Anybody else watching the Knicks....

[Déjà Bru]

So, the Knicks won a game last night by holding their opponents to only 90 points. And scoring more than that, of course.

"Wha, what happened?"

"You played some defense and you actually won a game."

Well, whaddya know 'bout that? That's how it goes? Who knew?"

[Déjà Bru]

The Knicks tried to trade Anthony. They tried to trade Rose. They tried to trade Lee. They ended up doing nothing. Back to All-Star-like scores with the Knicks on the wrong end while Noah stares from the bench with his latest boo-boo.

Jackson got lucky with Porzingis, although even he has not been looking good recently, whether it's sophomoritis or just being surrounded by incompetence. Other than that, Jackson is hardly the genius that people thought he was before he arrived here, in this job.

[Déjà Bru]

This is what passes for good news from the Knicks these days:

Phil Jackson’s offseason just keeps looking worse. Joakim Noah, Jackson’s top target in free agency last summer and the recipient of a four-year, $72-million contract, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to remove a loose body yesterday. His disappointing first season as a Knick likely is over. Earlier in the day, Brandon Jennings — whom Jackson had said could be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate after he signed a oneyear, $5-million deal — was waived. The Knicks signed undrafted rookie guard Chasson Randle to fill Jennings’ spot.

Noah's situation is resolved, at least until next season. Why is that good news? Now the Knicks don't have to figure out how to get him playing time while on the other hand, waiting for him to stub his toe or something. He's gone until October at least. Now Willy Hernangomez gets more playing time to develop. The bad news? There are three more years in Noah's contract.

Jackson believed Jennings could be a Sixth Man of the Year. Right. Waived. The good news? One more example of how Jackson stinks as a basketball executive and one more reason why we may be able to get rid of him sooner.

[Déjà Bru]

They are already speculating about Jeff's Hornacek job expectancy:

Since Knicks owner James Dolan said he won’t fire Jackson after the season, there’s been speculation that Hornacek could be gone and that he’s already lost thelocker room. “Everybody’s frustrated with the way the season went,” Hornacek said. “But our job is to continue to try to teach these guys whatever we can and try to get better at things and push them. We’ve got to look at it as, not just giving up on this season and hey, counting the days down. You still play and if you’re a professional, you have pride and you go out there and play every game like it’s meaningful.”

Gee, ya think? Players should have pride, be a professional, and play every game like it's meaningful? And it's the coach's fault when they don't?

The Knicks beat the Pacers yesterday, 87 to 81. I bet that was in large measure due to the Pacers being more lazy than the Knicks for a day, which is hard to do.

A few days ago, I watched the Knicks losing the terrible Nets because they were the lazier team, as usual. Guard brings the ball upcourt; the inevitable pass to Anthony while everybody else stands around (in a triangle or whatever); he shoots and misses. Over and over again.

Hornacek will be only the latest sacrificial lamb to this demented situation which will persist until the Knicks get rid of Anthony and get better players who want to PLAY. HARD.

What is it about basketball that this lazy hound dog phenomenon is so prevalent? And persistent, regarding the Knicks?

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

What is it about basketball that this lazy hound dog phenomenon is so prevalent? And persistent, regarding the Knicks?

Starts with ownership. Dolan was a rich kid who was handed the team. He was handed Comcast (did I get his company right?)
80% of the time these handovers to the kids never go right.


The front office has been a mess. They have not had a good GM in over a decade. Jackson we are not sure if he is working 70 hour weeks of 25 hours weeks and flying out to LA for 4 day weekends.


Being a GM is a 70-80 hour job that requires knowing the CBA like you would a religious text and cramming yourself onto a chartered twin prop to sit in a tiny gym in Croatia to scout during a cold January afternoon.


Jackson still have Rambus running some of the team and I have never seen any flashes of basketball intelligence from him.
The organization is a mess and it infects the entire rest of the team all the way down.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

Starts with ownership. Dolan was a rich kid who was handed the team. He was handed Comcast (did I get his company right?)
80% of the time these handovers to the kids never go right.


The front office has been a mess. They have not had a good GM in over a decade. Jackson we are not sure if he is working 70 hour weeks of 25 hours weeks and flying out to LA for 4 day weekends.


Being a GM is a 70-80 hour job that requires knowing the CBA like you would a religious text and cramming yourself onto a chartered twin prop to sit in a tiny gym in Croatia to scout during a cold January afternoon.


Jackson still have Rambus running some of the team and I have never seen any flashes of basketball intelligence from him.
The organization is a mess and it infects the entire rest of the team all the way down.

Yep, that about sums it up (except that it's Cablevision, not Comcast).

By the way, I know that I sound like a broken record in this thread. Posting my grievances and grief here is therapy for me.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Yep, that about sums it up (except that it's Cablevision, not Comcast).

By the way, I know that I sound like a broken record in this thread. Posting my grievances and grief here is therapy for me.

Feel free anytime
I love professional basketball and enjoy chatting about it. And I find the league to be slightly better when New York or LA has a good team so I am hoping the Knicks can turn things around.
Porziņģis is a unique talent and I hope things get better before the Knicks front office rot ruins his future.

[Déjà Bru]

Thanks. By the way, yesterday, the Knicks lost again to the Nets, the "worst" team in the league (frankly, maybe the Knicks are, right now) by a score of 121-110. The Nets are now 13-55* and the Knicks are the only team that they have beaten twice.

I want Anthony, Lee, Rose, and Noah out of here. I also want Dolan, Jackson, and Mills out of here. The only ones who deserve to stay are Porzingis, any other players who have played hard and deserve a chance to play more, and Hornacek and his staff.

Fortunately, the only ones likely to go are Anthony and Hornacek. Fine, I'll settle for that compromise. Hornacek will get scapegoated; it goes along with the job. He will get a better job someplace else. Getting rid of Anthony is the first step to the Knicks getting better. That HAS to happen

*Updated for today's results. The Celtics came into the Barclay Center tonight and easily handled the Nets, 98-95. The Nets scored only 95 at home, but ran up 121 points in Madison Square Garden the night before.

[Vida Blue]

No bah!

[Déjà Bru]

Nice to see Patrick Ewing finally get a chance at a head coaching job. At his alma mater, Georgetown! Good luck, big guy.

[Déjà Bru]

Mercifully, it's almost over. One more game to go in another dreary season. Surprisingly, the Knicks were not the worst team in basketball; they were not as bad as the Nets (though the Nets beat the Knicks twice).

One thing I fervently wish for; well make that two and we will get to the second one in a minute: Carmelo Anthony must go. Please. I could take these results from a bunch of kids on the rise, but not from overpaid "superstars." Also get rid of Noah and Rose (keep Lee, however; I was impressed with his fire the other night) and build a new team around Porzingis.

Oh, and my other wish? Please, Mr. Dolan, fire Phil Jackson. Have him take his Zen back to California, post haste.

[Déjà Bru]

Jackson finally came out and said it plainly that Anthony needs to be with a different team next season. I agree! The problem is, I feel the same way about Jackson.

[Déjà Bru]

Continuing with my using this thread for my disillusioned fan therapy:

So, who thinks Phil Jackson is a good team executive, eh? Again, in the paper, I see a writer refer to how "Jackson's remarks lower Anthony's trade value and make the Knicks less attractive to free agents who see how a marquee player is treated."

And it's not just free agents. It's future free agents like Kristaps Porzingis who skipped his season-exit meeting with Jackson and other team officials because he is "frustrated about the ongoing drama and the direction of the franchise."

Jackson did not talk directly to the press for six months, preferring instead to drop hints through third-party social media. Now, when he does talk to the press, he talks about how Anthony has been an anchor on the team, a loser in essence. What is wrong with him? Why can't he just mouth platitudes like everybody else and take care of business behind the scenes?

Because Phil Jackson may have been a legendary coach but he is a terrible team president. We are stuck with him and his ineffective triangle offense (coupled with an open door defense) for another two years. At least.

[darkhorse]

Isiah Thomas was a terrible team president. No need for bolding his shortcomings.

Hollis hasn't posted in this thread in two years. lulz

[rudel.dietrich]

Knicks
Nets
Magic
Kings


Those are the top 4 in terms of worst run organizations (in no order)


The Knicks at least have a cornerstone player. But when you have him skipping an exit interview because of his frustration it makes me worry.


But the Knicks problems are really not at the player level. Sure Anthony needed to be traded three seasons ago and their summer was awful in getting Rose and Noah.
But really the organization needs a shake up starting with the owner and then down to Jackson.
Dolan is one of the most hated owners in sports and is tone deaf on most issues when it comes to running a franchise.
The issue and impending law suit with Charles Oakley is just an example.


Jackson is so mysterious we really don't know what is going on there.
How many hours is he working a week? 25? How much is he even in New York? 3 days a week? Does he fly back to LA once a week or every other week?
How much delegation does he do? How much film does he watch? How much does he really know about the upcoming draft of the high school class of 2019.
We sure as hell know he is not sitting in some frozen gym in January in Croatia to scout a end of the first round pick.


You have fantastic GMs around the league who are not only smarter but putting in 60...70...80 hour work weeks and simply out working him.
Daryl Morey, RC Buford, Bob Myers.


But at least they have that one player.
I cannot think of a single player from the Nets, Magic or Kings that would be a contributor on a championship team except as a role bench player.


And the Knicks have their first round draft pick this year!
Another chance to add a young building block

[TheMaus2]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

at least they have that one player.
I cannot think of a single player from the Nets, Magic or Kings that would be a contributor on a championship team except as a role bench player.

Hield? Towns?

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by TheMaus2

Hield? Towns?

Hard to project a rookie but Hield looks like a career bench player. Towns plays for the Wolves, not one of the teams I listed?

[TheMaus2]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

Hard to project a rookie but Hield looks like a career bench player. Towns plays for the Wolves, not one of the teams I listed?

Oh, not Towns. Cauley-Stein.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by TheMaus2

Oh, not Towns. Cauley-Stein.

Nothing has shown me that he can be anything more than a decent rim protector with 5 foot range. His per 36 stats don't have him even avenging 9 rebounds.
I can't think of anything on the Kings that I would want and there draft situation is not good after the disastrous Staukas trade that is one of the worst NBA trades of the last decade.

[Déjà Bru]

Rumors have it that Phil Jackson is actually thinking about trading Porzingis in order to get a higher draft pick. Trading the only good news that Jackson has had since he took over the team. Trading someone with proven All-Star potential for an unproven draftee.

This is not just about drafting strategy. This is also about Jackson being irked that Porzingis blew him off at the end of the season, skipping his season-ending interview because he did not like how Anthony was being treated. This is about Jackson mishandling this situation as he has so many others during his tenure.

This is how bad a team executive Jackson is.