Like It Or Not...
Hello everyone! I'm a new member in here and this is my first post! I don't know how to make a new thread, so that's why I'm replying to this one... I'm a huge fan of Knicks since I was like 6 years old maybe and now I'm 22 but still nothin' has changed! My english won't be as good as yours, cause I'm from Poland, so excuse me for using simple words but that's the only way I can comunicate with You guys I love this team like fat kid love cake and I pray for the day they'll get back on the right track! I even made myself a Knicks logo tattoo on my shoulder, so please give some respect for me hehe Ok, enough of this bullshit, I just would like to say some things that really hurt me about this team right now, and some things I would definitely like to change! First of all, let's take a look were the Knicks stand in the NBA! To build a great team, You must have a plan for it and create a team with special adjustment or foundation! From years, You all know guys that the best teams in NBA are based on offensive or defensive conception! And as You can see teams like Dallas, Phoenix, Golden State had a succesful season and still playing tough and hard defensive teams like Detroit, San Antonio just got to the Conference Finals! So what' the point??? It's very simple, someone responsible for Knicks strategy must choose, either we'll become a offensive team or either a defensive, because at this moment I really don't have any idea which side we're going! I'm about to introduce to You some of my propositions that are possible and should turn the NYK to a better team! Let's start with the conception of building a nice working defensive team! Everyon knows our roster:
PG: Stephon Marbury, Nate Robinson, Mardy Collins (Are they all really a PG?)
SG: Jamal Crawford, Steve Francis
SF: Quentin Richardson, Jared Jeffries, Renaldo Balkman
PF: David Lee, Channing Frye, Malik Rose
C: Eddy Curry, Jerome James, Randolph Morris, Kelvin Cato
Let's start with the point guards: Marbury has really improved this season, and started to play like everyone wanted him to play from a long time, but maybe finally he matured to be a leader of the team! He's not a bad defensive player, but with Mardy on the bench, they can give us what we need! With love to Nate, he is not the type of guy we need, especially that he can't create a game as a point guard, so I would try to get rid of him, but I'll tell You how later!
Shooters: Craw..., I read the post about Carter and Crawford, when people were arguing which one is a better player!!! I'll will divide it into two questions: Who is a better shooter, and who is a better all around player? The answers are simple: 1-Crawford, 2-Carter, but is it neccessary to take Carter??? I think leave that boy alone and give more playing time to Jamal and of course let him be a starting 5 player! Hmmmm, Francis... Big expectations but unfortunetly even bigger dissapointment! It would be better for us to try trade him, but if not don't buyout his contract, lets give him another try, as a reserve for J.Craw.
Small Forwards: QR, J.J. - First of them, a good shooter, but not as good as being under the Steve Nash! Jared, I think is the biggest mistake that Isiah made this season, why was he playing almost 30 minutes per game, while scoring 4 points and grabbing 4 rebounds???? Blocks, steals???? Come on, You can't call him a good defensive player! And last but not least Renaldo! This guy is awesome and I would do anything to keep him, cause he can be a future od this team! He can score, run the court well, and most of all he can play a tough D.
Power Forwards: If someone tells me to trade David Lee, I would grab my head and hit it toward the wall! Even having Kevin Garnett for 3 or 4 of our players isn't what will solve our problems! So lets think for a moment and see what D.Lee did for our team this year, and point me another player scoring and rebounding over "10", being double figures playing just 30 m.p.g! Looking at the Pistons, they play the same squad years now, and that what our team needs the most, stability! We must invest in Lee, Collins, Balkman, because they are our future, don't trade them for anybody, especcialy for someone that's on the road of his career! Frye had a bad year, but anyway I would trade him, because he's not the type of PF that can stand eye to eye with the toughest PF in the league! And Malik? If there a chance trade him, if not, let him stay and prepare him to help coaching the young guys in the team!
C: Everything would be amazing if Curry tried to balance his defense and offense, playing hard not only when having the ball, but most of all when not! If so, he would be a complete player, and someone that surely can achieve a status of an All-Star, cause he looks like a young Shaq
Something about Kelvin Cato-why did Isiah sigh this guy, when he just played 18 games (5 mpg)? Does it makes any sense for You? If he was not a backup for Curry, why spending money??? Jerome? I got few opinios about this player! Fisrt one is that he's not a bad player, but money made him lazy, but the second one is that maybe Isiah should try to put him together with Curry in the starting lineup, but not sitting him down after 5 minutes of play! If Isiah would not give him a choice and play Jerome as much as possible, maybe this Burger Man finally would done somethin' and play like for Sonics in playoffs! But I'm only guessing. I cannot say anything about Morris, because I didn' have any chance of seing him play! I told You some thing You probably already know about that guys, but now, I'll tell You who I would like to see in our team next season (on defensive conception)!
Ron Artest
Jermaine O'Neal
I know it's probably impossible to get them both, but J.O. and Ron should fulfill our lacks! The biggest benefit of getting Jermaine is that he can be great near Curry! Everybody knows Jermaine is frustraded in Indiana and needs a new spot! And he would fit perfect with Eddy, cause he's not only a dominant offensive big man, but mostly a good blocker and rebounder! I'm sure that he would help to develop Curry's potential as a offensive and a defensive player and also help him in the paint to be like Duncan and Robinson or Ewing and Oakley.
Getting Artest is a bit risky investition, but also a player that we need to biuld a defensive lineup. Ron is the hardest playing man in the league and surely can be called as one of the best all-around players! He would fit perfectly with scoring Crawford, tough playing Lee, offensive Curry and even with Marbury on point position! He can help us to create a team like Detroit which is based on a smart point guard leader Billups, typical shooter Hamilton, all-around SF Prince, strong and with nice touch PF Sheed and probably with Maxiell who should start next season as a big man at C. We can make it happen in NY, just look at the similarity: Marbury, Crawford, Artest, Lee (or if possible O'Neal) and dominat Curry!
But there's also a second option, which I'm little bit confused about! It's offensive basketball really successful in the NBA! Just look at Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas!!! Where are they now? Out off playoffs, Seattle even didn't make there! So I'll present a good offensive lineup possible for the next season, but is it worth it? Let's start with the point, Marbury or Collins will not be running coart well and passing the ball quick like Nash of J-Kidd, but I think we don't have a choice! Crawford fits perfectly and then on backup we need someone like J.R.Smith which is being wasted in Denver! On the SF the best option for us is getting the Sonics Rashard Lewis. Then is a question-will Curry fit to the run-and-gun combination? Trading him can be a mistake, because he is still developing and probably in few years nobody will stop him! But on the other hand, Lee and Frye on the C: with Lewis, Craw and Starbury can be a real fast five, but probably till the second round off playoffs, and I know that everybody wants more!!!!....
Ps. I have enough of writing, I guess everyone knows how to trade players to make it work, if not I'll post it next time! Thakz Yous, I hope You'll enjoy it, while reading this post! I'm Out..... KNICKS 4 LIFE