CAA Intimidation and Muzzling of the Press

Jeff Van Gundy, a ESPN commentator and critic of Chicago Bulls management has disclosed some disturbing and ominous accounts of what can only be described as strong-arm agent and organization behavior to silence his critiques.

See: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sherman-sports-media-spt-0227-20150226-column.html

"I've been asked by (LeonRose of CAA, the firm that represents Thibodeau) to tone it down a bit," Van Gundy said this week.

In the wake of Derrick Rose's latest injury, the coach's future likely will be brought up during ABC's telecast of the Clippers-Bulls game Sunday. Mike Breen, Van Gundy, Mark Johnson and Doris Burke will be on the call. Everything seems to be on the table for a franchise that Van Gundy says "feels snake-bit."

Previously, speculation about Thibodeau's status provoked Van Gundy to rail about Bulls management during an ESPN telecast of a January game in Dallas. He alleged the Bulls were leaking stories "to undermine" Thibodeau.
The Bulls quickly fired back. Van Gundy said Bulls general manager Gar Forman, who was at the game, confronted him at halftime. "He called me a bunch of names," Van Gundy said. 

Two days later, John Paxson, the Bulls' executive vice president of basketball operations, told the Tribune the remarks were "pathetic" and alleged that Van Gundy "was trying to protect his friend."
Van Gundy said the incident resulted in him receiving a call from Thibodeau's agent.

"He asked that I not say anything bad about (Thibodeau's relationship with the Bulls). It was getting people upset," Van Gundy said. "I told him I have a job to do, but at the same time, I don't want to do anything to hurt Tom."

ESPN and the NBA operatives have become so incestuous that it is unlikely anyone will make a fuss about this but for a sport that wants to legalize gambling, incidents like these should be taken far more seriously than something like Phil Jackson saying that a college player is playing well and calling it tampering.

Intimidation tampers with the integrity of the game and the integrity of the relationship between media and fan to something that resembles authentic truthful analysis.

Suffocating Defense - Knicks Beat Detroit

In the second best game of the year for the Knicks...

Detroit had Jackson, Monroe, Drummond, Tolliver, and a full bench...

The Knicks had...

No Carmelo Anthony, no Jose Calderon, no good reason to win the game, and according to pundits no chance of beating a surging Detroit Piston team.

So what did they do?

Well Langston Galloway took one more step in securing the PG position going forward.  His clutch three pointer that tied the game at the end of regulation sent a loud and clear message that he's here to stay.  Secondly, and this is note-worthy, he established himself as a potential clutch shooter when shots count.  What this does is relieve Melo from being the only go-to player at the end of quarters and games that Fisher can call on.

As for Lou Amundson whose tip-in tied the game at the end of the first time-out, he too has clearly staked out a claim for next year's roster. An effusive Walt Frazier was ecstatic with praise for the toughness and effort that Amundson played with.

The enigmatic Andreas Bargnani also stepped up mightily throughout the game.  He can certainly cobble out a case that he should be resigned next year.  Now that he's healthy, he is demonstrating his worth running Fisher/Jackson's system.

Jason Smith played a strong game and continues to show progress.

Larking and THJ, warts and all, played well enough to seal the victory.  Both are maddeningly inconsistent but that was minimized last night.

Shved and Early showed some promise. Wear looked great on defense.

Biggest news of the game though was the brilliant and relentless teamwork that went into the victory.  The defense, as Walt Frazier repeated like a mantra throughout the game, WAS SUFFOCATING!  The offensive sets were largely a thing of beauty.

Also notable was the disappointing play of both Monroe and Jackson, two coveted free agents whose play raised more questions than excitement.  Galloway outplayed Jackson.  Monroe (even teamed with Drummond) was not MAX-contract effective. In this fan's opinion, the Knicks should pass on both.

The Sound of One Hand Bashing

Phil Jackson is being lambasted by the media, pundits, and talking heads who often aren't very knowledgeable.

The criticisms range from complaints about the -cough- "value" of trade assets could-have, should-have, would-have been.  In hindsight, everything is much easier to process than in the moment.

Fact of the matter is that Dallas seemed to be the only team willing to trade for Chandler AND Felton for what Jackson legitimately hoped would be value.  Calderon has been a disappointment thus far, Dalembert is long gone but the real prizes; second-round picks Early and Tenacious won't begin to realize their potential until next season.  The short-sighted fan view is that the Knicks were short-changed in this trade.  By next year, the opposite may likely be realized.

The trading of Shumpert and Smith also draws the ire of certain disgruntled fans.  Shumpert and Smith are a better fit in Cleveland than the were here.  Critics assume Amundson and Lance Thomas are inadequate compensation, yet both look to be long-term investments for a solid bench.  The additional cap space will come in handy and the second-round pick is yet to be exercised.  JR is a mercurial talent whose dark side troubled potential trading partners and Shumpert was not being resigned nor was there a eager market for him.

In retrospect many, many things coulda, shoulda, woulda been different.  But the fact of the matter is that Jackson and his staff knew they were heading for a summer of housecleaning and signing of free agents.  Whether or not Jackson had planned on competing is irrelevant.  He's no fool and could see early in the season that this team may as well play to secure as good a draft position as is possible.

Fans and pundits who ridicule Fisher are equally wrong-headed.  Fisher has been a breath of fresh air when he's interviewed and he has conditioned his players to keep their eye on the bigger picture - be professionals, keep your head up, play hard - the losing is not about you.

Finally, the miserable commentators on ESPN and TNT are a bunch of grade A bastards.  They ridicule the players we have and treat them like dirt.  There is no end to their disrespect or cruelty - after all this is NY and anything goes.

In a few years when the Knicks are winning, these same assholes will be telling their audiences that they knew all along that Jackson would succeed, that Fisher was a much better coach than those first years indicated and that many of the players who they bashed so mercilessly were in fact ballers whose trial by fire made them special.

Anyone who buys into the idea that the roster cannot win games is a fool.  They can and if they did so would prove nothing.  Having a mediocre record or even a respectable record is more meaningless than being called incompetent, a terrible coach ora D-Leaguer.

The current Knicks organization gets this, Anthony gets this, and the players get this.  This is called the school of hard knocks.  It won't be long.

Knicks Lose to Celts

One loss closer to the Lottery.

Thoughts on the Summer of 2015

I like the moves Phil Jackson has made.  Goodwill moves like letting Stoudamire  pursue winning a ring elsewhere and the trading of Prigioni to a contender all build goodwill amongst the ranks of the players.  They know Phil will do what's right.  This is a very good thing.

I think too many Knicks fans mistake our won - loss record with the quality of the team that Jackson and company are assembling.  Taken as a whole there is a strong emphasis on team, passing the ball, defense, and selfless play (despite THJ's tone deafness to this message).

All of the trading activity has actually helped the Knicks considerably.  Many teams are now locked into expensive lineups and commitments which will take them out of the free-agency bidding as well as make them think twice about resigning their own players who may get over-the-top offers.  The Jeremy Lin maneuver that Houston executed a few years ago opened a Pandora's box of nasty consequences.

So what might we look for this summer?  Position by position let's take a look.

LG - Langston Galloway has been a game-changer in terms of alleviating the Knicks from needing to gamble too much on expensive PG candidates. gDragic would have been a wonderful catch had the Knicks trade proposal been accepted but it's not the end of the world.  With gDragic, Reggie Jackson, and a few others now locked into new teams, the Knicks could either draft a PG, identify a D-Leaguer,  or pursue Corry Joseph and Patrick Beverly.  Both would be a much more economical buy than Dragic or Jackson.

The good news is that Galloway and Calderon are a perfectly adequate tag team.  Galloway will get much better with playing time and Calderon is a better player than he's shown much of this season.

The dark horse is Alexey Shved who has some potential to get resigned inexpensively should he look as if he could earn his keep.

SG - Should Jackson sign a first or second string PG candidate, Calderon is likely to see more time at the two spot.  Secondly Cleanthony Early may see some time there as well.  However, one of the most interesting team chemistries to watch will be the Trailblazers.  Their trade for Afflalo may be the push Wes Matthews needs to move on.

Matthews is a Phil kinda player. IMO, Mathews will be the #1 Knicks target this summer aside from the draft pick.  He's a great fit.

Danny Green will be another option though probably less likely.

SF - Chances are that Tenacious and Early will lock down long minutes here.  I think Phil is serious about the youth movement and I doubt a free agent will be signed for SF based on what we know today.

AT PF, we fully expect Anthony to play major minutes.  Jason Smith and Lance Thomas will likely be resigned to back him.

At Center, the Knicks will likely draft a highly touted prospect whoever that may be.  Expect Aldrich and Amundson to return.

The Derrick Rose Slow Motion Train Wreck

Rose is hurt yet again.  Must be time for a new sneaker endorsement.

We all saw this coming a mile away.

Over a week and a half ago I suggested a Chicago trade;

"Chicago, however, is playing to win it all.  For Thibodeau whose legacy so far has been that he can deliver wins and a playoff round or two is under increasing pressure to deliver rings.  If not this year, when?  Chicago has had its share of injuries and its bench is weak.  Before the trade deadline they need to shore up their depth in more than one place and the cupboard is relatively bare.  They don't need starters but they do need bench. 

Nikola Mirotic has been a disappointment and represents a weak link.  One has to wonder whether or not Chicago might entertain a swap of Mirotic and say, Nazr Mohammed for a combination of Shane Larkin, Jason Smith, and Quincy Acy.  The trade gives Thibodeau bench strength he currently doesn't enjoy.  These are generally speaking high-energy, young and hungry second-stringers who could propel Chicago farther than a first or second round elimination. There's no long term commitment and to a large extent this would be a win now impulse - Chicago still would have their #1 pick to replace Mirotic this summer.

Mirotic is a project and a risk whose long-term upside suits the Knicks rebuilding plans,  Nazr can play out the year backing Amundson and Aldrich.  Mirotic is signed longer term so this would represent an early building block going forward."

Chicago was one of the few teams who needed to make a move and didn't.  While maybe this trade wasn't palatable, it's hard to imagine they had no interest in Prigioni either.

The Rose injury all but assures Chicago of a disappointing finish.  Welcome Chicago to NBA major market rebuilding hell.  Today their team just aged another year.

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Rose isn't the only guy who was likely to go down hard.  STAT, Shump, Chandler, all have that kind of potential as well.  Dallas and Cleveland have deep benches though.

Knicks Lost to Cavs

Big surprise.  BFD.

Loss to Miami

Spoelstra and Miami treated it like a playoff game.  It wasn't.

One game closer to the Lottery.

Post February 2015 Trade Deadline Ruminations

As I had hoped, Pablo Prigioni was traded to a contender.  This shows a lot of class on the Knicks part.

Incoming are two future second round picks and Alexey Shved a tall, thus far enigmatic PG whose contract expires at season's end.

Two options are available for the Knicks, buy him out now or give him a showcase to see if his game works better in the Triangle offense.

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Important as this lead guard position is, Galloway is the player who I think the Knicks will turn the keys over to next year.  Between him, Calderon, and whoever wins the third spot the Knicks are in fairly good shape.

Assuming Melo is the predominant PF (and not SF) candidate and that Jason Smith has shown enough to be the first off-the-bench there and Lance Thomas has earned a hard consideration to stick as well.

AT SF, I think we're all anticipating that Early and Tenacious will claim at least a high minute role there.  Acey and Wear look to be unlikely return candidates.

IMO, THJ gets moved during the summer - probably on draft evening. Two guard is where the Knicks may spend some cash.   Look for Jimmy Butler, Wes Matthews, and others to garner interest.

Amundson and Aldrich are both likely to stick next year as off-the-bench center candidates.  Draft night will determine who joins them.

Updated: Goran Dragic to NY Knicks? It's Possible

The Suns are being backed into a corner.  Dragic is going to either the Lakers or the Knicks.

The kind of trade that will go down is something like Calderon, THJ, and Early for Dragic and Bullock (a contract the Suns want to lose).

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Early Morning update: Sounds like Calderon and THJ are being offered.  Maybe Early would be the final  piece to the puzzle.


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The Knicks could ship Calderon and Bargnani out to Golden State for David Lee and a first-rounder.

That first-rounder could be routed to Phoenix with THJ and Shane Larkin for Dragic.


The bottom line is that Dragic wants a payday.  Boston isn't the spot for it despite having the goods to trade.


Prigioni should also find a nice home with a contender.

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New York Knick Trade Musings; < 3 Days out

The Knicks officially have an open roster spot.

This trade deadline is a game of chicken.  Lots of teams - many that I've identified previously - are looking to harden their rosters for the second half push and the playoffs and others are planning ahead to trying to retain their own valued free-agents-to-be by jettisoning expensive pine brothers.

The rumor mills say that Thanasis Antetokounmpo will be called up.  I have my doubts.  He remains protected in the D-League where he's getting playing time.  There's no reason for the Knicks not to occupy any open roster spots on players who could showcase their talent for consideration for next year's roster.  Rather than exposing Thanasis to a Knicks team with no reason to win, he's better off giving it the college try in Westchester.

Secondly, that open roster spot gives the Knicks options to take back one more player than they give up.  Once the deadline passes and that open spot is still open, all bets are off - maybe we'll see Tenacious.

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The Wizards are looking for a spare PG. No obvious team to team trades pop out but should the Wizards need a third team, Prigioni and Larkin come to mind.  Calderon as a dark horse assuming the Wizards want more than a first-round exit.

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Knicks being mentioned in contention for Miles Plumlee.  Bullock and P.J. Tucker are probably bundled.  Calderon and Hardaway could make that work.  Prenty even trade with the Knicks absorbing a trio of risky, borderline talent. No cap relief or obvious picks in the trade.

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David Lee and the Golden State first-rounder for Bargnani and Calderon works.  Frees up a lot of cash for GS going forward.

Nothing but best wishes for Stoudemire and other ruminations

On January 15th this blog said goodbye to Amare.  I hope he hooks up with a contender who goes deep into the playoffs and maybe even wins a ring.  Amare's injuries limited his talents for much of the contract but as Melo stated, Amare brought credibility back to the franchise, a signing that was not cynical and a player who did not come here to just float downstream.

Dolan deserves kudos for his unwavering support of Amare over the length of the contract.  He has always had nothing but good things to say about Amare.  He deserves a hat tip for letting Amare go.

Prigioni should be the next shoe to drop - another vet who deserves a playoff run before his abilities are consumed by age.

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Clouds on the Horizon

OKC is in trouble.  Word is that much of the roster is up for trade and their chances at making the playoffs remain dubious.  And, given Durant's media confrontation at the All-Star game - NOT making the playoffs is a BIG deal.  The pot is just beginning to boil in OKC.

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Likewise, the Clippers look to be a shipwreck.  Doc Rivers, a fine coach, is once again proving the immutable truth of the Peter Principle.  He is no GM and his administration of the Clippers has beached the team.  Austin Rivers, a D-League talent is an acquisition the Clippers could ill afford. And their roster is aging and pathetic.  The Los Angeles NBA meltdown continues.

Blake Griffin's perverse antics and proclivities have the trajectory of becoming an NBA scandal.  He is a public figure whose commercials feature a boy Robin-like figure whose relationship to Griffin is inexplicable and then the grabbing of opponents and trainer's necks to force their heads into his groin area is a clue something's not right.  The minute one of his entourage claims misconduct, I expect his fall from grace to be even rockier than Tiger Woods'.  Somebody in that organization needs to read him the riot act.

Don't be surprised if the Clippers will one day not miss Donald Sterling and his wacky girlfriend.

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Phoenix, having taken literally the metaphor that the NBA is a PG dominant league and after signing every point guard on the planet has just realized that there are four other important positions.

Welcome to the trade deadline.  They say they want to trade Isiah Thomas now.  Comedians.  can't wait to see the offers they get for an overpaid, undersized PG that only a Phoenix GM could love.

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Minny is bringing back the Lottery barnstorming days of Donald Sterling.  They want to eternally dwell in lottery country, obstructing teams who actually need talent from getting it.  Minny's whole team is up for trade - lots of nice, expensive pieces who unfortunately list Minny on their resume.  A few will escape that cryogenic tomb to once again play basketball.

New York Knick Trade Musings; Deadline 5 days away, The Humpty Dumpty Gambit

There are no rumors coming out of New York about potential mid-season trades.

Some things are becoming crystally obvious, neither Marc Gasol nor LaMarcus Aldridge are signing in New York as Free Agents this summer. All of which means that Phil Jackson and company can concentrate on signing good chemistry guys this summer and there are plenty of them.

But that's getting ahead of the game. Tonight let's examine players who for one reason or another are no longer Knicks but who thrived here as players and who might be fun to require for old time's sake if for no other reason.  And, yes, we know this will never happen.

This thread could easily have been called the 100 Ways to Trade Bargnani as well.


Jeremy Lin - No, he's no longer riding Linsanity but he's expiring and for the second half of a losing season, he'd be a gas to see play in NY again.  The Lakers won't miss him.  Bargnani for Lin and Ryan Kelly is workable.  The Knicks nor Lakers will lose any sleep about Bargs.

Landry Fields - Fields is just one of those glue players.  Fun to watch and earned his pay.  Doing nothing in Toronto.  How about Bargnani and Acy for Landry Fields and Chuck Hayes?

David Lee - Sure, he's a poor defender but he is a gamer and a small ball center.  Good passer.  Great teammate.  How about Bargnani and Calderon for Lee and Brandon Rush?

Shawne Williams - a very god one-dimensional player.  Williams for Larkin?

Nate Robinson - fun to watch, waiting to be signed.

New York Knick Trade Musings; Deadline 6 days away

When it comes to the playoffs, there are contenders and pretenders.  Some teams are just happy to be there.  It stimulates some cash flow and fan interest but there's not a glimmer of real hope that the team is going anywhere beyond the first round.  Brooklyn, Charlotte, Phoenix, and a few others are making that noise.

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Chicago, however, is playing to win it all.  For Thibodeau whose legacy so far has been that he can deliver wins and a playoff round or two is under increasing pressure to deliver rings.  If not this year, when?  Chicago has had its share of injuries and its bench is weak.  Before the trade deadline they need to shore up their depth in more than one place and the cupboard is relatively bare.  They don't need starters but they do need bench.

Nikola Mirotic has been a disappointment and represents a weak link.  One has to wonder whether or not Chicago might entertain a swap of Mirotic and say, Nazr Mohammed for a combination of Shane Larkin, Jason Smith, and Quincy Acy.  The trade gives Thibodeau bench strength he currently doesn't enjoy.  These are generally speaking high-energy, young and hungry second-stringers who could propel Chicago farther than a first or second round elimination. There's no long term commitment and to a large extent this would be a win now impulse - Chicago still would have their #1 pick to replace Mirotic this summer.

Mirotic is a project and a risk whose long-term upside suits the Knicks rebuilding plans,  Nazr can play out the year backing Amundson and Aldrich.  Mirotic is signed longer term so this would represent an early building block going forward.

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Phoenix is looking to transform it's roster as well.  It is doubtful that the Knicks have any interest in Isiah Thomas the point guard Phoenix is looking to move. But Phoenix, very much like the Knicks is a team of spare parts with Phoenix closer to winning something than the Knicks.

Alex Len, Archie Goodwin, and Reggie Bullock fit a development team like the Knicks better than Phoenix who are on the cusp of playing to win (if that's a true objective).  Len, Goodwin, and Bullock for Jason Smith, Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Travis Wear works financially and gives Phoenix a streak shooter and an experienced backup Center/PF option, and Wear a young/long SF prospect.

For the Knicks, they take a chance on some longer term prospects, one of which (Bullock) has been enigmatic in Phoenix.  These players do eat a small amount of cap space.

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Early in January I speculated about a potential Portland deal.  Thomas Robinson seems destined to be traded.  Portland, like some other teams mentioned should be looking for bench depth.

Prigioni and Jason Smith for Robinson and Barton is workable and has some pragmatism for Portland.

Whether or not NY wants to roll the dice on Thomas is another issue.

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The most ambitious team and stealthy out there is Milwaukee.  They're a dark horse candidate to win it all.  Jason Kidd has both the ego and brass balls required to make a serious run at all the favorites.

Would Milwaukee consider a jared Dudley, Damien Inglis, and a second-rounder for Jason Smith, THJ and Acy swap?

Dudley is a weak link in Milwaukee - THJ can be a more explosive scorer.  Milwaukee adds real depth.

For the Knicks Inglis is the prize rook, the second-rounder desirable with Dudley being the cost of doing business?

Loss to Orlando

Keeping hope alive.  Pointless game. Orlando looks terrible.  May be Stat's final game.

Happy trails - forever a great Knick.

Knicks Lose to Miami

A pointless  game to be injured in and... Melo hurts his knee.

Bargnani plays and looks like he earns a Million bucks a second.  Wait....

Some Players NY Should Consider Signing or Trading For at the February Trade Deadline 2015

Some roster spots will open up in the next week or so.  Here are a few players who may be worth a look;

Charles Jenkins - http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/9155338/philadelphia-76ers-charles-jenkins-nba-crossroads

A hard-nosed Brooklyn PG now mature enough to maybe show his stuff.



Sonny Weems - http://www.basketballinsiders.com/sonny-weems-nando-de-colo-starring-overseas/

While not a youngster anymore, Weems can be a valuable contributor next year toward rebuilding the Knicks.  His passing ability and scoring punch are just the kinds of weapons Melo needs to complement his game.



John Jenkins - Atlanta Hawks.  Would the Hawks trade Jenkins for Prigioni to fortify their bench looking forward to the playoffs?



Jeremy Lamb and Perry Jones for Prigioni and Tim Hardaway Jr.?  OKC is reeling and in danger of missing the playoffs.  Lamb's contract is a tough one to swallow but Perry Jones is a nice prospect.  NY can offer shorter contracts and bench strength.


Likewise Portland has a soft secondary.  Might Thomas Robinson or Will Barton be available in the coming days?

Quality Loss to Warriors

A not altogether bad 4th quarter.  Shane Larkin may be the most frustrating player on the floor these days.  His uncanny ability to snuff out rallies with randomly incoherent plays is just mind-blowing.

We see glimpses of an interesting team here.  Galloway and Lance Thomas show great potential.

Knicks Lose to Nets

Close, exciting game.  Would have been a win worth winning.  Now we wait for the inevitable buyouts of Bargnani and Stoudamire.

Rope a Dope

The MSM and armchair Knicks pundits are having a field day with Phil Jackson's latest interview with Harvey Araton in the Times.  Jackson discusses many things including his disappointment with how the team has performed, his faith that between he and Fisher the team will eventually succeed with some form of Triangle offensive scheme, and he assumes responsibility for the flaws of the team thus far.

For critics, this is the raw meat that they had craved. Jackson, who Knicks fans had so long dreamed of making a return to the Knicks was back AND a failure.  Yes, he had been a great coach. Yes, he had been a player.  Yes, he had been a powerful basketball influence.  And the critics, pick-axes in hand, were here to bury him.

These critics never quite understood the Triangle but understand the win-loss columns could now proclaim loudly, "TOLD YOU SO!"  These critics who enjoy having the Knicks to kick around could keep happily kicking.  The countdown to a Phil Jackson departure from the Knicks is their only agenda.

Call me a fool if you like but these critics who mock Phil Jackson for his Zen trajectory, don't know much about Zen either.

I have followed Jackson's maneuvering and I come to very different conclusions. While I believe Jackson's surprise and disappointment is real, I don't believe for a second that it has paralyzed his ability to recover and co-ordinate subsequent strategies.  I have never once read or heard him disparage the trades he's made, yet his critics make it sound as if he dismantled a contending team for a bag of crumbs.

Fact of the matter is that the Knicks organization is far healthier today than its been since the Ernie Grunfeld/Pat Riley era.  Jackson's periodic updates are sincere, open, and honest.  Let me add two more attributes - they are mindful and purposeful.  Fisher is a pleasure to listen to before and after games.

The Knicks organization is on a mission.  The league, agents, and media who once took advantage of the organization can feel it and they hate it. The Knicks are no longer signing and extending dubious talents to rich, long term contracts.  The Knicks are no longer a dumping ground for fat failing contracts.  Six months into running the organization, the Knicks have cap space, flexibility, keen scouting, patience, intelligent and thoughtful feedback loops, and a handful of young, hungry players to complement Carmelo Anthony.

The win-loss column - the only thing that matters to many critics - is misleading. jackson's latest interview, rather than being defeatist is mindful and purposeful.  Jackson is performing an act of sporting Jiu-Jitsu that is so seamless and natural that the critics enjoy being thrown for the fall. Jackson's dialog with fans is clear and honest and it accomplishes a host of objectives.

First, he creates space for Fisher, the coaching staff, and his advisors to take shelter in.  Jackson's critics will mistake all of this as ego and Jackson sells it as such to the willing fools who want that to be the case.  But what Jackson is really doing is investing the goodwill and good name he's earned over the decades into a trust relationship with the fans.  He is saying, "Take your pot shots at me.  I have the wherewithal to withstand them and while you waste your time trying to bring me down, my staff can go about doing the rebuilding business I was brought here to complete."

Not so many years ago, this was known as "Rope-A-Dope".  Reason won't silence the critics.  Knowing that, he gives them room to howl.  In the meantime, the Eastern Conference teams can feel their window of opportunity shrinking.

Knicks Lose to Boston

One more for the tank.

Knicks Crush LA

How sweet it is