After only a few weeks of being in charge in New York, Phil Jackson is starting his tenure as President of Basketball Operations with a bold move. In a decision that was inevitable after a sub-par season, Jackson has fired Mike Woodson and his entire coaching staff.
In what is being called a housecleaning, Jackson is starting fresh with the New York Knicks. Since the arrival of Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks have not played up to expectations, leaving fans and players unsatisfied. This season, the Knicks failed to make the playoffs going 37-45 in the regular season. Even playing in the weak Eastern Conference, a sub-.500 record at home will make it difficult for any team to succeed. Throw in a disgruntled superstar and a cache of under-performing role players, and you’ll have the Knicks in a nutshell.
The interesting part of the housecleaning is the reports of Jackson receiving opinions that favored holding onto some of the assistants that have been a part of the front office for several years. According to sources, James Dolan, General Manager of the Knicks, wasn’t seeing eye-to-eye with Jackson. This report is interesting because Dolan claimed to agree “willingly and gratefully” ceding control to Jackson.
If these reports are true, which they very well be taken out of context, then the Knicks could be in trouble in the near future. With Carmelo stating that he want the “Dwight treatment” in free agency, the Knicks better organize their front office if they want Anthony playing in a Knicks uniform next year.
Despite the obvious mess that New York has on its hands right now, I do not see the front office being the reason Anthony leaves New York. James Dolan’s concern with keeping certain members of the coaching staff dealt more with loyalty than anything else. One member, Allan Houston, played for the Knicks during his career, and I believe Dolan was trying to keep a good relationship with a former player.
Where the Knicks are going to have problems is with personnel. Right now, without Carmelo, the Knicks feature J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert on the wings, Raymond Felton at the point, Tyson Chandler n the middle, and Amar’e Stoudemire at the 4. Off the bench, Tim Hardaway Jr., Pablo Prigioni, Kenyon Martin, Andrea Bargnani, Shannon Brown, and Earl Clark. There is a powerhouse lineup in there somewhere. It may not be obvious, and some players on the roster aren’t a part of it, but there is one in there. Trust me.
First move that the front office needs to do is find a suitable point guard, preferably one that can make a three-pointer consistently. Since the start of the search for a new coach, Jackson has been vocal about wanting the team to run the triangle offense, the offense he ran with the 6-time championship Bulls and 5-time championship Lakers. Something that made the offense so efficient was the three-point shooting ability of his point guards. Derek Fisher and John Paxson were both key cogs to the offense because they could hit the corner three efficiently.
The next thing is to hire a coach that can knows the triangle offense and can run it effectively. A name that has popped up in many reports is of ESPN analyst Steve Kerr. Despite not having any experience as a coach, he does have experience as a GM for the Phoenix Suns. He also has experience as a player and a successful one at that. During his 15 year career, he won 5 championships, 3 with the Bulls, including being apart of the 72-10 season in 1996, and 2 with the Spurs. He holds the record for three point percentage as well,shooting over 45% from three point distance.
With Steve Kerr, the Knicks would have the total package. A experienced ex-player that won during his career and is knowledgable about the game and the offense that Phil Jackson wants to run. He would have the respect of the players from day one and would have connections in the league that would help him set deals for signings and transactions.
After hiring a new coach, the Knicks need to handle their situation in the frontcourt. With Stoudemire and Martin past their primes, youth is something of a priority. Although the recent signing of Lamar Odom may help, the Knicks need to invest in some potential talent.
With the upcoming draft being deep in terms of talent and bigs, finding a way into the first round would give them a real chance at drafting a power forward to develop over the next few years. Skillwise, Adreian Payne is someone they should keep their eye on in the combine. Being 6’11” and having an outside shot, he would have the same skill set as Bargnani with an upgrade in athleticism. Also, entering the draft as a senior gives him an andvantage in the mental aspect of the game and lowers his draft stock, meaning the Knicks don’t have to break the bank to get a pick high enough to grab him in the first round. A deal involving Bargnani and Smith or Bargnani and Shumpert would open up much needed salary space.
Another route the Knicks could go to add frontcourt depth is through trade. A name that is hot on the wire is that of Greg Monroe of the Detroit Pistons. He is a young player that is well-rounded on both ends of the court and a team player. Trading for a player like Monroe would give New York instant contribution and a piece for the future. If they choose tot go this path, they can focus on finding a point guard in the draft.
The final step to revamping the Knick’s roster would be to drop dead weight. Opening up salary space is a must heading into the summer. Carmelo, along with the Big 3 in Miami, and several other superstar talents,will be available in free agency. With that, the Knicks could lure Anthony into staying if another all-star joined him in the Big Apple. A two-guard, or a combo guard would be the ideal pickup, allowing Carmelo to play the 4 next to Chandler and Shumpert/Smith to play the three. Second-year man Tim Hardaway would bring in scoring off the bench as the sixth man and Payne backing up the frontcourt.
All in all, the stars could align and allow the Knicks to contend for the title next year. Jackson and Dolan would have to work some magic and grab the right players for the system. If you agree with my scenario, what players should the Knicks try to get through trade or the draft? If you don’t, what do you think they have to do to contend next year? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
Half-court Heave 
Joey – Great stuff – clearly you absorbed a lot while being so quiet in class. Your mom shared this site with your SCHS English teachers. Loved reading it. Keep it up.