Making Knicks a .500 Team

Kiyaman

Legend
Making the Knicks an above .500 Team with the Roster they have now is easy.

The Knicks biggest mistake with Isiah Thomas at the helm is they had 5 coaches in just 4 seasons (Chaney, Wilkins, Herb, Brown, Isiah).

Another mistake is putting Players in the Starting Lineup before they can take off their previous team Jersey. Way to many Knick Players should not have been in the Knicks Starting Lineup their first season with the Knicks (Marbury, Crawford, Q.Rich, Curry, Davis, Jalen, Francis, Jefferies, and now Zack this upcomming season). Why? Each one of the Players have a NBA Career History of being a "ONE on ONE" Player, not a Team-Player and that is the main reason why their Previous team did not want to keep them.
NBA Sports Writers and Commentators are waiting for the beginning of the 2007-8 regular season to start so they could see all the major moves of Big Players this offseason "MESH" with their NEW teammates early in the season.

Do we Knick-Fans see Zack Randolph making this Knick Team finally start meshing together on both sides of the court? or do we just see Zack making it easy for certain Knick teammates to score without being double-team by defenders?

For the Knicks to start the 2007-8 regular season getting off to a WINNING start of being a 500% and better team than they have to have "STARTERS" that are familiar with each others talents and skillz in certain situations.

1) The Marbury/Crawford Tandem is not great but they do know each others talents/skillz in alot of situations on the court.

2) The Curry/Lee Tandem has been the best Bigman Tandem that compliments each other on this Knick-Team as Starters the last two seasons (each time they start together the Knicks start the game off with a decent lead vs any oponent).

3) A healthy Q.Richardson (mentally) likes to play his HEART-OUT at the SF-Position with Crawford as his SG and David Lee as his PF. Q.Rich physical injuries do not stop him from having a well played game with Crawford & Lee on the court with him.

The offseason addition of Zack Randolph is "GOOD and BAD" for this Knick-Team. It's GREAT if Zack do not Start early in the season unless injuries to Curry or Lee. Maybe, by midseason Zack Randolph could become a Full-Time Starter, Maybe.

Zack Randolph should be the BEST backup to Curry or Lee, for the Knicks to have a Successful Season, Zack comming off the bench with Players like Balkman, Nate, and Collins would give this Knick Team a strong deep depth off the bench.
If Jared Jefferies is getting his thing together this offseason knowing NOW after one season of learning how his teammates talents and skillz flow on the court could also bring more depth off the bench. Making Jefferies a Starter last season with him being CLUELESS to his teammates performance is a major reason for a 33 WIN season (SAVE-FACE coaching).

Starting Zack Randolph because of his Star Stats of 23-10 is a "SAVE-FACE" FOOLISH mistake that will lead to an unsuccessful Knick season. Especially having knowledge of why David Lee had such a successful 2006-7 season. It was not Lee's double-double Stat that made Lee have such a great season, it was David Lee COMPLIMENTARY Talents with his Teammates. He made his teammates talents and skillz shine.
Example, the Toronto Rapters had a somewhat decent Bigmen lineup with C/F-Bosh in the middle of everything with their Bigmen rookies well performances. Would you mess-up Toronto Bigmen STARTERS by adding this new player Zack Randolph who just arrived to the team to the Starting Lineup? or would you have Zack comming off the bench to earn him-self a Full-Time Starters job by meshing with his teammates first???
 

pat

Starter
Quite an interesting thought...

But I am not exactly sure that coming off the bench is the right decision for Zack's game. It could also make him grow frustrated. Also: We are talking about pros. They should go out there and play together. They should read their play book in order to know who is going to get when and where the ball...

I really hope that all of them are tiered of losing. I think this is the key to a .500 season. They all have to swallow their pride, stop thinking about the numbers they put on the board, and start thinking only about winning. This is more important than who is starting.
 
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donchris

Next season, keep waiting
Very well written. Although we both know that Lee aint starting over Randolph. Lee is great coming off the bench. Some one had an idea about benching Crawford and starting Q Rich at the two. I think that's not a bad idea but a guy that averages 24 and 10 needs to start, even though his numbers will take a dive when playing along side Curry, Zach needs to start.
 
Marbury maybe shouldn't have started his first game as a Knick because he hadn't even practiced with the team yet, but it makes perfect sense as to why he did start for us....Mochie Norris was our back up! Not to mention that the Knicks made a trade that same year where both of the player acquired didn't start right away ( Tim Thomas, and Nazr Mohammed). and it doesn't happen too often that a "A" player in this league comes off the bench until he understands the teams philosophy, Rasheed started for Detroit immediatley, Ray Allen started his first game for Seattle. Plus Zach was part of an off season move so it's not like he's being thrown into the fire, he gets to go to training camp, play preseason games, and do all the things that would help him mesh with his teamates. I don't think it will happen over night, naturally this is going to be an adjustment, but I don't think bringing him off the bench speeds the process up any.

The Knicks have been an above .500 team on paper for the past 3 years, can I see us making the playoffs and making some noise.... certainley, but can I see us waiting on ping pong balls next off season also, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
 

ShairanXIII

Rotation player
This is interesting Kiya... but more importantly... I think the majority of the season... Lee/Curry/Randolph should be on the floor in some combination... I see Morris getting spot minutes every few games... while these three play the majority of the 96 minutes available at the 4 & 5... Zach will move the 5 when EC is tired or in foul trouble or just playing shitty... Lee will slide in at the 4 to play with both Zach and EC...
 

nyk_nyk

All Star
Quite an interesting thought...

But I am not exactly sure that coming off the bench is the right decision for Zack's game. It could also make him grow frustrated. Also: We are talking about pros. They should go out there and play together. They should read their play book in order to know who is going to get when and where the ball...

I really hope that all of them are tiered of losing. I think this is the key to a .500 season. They all have to swallow their pride, stop thinking about the numbers they put on the board, and start thinking only about winning. This is more important than who is starting.
I agree. These guys have to learn to play with one another. Zach is an elite big man in this league and shouldn't come off the bench. He's worked really hard to get where he is talent wise and it would be taking a step back to have him come off the bench.

What makes people think that the team can't get it together during training camp and preseason? Most of you act like they go from offseason to game 1. There is a lot of preparation in between folks. Have a lil faith and save your assumptions until you have at least seen the first 5-10 games man.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
What makes people think that the team can't get it together during training camp and preseason? Most of you act like they go from offseason to game 1. There is a lot of preparation in between folks. Have a lil faith and save your assumptions until you have at least seen the first 5-10 games man.


What makes people think that ........

The last 4 offseasons of Isiah Thomas NEW dream players for the Starting Lineup.
Tim Thomas & Crawford
Q.Richardson & Curry
Francis & Jefferies
And Now Zack Randolph

Each one of the above Players Performances showed they were not ready to MESH as a Starter. Or even be a Starter in their first full season with the Knicks.
This is the BIG(Media New York)Apple, is Zack ready for New York?
None of the above players were and some still are not ready.

It is hard playing with Marbury, but Marbury & Curry! cut it out, it took a TEAM-PLAYER like Malik Rose two seasons just to get a handle on both Marbury & Curry talents.
 

pat

Starter
What makes people think that ........

The last 4 offseasons of Isiah Thomas NEW dream players for the Starting Lineup.
Tim Thomas & Crawford
Q.Richardson & Curry
Francis & Jefferies
And Now Zack Randolph

Each one of the above Players Performances showed they were not ready to MESH as a Starter. Or even be a Starter in their first full season with the Knicks.
This is the BIG(Media New York)Apple, is Zack ready for New York?
None of the above players were and some still are not ready.

It is hard playing with Marbury, but Marbury & Curry! cut it out, it took a TEAM-PLAYER like Malik Rose two seasons just to get a handle on both Marbury & Curry talents.

Just repeating your arguments doesn't necessarily make them seem more plausible.

They have a whole off-season together, some of tthem already spent some time together in Vegas, and frankly, I don't see how coming off the bench could help Zack to cope with the NY media pressure. Do you really think they are going to criticise him less if he is not a starter?
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Just repeating your arguments doesn't necessarily make them seem more plausible.

They have a whole off-season together, some of tthem already spent some time together in Vegas, and frankly, I don't see how coming off the bench could help Zack to cope with the NY media pressure. Do you really think they are going to criticise him less if he is not a starter?


At the Start of the 2007-8 regular season the Knicks Starters must START each game "READY" and prepared to get off to a great start vs each NBA team (oposition).
The Knicks Bench have a strong deep depth that gives this Knick Team the 500% quality it need with David Lee or without David Lee coming off the Bench.
It has always been the Knick Starters that been needing the most help in the First Quarter and 3rd Quarter of each game.
Give Complimentary Player PF-David Lee the oportunity to START the first 20 games alongside the Leadership of SF-Q.Richardson this upcomming season.

Starters
PG-Marbury
SG-Crawford
SF-Q.Richardson
PF-Lee
C-Curry

This Starting lineup may have a little flaws but ..... they are very familiar with each others talents & skillz to be dependable to compete at a .500 level vs East and Western Teams.

It has not been easy for alot of Knick teammates to "MESH" with Marbury & Curry in a rotation, so how could I expect a player like Zake Randolph to start "MESHING" with the two players in the STARTING-LINEUP?

PG-Steve Nash seems to earn at least 4 of his assists per game from Amare Stoudemire. Can we Knick-Fans say the samething about PG-Marbury assists to Curry? With a Hustling and Passing PF-David Lee in the lineup it can happen. Zack dont Pass when doubled ask Aldrige & Roy...
 

ShairanXIII

Rotation player
What makes people think that ........

The last 4 offseasons of Isiah Thomas NEW dream players for the Starting Lineup.
Tim Thomas & Crawford
Q.Richardson & Curry
Francis & Jefferies
And Now Zack Randolph

Each one of the above Players Performances showed they were not ready to MESH as a Starter. Or even be a Starter in their first full season with the Knicks.
This is the BIG(Media New York)Apple, is Zack ready for New York?
None of the above players were and some still are not ready.

It is hard playing with Marbury, but Marbury & Curry! cut it out, it took a TEAM-PLAYER like Malik Rose two seasons just to get a handle on both Marbury & Curry talents.

TT was a midseason acquisition in the KVH trade... he was a bum before he got here and a bum during his time here... career underachiever unless in a contract year like JJ13...

Craw was brought in to be a backup... he became a starter early since H20's injury was career ending...

QRich has been hurt most of his time here... but when healthy he is our most complete player...

EC is a beast who had the misfortune of playing for Scott Skiles and Larry Brown in consecutive years...

Francis was a midseason acquisition brought in (on LB's suggestion) to make Steph expendable...

Jeffries... no argument here...

so of the 4 players that came in during the off season that you listed... you have our best defender/all around player (Q Rich), primary offensive weapon (Curry) and our second scoring option (Craw)...

JJ13 and JJ20 are busts... not because they can't get chemistry... it's because they lack the desire (James) and talent (Jeffries) to be productive...

Randolph gives us another 10 reb guy and a scorer who can do everything Webber did in his prime (except pass)...
 

GiantsKnickFan

Benchwarmer
At the Start of the 2007-8 regular season the Knicks Starters must START each game "READY" and prepared to get off to a great start vs each NBA team (oposition).
The Knicks Bench have a strong deep depth that gives this Knick Team the 500% quality it need with David Lee or without David Lee coming off the Bench.
It has always been the Knick Starters that been needing the most help in the First Quarter and 3rd Quarter of each game.
Give Complimentary Player PF-David Lee the oportunity to START the first 20 games alongside the Leadership of SF-Q.Richardson this upcomming season.

Starters
PG-Marbury
SG-Crawford
SF-Q.Richardson
PF-Lee
C-Curry

This Starting lineup may have a little flaws but ..... they are very familiar with each others talents & skillz to be dependable to compete at a .500 level vs East and Western Teams.

It has not been easy for alot of Knick teammates to "MESH" with Marbury & Curry in a rotation, so how could I expect a player like Zake Randolph to start "MESHING" with the two players in the STARTING-LINEUP?

PG-Steve Nash seems to earn at least 4 of his assists per game from Amare Stoudemire. Can we Knick-Fans say the samething about PG-Marbury assists to Curry? With a Hustling and Passing PF-David Lee in the lineup it can happen. Zack dont Pass when doubled ask Aldrige & Roy...

I guess Roy got ROY hehe (Rookie Of the Year) all by himself. Randolph's attention made it a WHOLE lot easier for Roy to succeed than if no one was there. And Aldridge took a while to get into some rythm, he had an up and down yr like frye.
 

brooklyn_baller

Benchwarmer
The Knicks have so many stars and good players but they can't work together. It's just impossible for them to do that. Butif they can put their egos aside this season, they will most definatley be a .500 team. No doubt about it.
 

donchris

Next season, keep waiting
I thought the team worked well together last season. They just got hit hard with injuries. I thought Curry worked well with Marbury and Crawford but the Knicks lost when they didn't play as a team. I think they understand that now. Zach is a beast and a rebounding machine.
 

ShairanXIII

Rotation player
plus we were horrible until the brawl... minus that month and a half and we're a lot closer to 500 than most people realize... i hope the knicks shut these talking heads up next season and start off winning...
 

Kiyaman

Legend
TT was a midseason acquisition in the KVH trade... he was a bum before he got here and a bum during his time here... career underachiever unless in a contract year like JJ13...

Craw was brought in to be a backup... he became a starter early since H20's injury was career ending...

QRich has been hurt most of his time here... but when healthy he is our most complete player...

EC is a beast who had the misfortune of playing for Scott Skiles and Larry Brown in consecutive years...

Francis was a midseason acquisition brought in (on LB's suggestion) to make Steph expendable...

Jeffries... no argument here...

so of the 4 players that came in during the off season that you listed... you have our best defender/all around player (Q Rich), primary offensive weapon (Curry) and our second scoring option (Craw)...

JJ13 and JJ20 are busts... not because they can't get chemistry... it's because they lack the desire (James) and talent (Jeffries) to be productive...

Randolph gives us another 10 reb guy and a scorer who can do everything Webber did in his prime (except pass)...


Get it Right
All the midseasons aquisitions (T.Thomas and Francis) did not work hard enough at the end of the season or during Training-Camp and the Preseason games to Mesh with Marbury to gain a Starters Job on this Knick Team.

Eddy Curry was a "Heart-Patient", untill after the two weeks he signed with the Knicks, ask every NBA Team accept the Bulls and Knicks while Curry was a FA. The question still remains how are you going to Start a "Heart-Patient-Player" at the start of the regular season games who did not go through Training-Camp or the Preseason games with either the Bulls or Knicks teams?

The Previous season Q.Richardson had a successful season as the Suns Starting SF, but was injured throughout the Knicks Training-Camp and Preseason games. What kind of gun did he have to become the Knicks Starting SG at the start of the regular season?

At the end of the offseason the Knicks did a sign and trade for FA Crawford to become a Knicks Starter that same season. To many slow Knick-Fans (who dont know the History) actually thought that "Allan Houston" was going to play for his enemy (Detroit) Isiah Thomas, after he traded and Fired Houston's Best Friends (Charlie Ward and Coach Don Chaney).
Allan Houston would have chose Charlie Ward to play with him over Marbury against any team in the league, because of their chemistry together beating Marbury Nets and Crawford Bulls teams every time with just Sprewell and Kurt Thomas in their lineup.

Adding Zack to the Knicks STARTING lineup at the start of the regular season vs players like Howard, Bosh, Wallace, J.O'Neal, Haslem, Ben, and Gooden, will not be a WISE move.
Now adding Zack vs teams bench players is a very Wise and successful decision for the Knick team, untill he learn how to mix well with the Knicks Starters (maybe in the second half of the season).
 

pyotrveliky

Rotation player
i dont thinkmany teams are in need of an undersized guard who doesnt pass too much, is a average shooter, and plays subpar d. all for an overpriced contract.
 

The 1 and Only

Rotation player
I'm down with that....except for Jose Juan Barea. I'd take him if we get some picks in return. But the team preferably needs a 3pt shooter first and a defensive perimeter guy 2nd. With Curry and Randolph up front we really don't need a guard to shoot 15-17 shots a game and only make 35-40% of them.
 
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