It wasn’t that long ago when Derrick Rose referred to the New York Knicks as a “superteam.” Now we’re throwing around the “tanking” word.
It wasn’t that long ago when Derrick Rose referred to the Knicks as a “superteam.” Rose felt confident because of the players and promise he saw on paper. The New York Knicks, needless to say, are 3/4 through the season and can be labeled as inconsistent underachievers. The Knicks haven’t won back to back games since the Dec 20-22 stretch. They are 26-38 and 5.5 GB from eighth place.This team, well, they aren’t that good. Let me tell you more about it. Since Christmas, the Knicks have the second worse record in the NBA (10-25). The best part? Every since the Knicks started losing the drama came to the headlines.
Worst of all, this team is more a reality TV show than a basketball squad.
The show started when Phil Jackson told CBS reporters that, “Carmelo Anthony will be better if he passes the ball more.” Then Brandon Jennings told the media, “You don’t know what to expect with the rotation.” Next, Derrick Rose disappeared without telling anybody in the front office. Then, within the past week, the Charles Oakley incident in Madison Square Garden came to light. Deep sighs for the fans. New York wanted to trade Rose for Ricky Rubio straight up. Carmelo Anthony calls out the coaches, saying they don’t make any adjustments throughout the game.
Now the team had a break, but even with the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the Knicks front office did not make any moves to determine the future. The organization is in between a rebuilding phase and a playoff hunt. Not a good place to be.
But … the Knicks have a young stud named Kristaps Porzingis and that’s all the team should think about. Some think that he’s ready to have pieces built around him.
Sources told ESPN Knicks reporter Ian Begley, that the “best approach is to deal Anthony and move forward with Porzingis and fellow young big man Willy Hernangomez”.
Well, that’s odd because Carmelo Anthony recently said that he’s going to stay with the team. Awkward.
“I never thought I would be anywhere else,” Carmelo Anthony said.
Earlier in the season, Jeff Hornacek hinted that Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony care about themselves more than their teammates.
“When someone’s drives in there, all the way to the basket, they have to start thinking where’s my teammate?” Hornacek said. “If they’re standing wide open in the corner and someone drives and shoots over two guys, they’ll do the same thing. Part of it is sacrificing some of your game for the good of the team and not care too much about what they’re getting and not getting. If you have that attitude it’s a losing attitude.
According to Ian Begley, an East scout texted him as the Knicks were losing their 17-point lead against the Thunder on February 16th,
“This team looks like it’s quitting.”
The first half of the season is over and general manager Steve Mills should have a good idea by now if he’s going to re-sign Derrick Rose over the offseason.
Earlier in the season, Steve Mills said Derrick Rose can play his way into an extension depending on how he performs. However, the trade deadline past and there have been no indications that the Knicks see Rose as a long term option.
Since Carmelo Anthony said that he’s going to stay in New York, then what do you do about Phil Jackson? Most fans say that they want Phil gone. Heck, if the Knicks let Jackson’s three-year contract play out then there’s a possibility that the Knicks reality TV show will be extended for another season.
But these are just thoughts. The team still feels like it has a chance to make it to the playoffs.
.@drose on making the playoffs: "It's reachable." He added, "We still have time to make a run." #Knicks pic.twitter.com/q5TPP3PO5w
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 15, 2017
After Monday night’s win, Courtney Lee speaks on the tanking situations.
“We’re not trying to tank, we’re trying to win.” “There’s still a possibility. There’s still hope. I just know, not only for myself, I know the guys in here once you start something you want to finish it.”
Courtney Lee continued talking about how the players in the locker room still have some fight in them.
“The only thing that came up in our locker room is , ‘let’s fight. we still have a chance. we try to win them all and then whatever happens happens.”
The Knicks started to lean towards rebuilding by waiving Brandon Jennings to sign Chasson Randle throughout the year. Randle will be a perfect fit for the Knicks offense because he’s already in tuned into the triangle system. Randle played in a triangle offense at Stanford University for Johnny Dawkins. Last night, Hornacek gave him some limelight against the Orlando Magic. In the 4th-quarter, the head coach decided to let Randle run the offense and sit Rose the entire frame.
According to Al lannazzone, Hornacek said Randle earned more playing time after his good performance leading the team in the 4th-quarter. He posted seven points, five assist and five rebounds with a plus-minus of +27.
The Knicks is starting to play their young guys more often season the second half of the season started. Yesterday, we saw Hornacek give Chasson Randle, Willy Hernangomez a lot of minutes, but that’s still not an indicator that the Knicks is going to tank. If New York wanted to tank and rebuild than they would have found any way to trade Derrick Rose, Kyle O’Quin and move Joakim Noah contract.
With 18 games to go, New York still feels like it’s time left to make a big run and get into the playoffs.
