Friday, November 20, 2009

why do we never get an answer, when we're knocking on the door...

well, Knick fans, here's you answer...


literally, the Answer himself, Allen Iverson. The man who gave us the single greatest moment in sports journalism. Knick fans and haters alike, prepare yourself. This could be an absolute disaster. Or, it could ultimately be the turning point in a franchise that hasn't had a star since Patrick Ewing used his fingers instead of his common sense. Either way it should be real entertaining...

a moment of clarity, first. i had the privilege of covering Big East Basketball for several years and went on to retain good seats at St. John's games for many years after my graduation from the university. In my time watching, studying and enjoying the Big East game i have never seen anyone as quick on the court as Iverson, except for Omar Cook but he, believe it or not, was even more of a space case. Clearly, though, Iverson is the basketball player i've seen with my own eyes, and i saw that kid from Cleveland a few weeks back. No one has done more with less than Iverson, he once brought a team of rag tag CBA players to an NBA Final, with the Philadelphia 76ers. That kid from Akron, has had NBA level talent around him last year and couldn't beat the Orlando Magic and their one trick pony of an offense. Iverson is an enigma wrapped in tattoos to be sure and every basketball pundit under the sun is calling this the mistake of century. They might be right, but what do the Knicks have to lose?...

Iverson will bring scoring and backcourt defense. It will be swift and just. It could very well take this 2-9 squad above water and possibly meet the 37 win plateau i had in mind for them. It could get them into the playoffs. David Lee is a double double machine, and an athletic power forward works well with a guy like Iverson. Lee's ability to rebound from outside the lane, or the weak side makes him perfect glass cleaner for a guy who darts and slashes to the rim like Iverson. Lee's ability to shoot the 15 footer also makes him a nice kick-out option for Iverson when he invariably gets himself in trouble...

Toney Douglas will be this team's point guard, bet on it. The other thing you can bet on is he will not lose minutes, ultimately, he and Iverson can make a stifling pair in the backcourt. Chris Duhon will eventually be regulated to off the bench status, permanently. Larry Hughes has played himself into a position to demand minutes at the two-guard as well, where i see Iverson doing his best work, but that would leave limited minutes for Hughes let alone Nate Robinson. i love Nate. i love the shake and i love the bake, but he may just not fit in the system coach Mike Dantoni envisions for this team. Iverson doesn't either, but he is 34 and will only be getting a one year deal. Nate is worth something on the open market. A microwave offensive talent and dynamo on defense, he still comes cheap and won't count against the cap next year. There should be teams clamoring for this guy, let's give 'em what they want. Robinson, traded for another expiring contract and a first round pick would be perfect...

see this is the problem, the Knicks, even if they finish dead last in all of the NBA, even if they get the most ping pong balls in the bin for the lottery—there will be know first round pick for Knicks at the end of this debacle. It is Isiah Thomas' last gift. So why not sign Iverson? Why not bring in a top flight scorer, a finisher. Someone who can give this team a chance to be a contender or at least interesting until the summer shopping spree begins...

the Knicks aren't terrible, they are playing terrible—there is a difference. They have no direction, no confidence and no need to worry about their jobs, because for most of them, come this summer they already know they will be unemployed. This season was to be a lab test—shake it up and see who comes out at the end of the year. But Al Harrington is stunting the development of Wilson Chandler. Danillo Gallinari looks like he could be real special, but he is two years away from being that. Jordan Hill probably should have been Brandon Jennings, but like i said, Douglas is this team point guard of the future, and i have no issue with that. Hill will only see time in blowouts and when Dantoni decides to reach for a breath of fresh air from his bench. He won't get any real time until 2010, after the roster is reshuffled and he develops a potent offensive game. Jared Jefferies is an abomination. Eddy Curry actually looked like he could play basketball the other night in Indiana and 20 minutes a game from a bona fide post presence will make this team better in a hurry. Without Iverson, Dantoni has to make decisions about his rotation. Douglas needs to get more minutes than Duhon, Chandler needs to be featured more than Harrington and the addition of Curry needs to be handled with kid gloves. With Iverson, the decisions will be made for him. 35 minutes, 25 points, a couple of steals and assists a game. There is no one on the roster who can provide that night after night—i'll take it...

here's the news, Lebron James is not coming here. He wasn't coming here before draft night, not after Grandmaster Flash serenaded him two weeks ago, and he won't be coming in July. Jay-Z is moving to LA and the Clippers might get real just yet. He won't be coming here unless David Stern finally gives us our boobie prize for propping up Michael Jordan all of those years ago—because it should have been us versus Phoenix in 1993. But instead the Knicks got all the cutting and pasting of the post Isiah era and with nothing more than an opportunity at a couple of tier 2 free agents. Maybe we can grab a guy like Chris Bosh, but more likely, the youth you see on this roster is more or less the core of tomorrow's team...

ultimately the Knicks would be best suited at overpaying for restricted free agent Rudy Gay and picking up a Carlos Boozer to bolster the team's paint game. So why not have a little fun this season and let loose the Answer on Madison Square Garden. The worst that can happen is a couple of hilarious press conferences and the door hitting him on the ass on the way out next June...

the question is simple, would you rather the Knicks fade into the summer without a wimper or make some noise as they march into their uncertain future?...

you have your Answer...

1 comment:

TW said...

so, I guess not.