With the NBA Draft sneaking up on us, the number of ways Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks will screw it up increases by the day.
By Robby Sabo
It’s almost that time for the NBA Draft.
For residents of the Big Apple, there are two certainties going in.
One, is that the Draft will take place on Thursday night. The other? Well, it’s the sad truth that Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks will find a way to royally screw it up.
Holding the No. 4 pick in the lottery, no Knicks fan is going in with that hope of optimism. I mean, how could you after such a dreaded 17-65 record from a season ago?
Even when it was that obvious time to make sure you tanked it completely – towards the end of the season – this organization couldn’t even get that right.
The Minnesota Timberwolves finished with one less victory. This resulted in the possibility that New York could actually fall out of the Top-3.
Of course, that’s exactly what happened.
So, before you start thinking about the disasters that loom for this ill-fated franchise, allow me to beat you to the punch.
Here are the Top-5 ways the New York Knicks will screw up the 2015 NBA Draft for themselves:
5. Trade for DeMarcus Cousins
Despite his whirlwind of talent, Sacramento King big-man, DeMarcus Cousins, has the shortest fuse of any NBA player today.
The man the kids know as “Boogie,” has been chirped about in trade talks for the better part of the last couple months.
Of course, the team name of the Knicks can be heard in those chirps.
On the surface it seems like a home run to acquire a 24-year old franchise-type star. Cousins went for 24.1 points and 12.7 rebounds per last season.
He could be the most talented low block player in The Association.
If you’re Phil Jackson though, do your best Frozen impersonation and “let it go.”
Cousins’ explosive attitude is something that is not needed at Madison Square Garden. Couple him with Carmelo Anthony (who deals with his own basketball issues of fitting in), and the Knicks would bring on a recipe for disaster.
I can see it now: Cousins misses a stuff on the block and immediately turns around and starts yelling at Spike Lee. Reggie Miller then feels left out.
Let Cousins go to Los Angeles, who seems to be hot and heavy after the 2015 All-Star at the moment.
4. Acquire Age Or Think Melo
When Phil Jackson took the helm a little over a year ago, we all knew what his first test was going to be.
It was dealing of Carmelo Anthony and his opt-out.
Simply put, Phil failed miserably with how it turned out.
From the get-go, Jackson proclaimed that he would only bring Melo back if he took a considerable discount. Fast-forward to the summer of 2014 and Anthony was signed to a mega 5-year, $124 million contract.
This happened to be $5 million less than the maximum.
These guys should have just signed the max. This $5 million nonsense was more a slap in the face to sensible onlookers.
Now, the Knicks are stuff with a broken down 31-year old scorer who doesn’t make anybody around him better.
Furthermore, they’re stuck with a face of the franchise who is very difficult to build around. Pieces need to fit perfectly around such a player.
Due to this reality, Jackson needs to draft as if Melo doesn’t even exist. Do not make the mistake of thinking Melo will stay healthy all year long.
Draft the best player at No. 4; not the best fit to go with Anthony.
3. Allow Isiah To Pick
This one is just laughable, yet laughable and the New York Knicks oftentimes belong in the same sentence.
Nobody believes Isiah Thomas would have any input in the day to day operations of the Knicks, right?
Well, nobody thought Thomas would be heading back to Madison Square Garden either. But when the shocking news came down that James Dolan was bringing his buddy back to MSG to run the New York Liberty, we all tilted our head and smirked in hilarity (I know one Frank Isola did).
Nevertheless, the here and now is the 2015 NBA Draft, and Isiah is closely tied to the organization.
Any input from this guy would be a mistake. Dolan seems to already have started his infamous wheels in motion.
It’s only a matter of time before Jackson is so ticked off to a point at the Knicks that he flees, leaving Thomas as the “temporary fix” that lasts a lifetime.
At least for one night – let’s say oh I don’t know, maybe this Thursday – please keep Isiah as far away as possible.
2. Trade Up
Trading up on Thursday night is a slim possibility, but a possibility nonetheless.
It would be a disaster.
The last thing New York can afford to do is trade assets away. Instead, being in the position they’re in, they need to acquire as much ammunition as possible.
Phil is already without his second-round pick on Thursday and first-round pick in 2016 (thanks to the Melo deal with Denver). The acquisition of valuable parts is the only business this franchise needs to be in at the moment.
Nobody, not even Karl-Anthony Towns, is worth jumping up two or three slots for in their undesirable future draft situation.
1. Draft Porzingis Or Mudiay
Finally, we get to the true wild-card.
Is it true that unknown guys have excelled in the NBA? Of course. Players who have come from overseas have, indeed, been drafted high and have worked out.
However, the Dirk Nowitzki’s of the world are far less seldom than the Andrea Bargnani’s of the world.
These are the Knicks. If Jackson decides to pull the trigger on the ultra-hot Kristaps Porzingis, he’ll inevitably turn out to be Frederick Weiss, not Nowitzki.
Same can be said for Emmanuel Mudiay, though the reason Mudiay is a tough draft right now has everything to do with his lack of shooting consistency in a shooter’s league.
Admittedly, it’ll be tough to stay away from both of these unknowns drafting out of the No. 4 spot, but there are other, surer options.
Justise Winslow is a unique, ready-made NBA 19-year old. His versatility on the court is perfect for the No. 4 slot. The only reason they’d stay away from him would be due to the positional similarity with Melo.
In a perfect world, D’Angelo Russell will fall to No. 4. Don’t hold your breath though, because these are the Knicks where everything is always anything but perfect.