Tonight seems like just another game for the hapless Knicks, but it is not. Tonight the Phoenix Suns come to town. Coach D’Antoni’s former team has changed but is still winning without him. The Suns are leading the west with a 14-3 record, but more importantly may have a key piece to the Knicks future.

"I'm just talking as a fan and New Yorker who grew up loving the Knicks: Why would I give you my money to watch them? This is atrocious. Guys coming down court, just raising up 3-pointers from anywhere. The coaching is horrible. What kind of coaching is this? 

The New York Knicks have many hopes for the year 2010. Most of these hopes lie in the illustrious free agent market this off-season. There is only one problem, between now and then the Knicks must play a grueling 82 game schedule in much improved Eastern Conference. GM Donnie Walsh has done everything he could up until this point in cutting cap space and keeping players happy. This season brings hope and many of the players feel they can climb into a playoff race.

The New York Knicks have silently put themselves in position to compete in a couple of years. Donnie Walsh is building a team that will bless Madison Square Garden with more than 20 victories a season in a couple of years.

Do you release Stephon Marbury or make a trade with his expiring $20 million contract? I am not going to pretend to understand all the rules that would torpedo this possibility, but the question is an important one because it decides of the New York Knicks are rebuilding or not.