays the game intelligently and you have a player who you don't trade for a pocketful of potential.

The article also explains why some GMs are confused about Westbrook and Alexander moving into the top tier of potential draftees. The answer of course is that the risk associated at picks Six through fifteen are largely dictated by drafting intelligently. A smart GM at fifteen can get the same chance of success that a GM gets randomly at six or seven. A few weeks ago, both Alexander and Westbrook were rated as players to be considered in the teens.

But as more GMs get hip to the way things work, they realized that success in the NBA is not a matter of draft pecking order in this 6 -15 zone as it is about identifying the right talent among a group of peer athletes. Westbrook and Alexander moved up not because they're more likely to be stars but because they are more likely to succeed for the teams picking them. Their work ethic and character trump the players more likely to be head cases.

GMs who rate players on strict physical endurance metrics fail to understand this simple but obvious fact.

However, I do disagree with the Draft Express analysis when it asserts that drafting big men is a dramatically higher risk than front-court personnel. First, comparing the success rate of two positions versus three introduces a fudge factor that is strictly statistical noise.

But more importantly, big men - even those who struggle - have higher trade values generally speaking than guards and swingmen of a similar caliber.

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The most important conclusion for the Knicks however might be that looking to the draft for instant relief is a fool's errand. The reason I like a guy like Westbrook is chemistry not raw talent. D'Antoni plays a game where defense is not an organized methodology. The players on the floor need to innately play defense in a highly dynamic game. Westbrook simply owns a profile that adds value with D'Antoni coaching. Other teams drafting early might have much better options depending on their teams and game styles.

For the same reason, Alexander is intriguing. Under D'Antoni, this is a kid who has yet to define his game. Considering the existing high-flying acrobatics, Alexander could become a very, very entertaining player quickly.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The way I see it, the Knicks should pursue a starting point guard via trade or resign themselves to Marbury. Based on the Draft Express article, pursuing a high draft pick from the last four years who is available would yield a 2011-playoff ready talent.

Hinrich, Barbosa, Crittenton, Conley, Douby, and Ridnour are high draft picks from recent years who still have a few years left to find their NBA legs as PGs. The Knicks should take a serious look at any or all of them in draft night trade talks. they come with their early year dues paid.

And Jay Williams, Dujuan Wagner, and Reses Gaines might be worth a summer league look as back-ups with a potential to surprise.

The Mecca's Mock Draft Prediction - Wednesday Morning

1. Chi - Derrick Rose

2. Mia - O.J. Mayo

3. Minn - Beasley

4. Seattle - Love

5. Memphis - B. Lopez

6. Knicks - Russell Westbrook

7. Clips - Randolph

8. Milwaukee - Alexander

9. Charlotte - R. Lopez

10. Nets - Gallinari

Memphis Discussions?

I have posted repeatedly about potential Memphis trades. i think there's real potential for a trade that helps all sides.

Memphis is a cost-conscious team, they want to resign Kwame, and they have some contracts that, for them, are oppressive. The return on investment is simply not being realized. Let's also assume that an entertaining player would dramatically help their gate receipts.

The latest rumor says they are willing to trade #5 with the stipulation that the trading partner assume Brian Cardinal's contract. The rumor that's being circulated speculates Lee and Rose for Cardinal and #5 (Chad Ford - Insider).

Ford, of course hates the Knicks and would love to convince them to trade off real assets for ether. Draft picks will always be crap shoots. People who argue that David Lee is chopped liver are delusional. Lee is a solid contributor so if he's being dealt we needd to get that much back.

Let's look at sensible options that accomplish the same result.

How about Darko, Cardinal, and Conley, three underachieving, highly paid disappointments and #5 for Curry, Rose, Balkman, and Nate plus Rose buyout money.

Memphis can re-establish Curry's game (and Curry needs a change of scenery), Balkman and Nate provide young, inexpensive excitement for a team that needs all the gate interest it can muscle.

For NY Conley and Darko become D'Antoni reclamation projects, Cardinal assumes the role of a deep bench player who waves a towel until he's bought out. Key for the Knicks is #5 to couple with #6 for further transactions or rolling the dice on young talent to complement D'Antoni's plans.

Detroit Interested in Zach!?

Okay, since everybody else is playing around with possible trades how about mine?

Wallace, Prince, Stuckey and #29 for Zach, Rose, Balkman, Collins, and #6?

What the Mock Drafts are predicting...

I've read through dozens of mock drafts and here are the results predicted....

OJ Mayo 21 expectations

Danillo Gallinari 20

Eric Gordon 17

Augustine 9

Randolph 8

At the other end of the spectrum garnering but a single vote are these potential Knicks...

Blake Griffin, Donte Green, Darrell Arthur, and DeAndre Jordan.

I still think the pick gets traded.

I Miss Bo Diddley

RIP: Bobby Knight

From today's Courant by Desmond Conner, Bobby Knight, Former Knick;

One of the most happily obscure icons in Hartford basketball history died Friday in Springfield, his home for the past 37 years. He was 79. The cause of death is unknown.

Knight attended Weaver High School, but because of the lack of college opportunities available to black people at the time, he was picked from the streets of Hartford's North End to play for the Harlem Globetrotters in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the era of Marques Haynes and "Goose" Tatum. He had a brief stint with the Knicks in 1955.

He was often called "magical" and "a basketball genius" because of his wizardry with the ball, especially the no-look pass, mastering it long before it was fashionable.

"Bobby was a talent that was simply born too soon to fully realize his talent on a pro level," said longtime friend John Norman, a member of Weaver's 1957 New England championship team and now the dean of continuing education and a professor in the social sciences at Northwestern Connecticut Community College. "It speaks simply to the times in which he lived that he ended up being a member of the Globetrotters. It was the best option for him. But in terms of the things he did and stood for, he's in that same group of icons in the area as Doc Hurley and people like that. He really was a talent. But he really was a terrific person."

Hurley referred to Knight as the No.1 role model in Hartford.

People from around the country are expected for the funeral Friday at 10 a.m. at Phillips Metropolitan CME Church on Main Street in Hartford. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield will hold a previously scheduled event in his honor June 15 from 5-7 p.m.

"He touched hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of lives," Hurley said.

In playing for the 'Trotters on and off for five years, Knight became homesick, Hurley said, one reason he didn't play in college.

"Some of the historically black colleges had heard about him and wanted him to come down, but he didn't really want to leave Hartford," Hurley said.

Knight also played with various semipro teams throughout New York and New England until he joined the Knicks — days after dazzling them at a gym in East Hartford.

His basketball talents were many, but Knight's commitment to kids was immense, too, said his niece, Dorothy Knight-Howard.

"He basically stood for kids. He was an advocate for everybody, but he was especially an advocate for the children," she said. "Two days before he went to the hospital, he was playing basketball with the kids at the Springfield YMCA."

Why Russell Westbrook?

Assuming the Knicks have lost out on the Derrick rose sweepstakes (and, quite frankly, I'm relieved), the PG I think who makes even more sense is Russell Westbrook. And though all of this may seem redundant to regular readers here's a longer explanation.

My understanding of D'Antoni's up-tempo game is that he's not interested so much in defense as a team concept but as a thinking player's responsibility. In other words, individual players need to be ever-cognizant of defensive opportunities being created by the swarming offensive game.

I could be wrong, but this implies acquiring players who already instinctively play defense as a natural by-product of their game. That brings us right back to Russell Westbrook.

Here's a PG who may never become a Chris Paul but who very well may be able to neutralize the Chris Pauls of this league. What that means is that if the Knicks are lucky enough to draft him they get a kid whose offensive game is emerging and whose defensive game turns a five-on-five contest into a four-on-four. And by taking out the league's superstar PGs, the chances of winning the four-on-four are more likely.

So let's take it a step further and just project out an unlikely but intriguing consequence. D'Antoni could play Westbrook at PG, Marbury - SG, slide Crawford over to SF, and use Lee and either Curry or Zach. that's pretty decent firepower for the remaining four. rather than tanking, we now need intelligent draft decisions.

My mantra continues: May the Knicks draft Russell Westbrook and Joe Alexander and never look back.