With Melo Sidelined, What's Next for the Knicks?

Last year Phil Jackson came to the New York Knicks, his former team, at the behest of owner James Dolan.  Carmelo Anthony, the star small forward signed a large contract to stay a Knick.  It was supposed to be a brighter day for Knick fans, some of whom weren't born the last time it won an NBA title.  At this point in the season the franchise wasn't supposed to be 32 games behind the East leading Atlanta Hawks.

Jackson knows about winning titles. He's collected 11 rings by coaching and coaxing all that he could from players such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippin, Dennis Rodman, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal.

The prevailing thought was at least Jackson had a proven star in Anthony that he could build a team around. This season, by Jackson's admission, has been a dismal failure. The Knicks were 5-36 after 41 games, the worst record of a Knick team; they're currently 10-43, 12.5 games behind the 8th seeded Miami Heat. They went on a 16 game losing streak that ended in January. Anthony scored even in a new offense, designed to get others involved. The triangle offense didn't fit the players the Knicks had on their roster and now, Jackson is re-making the team. Amar'e Stoudemire, brought in a few years back to give the Knicks credibility just made a deal to have the Knicks buyout his contract.  He and his injured body are on to Dallas and better days.

Carmelo, now known by his first name, has been playing with an injured knee for weeks. It got bad enough that he was scheduled to undergo surgery to have 'Patellar Tendon Debridgement." Anthony will miss the rest of the season and will be inactive for 4-6 months. Hopefully, he will be ready for next season.

"This is a necessary step for him to take," said Derek Fisher, his coach.

Anthony could score with the best of them. At the All-Star break, he was 2nd in the League with 24.2 ppg.  In the fourth quarter, the ball went to Anthony.  Every time the Knicks needed a basket, the ball went to Anthony. Most time he produced.

Even with a great scorer, the Knicks didn't win. Now, they don't have him. Guard Langston Galloway, who came to the Knicks on a 10-day contract, was such a breath of fresh air, that he was signed for the remainder of the season. So were other players. It appears that the Knicks are making this up on the fly, kind of like the Triangle but MJ or Kobe isn't on the team to bail it out.

Somehow the Knicks need to find a team without their go to guy. They need to find an identity.  Maybe Phil Jackson doesn't have Executive management skills.  Maybe he is in over his head.  He'll have to find the surface without Carmelo. There are 29 games left to discover, learn and grow.  That is hard to do under the media microscope in New York.  One thing is for certain: the Knicks are in the land of the Unknown.

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New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony Both Winners With New Contract

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Photo Credit: Reuters

It took longer than some people had hoped, but the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony finally were able to come to an agreement on a contract, as he will play out the remainder of his prime years in orange and blue. The exact numbers of the contract are not known, but what is known is that it will be for five years and between $122-123 million. It is not for the maximum that the Knicks were allowed under the CBA to offer Anthony, which makes both the player and organizations winners in this pact.

Heading into free agency, the biggest advantage the Knicks had over any other team courting Anthony was money. They could offer an extra year and anywhere between $30 and almost $50 million dollars depending on who the contract was coming from. While the extra money would be hard to pass up for Anthony, President Phil Jackson and the Knicks still needed to make sure the flexibility would still be there. $6-7 million does not sound like much of a discount, but given the circumstances the Knicks are in and cap situation, that is a big help.

Under the current CBA, Anthony is eligible for 7.5 percent increases in salary every season of the deal starting at $22.5 million. If reports are right and Anthony takes a flat salary in Year 2, the numbers will go as follows:

2014-15: $22.5 million

2015-16: $22.5 million

2016-2017: $24.2 million

2017-2018: $25.9 million

2018-2019: 27.6 million

Where the Knicks save in this deal is the second year of the contract, where they needed it most. The summer of 2015 is where the Knicks will have immense cap space, the first real chance Jackson and new head coach Derek Fisher have to really shape this roster. With Anthony firmly in place, they have the cornerstone, now it is time to augment the roster and add to the centerpiece they have in place. It does not seem like a lot on the outside, but that $2 million dollars could be the difference between the regular midlevel exception and the mini. 

The idea behind this is that Anthony gets his money, but later on so that the Knicks can take advantage of the massive cap space they are projected to have earlier on in the Anthony pact. Teams will more often than not try getting players to take less at the end of their contracts, but with this one the Knicks are agreeing to make sure Anthony gets his money over time as long as he gives them the flexibility earlier on to help get talent around him.

Jackson was very happy with how things progressed as well, saying, “He [Carmelo] did exactly what we kind of asked him to do. Give us a break in the early part of his contract so that when we have some wiggle room next year, which is hopefully big enough wiggle room, we can exploit it.” Jackson continued that saying, “I want to be fiscally responsible. We’ve been a taxpayer team for a little bit and we want to limit that.”

The Knicks have the taxpayer’s mini midlevel exception available to them, but they may not put that to use this season. The Knicks, admitted by Jackson, have some holes on the roster, but said, “We’re not just going to foolishly throw money away because it’s available to us.”

The hard part now is done for the Knicks, as they finally have their guy in Anthony locked up and on board. The next step for the Knicks will be evening out the roster. As currently situated, the Knicks are over-loaded in the backcourt with a log jam at the shooting guard position and a plethora of guards. On the flipside, they are thin up front and could use some help up front in the center and big man departments. How they go about filling those holes will be interesting to watch, as the goal is to keep the salary cap in 2015 and beyond as open as possible.

During his time on the television broadcast Jackson mentioned some holdovers from last season that he expected to see improvements from this season. That may be the strategy the Knicks take, hoping players such as Iman Shumpert and Andrea Bargnani fit more into the new scheme than the old one. Whatever the decision must be, it is now up to Jackson and Fisher to continue shaping this organization into the contender the fans and city are desperate to have.

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New York Knicks Need To Remain Calm, Cool and Collected in Stoudemire, Bargnani Trade Negotiations

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Tom Szczerbowski - USA TODAY Sports

With Carmelo Anthony’s free agency still looming over the head of the New York Knicks, Phil Jackson has been busy at work attempting to clear more cap space for this summer. The quickest way to do so is moving big contracts, which he has done once with Tyson Chandler being shipped out to the Dallas Mavericks. Even more cap space could be had if he finds a taker for Amar’e Stoudemire and or Andrea Bargnani. But Jackson needs to continue being savvy in negotiations with both, just as he was with the Chandler trade with the Mavericks.

Like Chandler, Stoudemire and Bargnani both come off the books next season, so it is not of the utmost importance for either player to be moved this offseason. Both will be unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2015, giving the Knicks a ton of cap space to woo free agents next summer.

If Jackson does indeed intend of moving one, if not both of the power forwards, he needs to tread lightly. Like mentioned earlier, both are free agents next season so mortgaging future assets just to get them off the books this season would not be a smart decision.

Those future assets that have been mentioned most are shooting guards Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr. Moving either player just to get cap space for this summer for the likes of Pau Gasol or someone of that nature would be short-sighted. Shumpert and Hardaway Jr. have two of the brightest outlooks of any player on the Knicks. If you were able to combine the two like something out of Dragon Ball Z, you would have the perfect basketball player. Shumpert’s tenacious defense has yet to be caught up to by his offense, while the explosive Hardaway Jr.’s offense is light years ahead of his defense.

Photo Credit: Shumpert - Paul J. Bereswill; Hardaway Jr. - Ray Stubblebine

The most recent rumor has the Knicks shipping Stoudemire and Shumpert to the Philadelphia 76ers for an unspecified package. The package would more than likely be some sort of draft pick compensation, as the end game for the Knicks in any deal involving Stoudemire or Bargnani would be to clear cap space. Including one of their young shooting guards would be more of a step backwards than forwards for Jackson and the Knicks.

The only scenario in which Shumpert or Hardaway Jr. should be included in a cap clearing move is if there is a deal in place that the Knicks are bringing in another superstar level player, such as LeBron James, with Anthony this season. Even then it would be a move Jackson and the Knicks hesitate to make, as they are confident right now they can move one of the high-priced forwards without sweetening the pot more than they need to.

The one move they have already made with the Mavericks should be enough to push the Knicks back into the playoffs this season as well. Jose Calderon running the point guard will be an immense upgrade, and Samuel Dalembert should bring the same production Chandler did, just more frequently as durability is better than Chandler’s. If the Knicks younger players can take that next step forward, this would definitely push them back into the postseason.

The Knicks have already learned the hard way what happens when you clear young assets to bring in a superstar level player, as they cleared the cupboard to get Anthony in town in the first place. That is a mistake the Knicks do not intend to make again, as Jackson’s steadying influence should help keep their heads on straight with an eye on the future, not just the present.

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New York Knicks' 2014 NBA Draft Recap

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Shannon Stapleton Reuters

For a team that was shut out altogether from the 2014 NBA Draft just 48 hours ago, the New York Knicks made quite a splash. President Phil Jackson was said to be coveting picks in this draft, and wanted in. He was able to do that after swinging a trade with the Dallas Mavericks that saw Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler shipped to Dallas for Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Shane Larkin, and Wayne Ellington and two second-round draft picks. Jackson and the Knicks made the most of those draft picks, selecting Cleanthony Early 34^th and Thanasis Antetokounmpo 51^st. Jackson did not stop there, as he also purchased the 57^th pick from the Indiana Pacers and selected French center Louis Labeyrie.

The catch of this draft is obviously Early. Early, the four-year collegiate player who played his last two seasons with the Wichita State Shockers, slid in the draft to the Knicks benefit. He was pegged by many analysts to be a shoe-in for the first round, going anywhere from late in the lottery or the early 20’s.

Early is a versatile scorer, who can fill it up from the interior and perimeter. He has an improving three-point shot, which will expand his offensive game even more if he is a threat from long range. He is also a strong rebounder, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Early also made a statement when it mattered most, playing for a Shockers team that lost only once this past season. He had a monster game against the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament, pouring in a season-high 31 as he 12-17 from the field.

Early showed good athleticism at the NBA Combine, registering a 40 inch-vertical leap during drills. That was one inch higher than Aaron Gordon, who is said to have all-world athleticism.

Early does have some things to work on, namely his ball handling. He could struggle at first getting to the rim with his shaky handles, which is one of the reasons he fell in the draft.

Even with that, he is a player that could help the Knicks right away, with or without Carmelo Anthony. He will add much needed depth behind Anthony if he decides to re-sign, but if he leaves Early will have a great opportunity to grow with plenty of minutes and shots being available. He will have a chip on his shoulder and will look to prove all of the teams that passed him over wrong.

With their second pick of the night, the Knicks selected the brother of Milwaukee Bucks’ 2013 first round pick Giannis Antetokounmpo, aka The Greek Freak. While Thanasis does not have the same ceiling as his brother, he is a strong wing player that is NBA ready defensively.

Standing 6-feet-6 inches tall, Thanasis is super athletic, using that to his advantage defensively. He showcased that athleticism on multiple occasions in the NBA D-League last season for the Philadelphia 87ers. He has a massive wing span of seven-feet, which enables him to finish well at the rim when couple with the athleticism he possesses.

David Dow/Getty Images

He needs to improve his jump shot and offense overall, but defense right now is his calling card. Second round picks have an uphill battle making NBA rosters, but when you have the defensive intensity such as Antetokounmpo teams will notice, especially one as starved for defense as the Knicks. Outside of Iman Shumpert, there are not many players you would say are defensive gifted on this roster. It will be what helps him get noticed by the coaching staff and make the roster this coming season.

As for Labeyrie, there is no much to be said. There is a chance he will never make an appearance in the NBA. Last season, playing for Paris-Levallois, the 6-foot-10 inch Frenchman averaged 2.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 12.8 minutes per game. Nothing to really get excited about here.

The Knicks had a successful draft, especially judging from where they stood as recently as Wednesday morning. It is fair to say that Jackson has made a splash thus far in his first offseason in the front office, as he continues to change the culture in New York. The Knicks are finally beginning to stockpile some useful assets, and you should expect that to continue. The Knicks are loaded currently on the wings and in the backcourt, making more moves by Jackson expected. Things are finally looking bright for the Knicks after so many years of poor executive decisions being made, and Jackson is the driving force.

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New York Knicks Trade Tyson Chandler, Raymond Felton To Dallas Mavericks For 4 Players, 2 Draft Picks

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Photo Via ESPN

Since taking over as President of the New York Knicks, Phil Jackson has been biding his time for the right move. That move came Wednesday afternoon, as Jackson executed his first big move as lead man for the Knicks, executing a trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The trade, just waiting NBA approval, will send Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to the Mavericks for Samuel Dalembert, Jose Calderon, Shane Larkin Wayne Ellington, and the 34^th and 51^st picks in the draft Thursday night.

It is quite a haul for Jackson and the Knicks, as Felton was looked at as a player that would be tough to move after struggling mightily last season with injuries and off-court issues. But the Mavericks coveted Chandler after losing this season in the first round to eventual NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs, and were willing to take on what is becoming an albatross contract in Felton. Chandler will be reunited with the team that he helped to defeat the Miami Heat in 2011 NBA Finals in the first season of the ‘Big 3” era.

For the Knicks this is something new to see. Usually they are on the end of a trade with the less attractive pieces coming aboard, but for once it can be argued they won this trade and handedly.

Seeing the Knicks receiving draft picks is one of the rarest sights in recent NBA memory. Prior to Jackson coming aboard, the Knicks treated draft picks like candy on Halloween, just handing them out to whoever asked. But Jackson seems to be changing that philosophy, and seemed hell-bent on getting into this draft. The Mavericks gave the Knicks that opportunity, sending the 34^th and 51^st picks. They are only second rounders, but a pick that high in the second round could net the Knicks a valuable player. One person being mentioned is Florida big man Patric Young, whom the Knicks had in for a workout. He would bring plenty of toughness to a Knicks frontcourt that is lacking in that department to put it nicely with the likes of Andrea Bargnani (When he isn’t facing off against Kevin Garnett and the Brooklyn Nets).

Jerome Miron - USA TODAY Sports

For starters, Calderon and Dalembert are an upgrade over Felton and Chandler. Calderon is an outstanding fit in the triangle offense with his deadly accuracy from the perimeter and limited turnover rates. The triangle offense makes the need for a top flight PG less important, but a player like Calderon should thrive there as a spot up three-point shooter.

People will point out that Calderon actually has a contract longer than Felton did, but depending on what direction the Knicks take from here that should not be much of a problem. Flipping Calderon at a later date, if the need arises, should not be tough for the Knicks. He is more than serviceable point guard that a team would be willing to take on if the need for a point guard is apparent.

Calderon could also help the Knicks in recruiting, as Marc Gasol becomes a free agent next summer. Calderon and Gasol are close from their time playing with the Spain National Team, and his presence on the Knicks should entice him to come to New York to play alongside Calderon.

Dalembert may be a downgrade according to some people, but he should be able to hold his own in the middle of the defense. Like Chandler, he does not possess much of a face-up offensive game, which hurts his value in the triangle offense, but he is a better offensive rebounder at this point than Chandler, and is also a more efficient finisher. But it is worth repeating, Dalembert will not be playing for his offensive prowess, if he even makes it to the court at all as a Knick.

Rocky Widner/Getty Images

Dalembert’s contract for the upcoming season is actually not fully guaranteed, meaning the Knicks could just cut him and save even more money. As it currently sits, the Knicks should save about $3 million but that could reach as much as $5 million depending on what is done with Dalembert and because he has a 15 percent trade kicker. It is also worth noting, if he does play, that he actually had better per 36 minute stats last season than Chandler, averaging 11.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks compared to 10.4 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for Chandler.

The other pieces the Knicks made could also come in handy. Ellington offers another contract the Knicks could offer up if other moves are to be made, but on the court he will help in an area the Knicks had a severe drop off last season; perimeter shooting. In his career, Ellington is a 38.6 percent shooter from behind the arc, shooting 42.4 percent last season and 39.6 percent in 2013. He should be able to carve out a role similar to what Steve Novak thrived in during the Knicks successful 2013 season.

The big piece and x-factor in this trade is Larkin. The 18^th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Larkin was a player the Knicks had actually had on their radar. He is undersized at 5’11” and 176 pounds, but he has great athleticism, holding the highest vertical jump for a point guard at the NBA Combine with a 44” leap last season. He did struggle last season as a rookie, like plenty of people in that draft class, but SCHOENE projections has Larkin pegged for being a very good backup at the very least by the time his rookie contract comes to an end.

Ronald Martinez - USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks may not be the team that sees that jump in production though, as rumors already have been swirling that they were looking to flip Dalembert and Larkin to another team barely after this trade became official. No one is sure yet what this trade means in the big picture for the Knicks other than Jackson himself, but you can be assured this will be a much more active summer for New York than people originally thought. Jackson fired off his first move today, but smart money would be on this not being the last.

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New York Knicks Trade of Iman Shumpert Will Be Feast or Famine

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Photo Credit: New York Post

With the NBA Drat just days away, trade rumors and speculation are swirling. The New York Knicks, who do not own a pick in the draft this year, are looking for ways to get into the foray. One discussion that has been discussed is the Knicks buying their way into the draft, with President Phil Jackson tossing some money at a team looking to send away some of their picks. Another option that has arisen is trading shooting guard Iman Shumpert, which would be an unintelligent move to make.

Shumpert did not blossom offensively as the Knicks hoped in 2013-2014 after a strong playoff run in 2013. Shumpert finished this season with underwhelming offensive numbers, averaging only 6.7 points per game on 37.8 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from three point territory. He too often settled for jump shots, attacking the basket less this season while attempting only 71 free throws in 74 games.

Shumpert also had to deal with constant changing to his role, having to start at shooting guard and small forward and then being moved to the bench in favor of J.R. Smith. The constant trade rumors he had to deal with during the season also seemed to wear on the young shooting guard, as Shumpert never really got on track during the season.

Reports are that Shumpert is once again being dangled in trade rumors, this time for a pick late in the first round of the draft. There are a few teams that look interested, the first being the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder were very interested in adding Shumpert at this past season’s trade deadline, offering a first round pick in return. That seems to be the trade that is on the table once again at this current time, as the Thunder own picks 21 and 29 in the first round this season.

Another team in the same boat is the Los Angeles Clippers. Like the Thunder, they had a lot of interest in Shumpert near the trade deadline. They were even willing to trade for him after he suffered an injury. This trade fell apart, much like with the Thunder, because the Knicks insisted any team trading for Shumpert take back Raymond Felton as well.

It was a decision that was smart at the time, and would make just as much sense now. No matter whom the Knicks draft, no player will be able to replace the production Shumpert gave them. While his offense may not be peaking as they wish, he still offers excellent defense and fills up the stat sheet in other ways, averaging 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 in only 26.5 minutes of action per game.

Eric Gay/AP Photo

If the Knicks are to trade off essentially their only asset, and one of their only true building blocks, there has to be other incentive other than getting a pick in what many people believe is a loaded draft. Ridding themselves of a contract such as Felton or J.R. Smith in the process would be a smart move. Moving either Shumpert and/or Smith will also open up playing time for Tim Hardaway Jr.

Another team that could show interest in Shumpert is the Phoenix Suns. They already have an outstanding backcourt duo in Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic, but both are undersized to be playing together. Bledsoe is also a restricted free agent, and there is no guarantee that the Suns will match any offer he receives. The Suns also possess multiple first round picks, having the 14^th, 18^th and 27^th picks in the draft this season. If they do not package those to move up, sending one to the Knicks for Shumpert is a possibility.

A dark-horse team to acquire the services of Shumpert is the Miami Heat. They have the 26^th pick in the draft, which is right in the range the Knicks are looking to get in at. The Heat are looking to draft players that can come in and help them immediately, given their current roster situation and championship aspirations.  What better way to add a player to help immediately than adding someone like Shumpert? Shumpert would help them immensely in a couple of areas they struggle in, giving them some depth at the wing and a legitimate option at replacing Wade when he needs to sit for rest.

While Shumpert it seems could fetch the Knicks a first round pick, it is something they need to avoid doing. No player that deep in the draft will help the Knicks in the near future, convincing Carmelo Anthony to stay with the team long-term. The only way the Knicks should realistically consider trading Shumpert would be if they rid themselves of one of the contracts that run beyond the 2014-2015, namely Felton or Smith.

It isn’t a huge market for Shumpert since it seems the Knicks options are mostly limited to teams with multiple first round picks looking to move at least one. This week is the first real chance Jackson has to shape the Knicks roster; here’s to hoping he waves his magic wand and makes something positive out of the situation during draft week.

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New York Knicks' Raymond Felton Avoids Jail Time, What Is His Future With Team?

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725) 

AP Photo/John Minchillo

New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton received some good news Monday morning, as he will avoid jail time after reaching a plea agreement on two felony gun charges he had been facing since late February.

Per the agreement made, Felton has to plead guilty to one of the two charges, which were third degree criminal possession of a weapon or criminal possession of a firearm. In addition, he has to complete 500 hours of community service, pay a $5,000 fine, register as a gun offender and he cannot appeal the case, waiving that right.

Felton did not talk at the hearing Monday morning, and did not take questions from reporters either once out of the courtroom. He did issue a statement for all to hear once outside.

“I just want to say that I want to thank the DA for being fair to me in this whole situation. I want to thank all my friends, my family especially, my fans, everybody just for supporting me and understanding the person I am.”

It has been a tumultuous time for Felton, who has had these charges hanging over his head since February 25^th when he turned himself in. His wife, Ariane Raymundo-Felton, alleged that he threatened her with a firearm. She also filed for divorce from Felton just a week prior to this incident.

Felton is fortunate to receive the decision that he did, because it could have been much worse. New York sports fans remember Plaxico Burress having to deal with gun charges in 2008, derailing the New York Giants season when they looked poised to challenge for another Super Bowl. Burress received a two year jail sentence; Felton’s charges carried a maximum of seven years in prison. He should consider himself lucky to receive the sentence that he did.

Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

On the basketball side of things, Felton has two years remaining on the four-year $15 million contract he signed prior to the 2012-2013 season, with a player option on the end.

He had arguably the worst season of his career last year, averaging a career-low 9.7 points per game on 39.5 percent shooting and only 5.6 assists per game. Stats like that will make it hard for Felton to be moved, but the Knicks will certainly try.

Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that Jackson planned on moving on from Felton, essentially telling him during his exit interview that his chances of staying with the team were slim to none. With Felton avoiding jail time, the chances of Jackson being able to move Felton increased. The only thing Felton and whatever team he plays on next season has to worry about is a suspension from the NBA.

Where Felton will be moved is a whole different animal. It is hard to imagine a team taking on Felton willingly, so a more realistic option would be him being added into a bigger trade. For example, a team wanting Tyson Chandler, it is conceivable the Knicks try to convince them to take on Felton as well. It is the type of trade that would have only been a pipedream in recent seasons, as the Knicks were usually the ones taking on poor contracts.

Another option is being packaged with Iman Shumpert. The Knicks were close to trading Shumpert at the 2014 trade deadline, but the deals were off after they insisted on including Felton in the deal. The bartering back and forth between taking back a first round draft pick and moving Felton stalled all of the deals. With the offseason now on our hands and the draft right around the corner, the Knicks are again shopping Shumpert in hopes of getting into the first round of what is a loaded draft.

There is interest in Shumpert, and the Knicks should take advantage and try pawning Felton off on another team. Felton’s days as a serviceable starting point guard look to be behind him, but he would easily be a top reserve guard with the capabilities of spot starting when necessary. A team like the Thunder could have a use for Felton with Derek Fisher retiring and coaching the Knicks now, and previously having interest in Shumpert.

While it may be tough moving Felton, the Knicks do not have many other options replacing him. They have already been linked to liking Patty Mills, but being armed with only the mini-mid level exception he may not be in their price range. While many people will see it as a disappointment if Felton is still the starting point guard for the Knicks next season, it is the most likely scenario. The Knicks just have to hope the veteran point guard can bounce back after a tough 2013-2014 season.

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New York Knicks Make Right Choice Officially Naming Derek Fisher Head Coach

CBS Sports New York

Written by Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

The New York Knicks and Phil Jackson have finally gotten their guy, as Derek Fisher officially became head coach of the team Tuesday. Fisher, who played nine seasons with Jackson, winning five NBA titles in the process, will be the 26th head coach in the history of the franchise.

The Knicks did not wait long to land Fisher, who had not yet even officially announced his retirement before the Knicks began ramping up their pursuit of the 18-year veteran. The deal that Fisher and the Knicks agreed to is a five-year, $25 million pact. It is worth noting that Fisher, who earned over $63 million over his playing career, earned $5 million in a season only four out of the 18 years he played.

While many people will cite Fisher’s inexperience as a coach as a reason for this being a poor hire, Fisher, in reality, is the perfect fit for the direction this team is heading in. Jackson was adamant about finding a head coaching replacement that shared his philosophies and fit a very specific criterion, but he found it in Fisher.

People will poke holes in this kind of thinking, saying a person with experience can only succeed in New York and Jackson pigeonholed the search too much. But, this should be viewed as a positive thing. The fact Jackson is attempting to build some continuity and cohesion from the top down in the organization is a refreshing thing to see. Too often the Knicks have been a media circus, with the views of the people at the top of the organization not meshing the ones on the court. It caused fissures throughout the organization, leading to the out of control circus that has turned a once storied franchise into the butt of plenty of jokes and for the most part a laughing stock.

Seth Wenig - AP Photo

After such a disappointing 2013-2014 season, expectations should be tempered for Fisher and the Knicks heading into next season. This could lead to unexpected positive results, much like other first-year coaches such as Mark Jackson, Jeff Hornacek and Jason Kidd have experienced recently. If Fisher can lead the Knicks to a season like Kidd led the Nets to last year, or Hornacek led with the Suns, it should be considered a great success.

The first step Fisher and Jackson will have to take is filling out the remainder of the coaching staff. When Jackson fired Mike Woodson, he sent his whole coaching staff packing. Much like with the head coach, the assistants will have to be triangle offense disciples so everything is consistent throughout the staff. Kurt Rambis has been confirmed as one of the assistants, with Bill Cartwright interviewing for a position. Former Jackson players Luke Walton and Rick Fox have also been mentioned as possible options on the bench, along with ex-Lakers assistant Jim Cleamons, ex-Bulls player Ron Harper and 18-year NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse.

It will be a long process for Fisher and the Knicks, but he sounded confident and ready to go in his introductory press conference. He is an intelligent person with loads of basketball experience. The championship rings he has back that up. He also has a luxury not many rookie head coaches have in being friends with and having a mentor with the stature and experience of Jackson. There aren’t many people better to learn basketball from. The foundation is being built in a constructive way, it is now time for Fisher to learn the ins and outs of coaching and begin shaping a winning roster alongside Jackson and the rest of his coaching staff and front office.

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New York Knicks Looking to Move Raymond Felton

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

With the Knicks continuing their coaching search after Steve Kerr spurned them for the Golden State Warriors, news broke that President Phil Jackson already has plans to shape his roster, without a coach yet being in place.

Earlier this week it was said that the Knicks would try and trade Raymond Felton this offseason. That is not surprising with Felton’s play falling off last season and them being close to trading him this past season at the trade deadline. What is surprising, is that Jackson essentially told him his chances were slim at best that he would be a Knick next season.

Moving Felton will not be the easiest task for Jackson and the Knicks, as he has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $15 million contract he signed prior to the 2012 campaign. The final year of the contract is a player option, and it is hard to imagine him passing that up.

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Last season Felton struggled mightily, never getting into a groove as he battled injuries throughout the season. When he was on the court, he provided uneven play and falling well short of what he gave the Knicks in the 2012-2013 season.

Felton averaged a career-low 9.7 points per game last season, shooting 39.5 percent from the field and 31.8 from the three-point line. He averaged only 5.6 assists as well to go with 3.0 rebounds.

Where Felton disappointed the most was on the defensive end. Opposing point guards averaged 22.7 points per game against him, as Felton was a revolving door at the defensive end, putting immense pressure on the interior players to provide help defense.

While he struggled last season, he could still be a piece a team trades for. He no longer looks to be starter worthy at an NBA level, but as a backup point guard he should succeed. Not being the sole player responsible for getting the team into the offense will help Felton immensely. Also as a backup point guard, his minutes will be reduced. He won’t have to chase around opposing starting point guards for 30+ minutes a night, and teams can mask his deficiencies more effectively the less time he is needed.

He is also a veteran, and could give spot starts when needed. Plenty of teams suffer when a start goes down because they do not have a player capable of stepping in for a couple games. While Felton struggled last season, he has shown that he is capable of playing well in spurts, which is all you need from a reserve.

Felton also had some off the court trouble last season. He was issued two felony gun charges in February and will be in court June 2^nd.

The gun charges are what could be the real deterrent in moving Felton. It will be hard to convince another team to take on a player they may not actually get to use on the court for the upcoming season.

All in all, it is not a surprise that the Knicks will look to move Felton this offseason. Last season was enough, at least in the eyes of Jackson, that Felton can no longer be a starter in this league. While people will ask why the Knicks just don’t hold onto him to be their backup, it would be hard to justify him getting minutes from Pablo Prigioni, who has proven time and time again that he is a great backup option for this team.

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Where will Carmelo Anthony go?

By Clevis Murray

Phil Jackson has begun his spring cleaning within the New York Knicks organization by tossing coaches out of the organization akin to how Uncle Phil would toss Jazz and others on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air television show. The firing of head coach Mike Woodson, long-time assistant coach Herb Williams and more is the first major move by Jackson since he became the President of the organization on March 18th and after telling the current team that "changes" will be made and most of them won't return next season, it makes us all question how his moves will impact 7 time All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony. 

Anthony is expected to decline his $23.5 million player option for next season and become a free agent. The 2014 free agent class will potentially include the likes of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James but Anthony will be critiqued the most because he is likeliest one of others to leave his current team and with the way things started and ended in the city that never sleeps his departure isn't as far fetched as it seemed back in October/November.  

"He wants to be in a situation where he can start winning, and he is going to look at teams based on that,” a SportingNews source said. “Coaching is only a part of the equation."

Where will ‘Melo go this summer? The 6-foot-8, 235-pound professional scorer born in the Red Hook projects of Brooklyn New York could end up playing in the Windy City in the United Center aka the house that Jordan built. Anthony has also been rumored to end up with the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets. All are great teams but the way Anthony plays he is better suited to team up with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah as he is the true missing piece to the puzzle in Chi-Towns championship aspirations. In the event that Anthony does leave the Knicks, he will become more scrutinized than LeBron James when he left his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2010 on "The Decision." 

This season Anthony has flirted with the idea of going to Chicago more than any other team this season on countless occasions and has also been rumored to have the Bulls on his short list of teams he's interested in, he also showed admiration for the Bulls coaching staff.

"(The Bulls) have a great coach and system,” Anthony said. “It’s like Gregg Popovich’s system. You can put anyone in the system and it’s going to work. Guys have been in and out of the lineup and they still get it done." 

Chicago Bulls Head coach Tom Thibodeau heard about ‘Melo's comments and would go on to compliment and even recalled a few moments back to 2012 on the Team USA Olympic team, giving Anthony the highest praise a player could get and went into much detail about his game. 

"He can score so many different ways," Thibodeau said. "He can post up. He can catch-and-shoot. He can isolate. He can be the screener in a pick-and-roll. He can be the ball-handler in a pick-and-roll. He gets to the free-throw line. He’s a great offensive rebounder. If you overcommit your help, he probably doesn’t get enough credit for being a very good passer, particularly to the weakside corner. He can hurt you a lot of different ways. He can score the ball very easily. It doesn’t take him much to get going."

Thibodeau also wanted to shutdown the notion that Anthony is a selfish player that can't make plays. 

"It’s interesting because with USA Basketball, they talk about him being a playmaker," he said. "He scores and if a guy is open, he passes the ball. I think oftentimes it’s who he plays with. It’s interesting, a lot of the things that you hear about him, I heard about Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen and Paul Pierce before they came together and won it. That changes perception. Carmelo has been one of the elite scorers in the league for a long, long time."

Now with those comments having been said, those within the Bulls organization have become “increasingly optimistic” about acquiring 'Melo this season and with the NBA salary cap expected to increase by 7.7% which is an extra $5 million to all teams it makes the possibility of Anthony hearing the raspy voice of Tom Thibodeau on the sidelines a bigger possibility. In order to make a respectable offer to Anthony the front office will need to use the amnesty provision on 2 time All-Star forward Carlos Boozer, who has for some odd reason is disliked in the Chicago community and Bulls fans around the world. Chicago could also make a enticing offer to trade Boozer elsewhere as they have the 16th and 19th picks in this years hyped up draft; Boozer will become a free agent in 2015 as he will have one year left on his deal worth $16.8 million.

In his exit interview, Anthony who will turn 30 on May 29th said he's “not concerned about the money” and in all reality he shouldn't as he has earned $135.9 million just from his salary earnings which is excluding his endorsements. LeBron James and Dwight Howard sacrificed money to win and if he wants to that beautiful Larry O'Brien trophy in June then he must take a salary paycut which in all reality wouldn't hurt since he “wants to win.” 

Just like Phil Jackson said, Anthony had to "carry a big load" for NYK this season, but with the Bulls he wouldn't have to because him, Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah will form another "Big-3" along with perfect role players in Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich and D.J. Augustin. As we've seen the past two seasons, the Bulls are a great regular season team with their blue dollar nitty gritty defense but come postseason time in a best-of-seven series they struggle to put the ball in the hole and knowing that it would be astute for ‘Melo to sign a possible deal with Chicago. Derrick Rose when healthy makes is what twitter calls them these days a "PointGod" but with his recent ACL and Meniscus injury he's been for from it but his absence has been a blessing in disguise as Chicago arguably has the best role players in the NBA as many have had career years in the past which should lure ‘Melo there.

Earlier in March, there was a reported conversation between Joakim Noah and Carmelo Anthony; but everything needed to be denied due to the possibility of tampering but then against the NBA inconsistently fines teams for that anyways.

Joakim Noah: “Look, you can go to Los Angeles. But if you want to win a ring, if you want your legacy to be about winning, come to Chicago.”

Carmelo Anthony: “Look, I’ve been watching you guys. I admire how hard you play. I admire how hungry you are. Oh, and by the way, my son’s favorite player: Derrick Rose.”

Just to add to that, reports came out that franchise guard Derrick Rose wants ‘Melo in a Bulls uniform and like I said before it makes total sense as they would take pressure off each other as well as compliment each other since both players operate from doing spaces on the floor and do something that the Bulls struggle to which is score at a high rate while playing lock down defense — ‘Melo isn't the best defender as he has a 107 Defensive Rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) and a 27.3 Defensive Win Shares (number of wins contributed due to defense).

A point worth noting is Anthony has never played with a respectable All-Star Point Guard that can score and distribute. Anthony most notably has played with Chauncey Billups back in Denver and also played with Allen Iverson but the difference from then and now is the situation is perfect because the Bulls players play for each other which would make Anthony and Rose the top 1-2 punch in the league with their background dancers behind them.  

Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard gave Anthony some words of wisdom for free agency telling him what he should consider.

"He has been in the league for a long time," Howard said. "He hasn't made it to the Finals and at this point in his career he wants to win. You can see it every night when he plays. I know he has to take a lot of shots and all that stuff, but he just wants to win."

"I can't say (what he'll do)," Howard said. "That's on him. He's got to decide. (But) he can't be what everybody else wants. In this situation, you've got to take your heart out of it…So I'd just say for him, take his heart out of it and think with his head and think about business."

LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh left their bad situations to become the missing pieces to now championship teams and Anthony can do just that in a Bulls uniform and create a legacy for him known more than just a scorer.

James spent his first seasons on teams that were thought of to be championship contending teams during the regular season but in all reality weren't becasue James was so good he made his peers look like the best role players but once the playoffs came it was a different story as their true colors were shown. As for Bosh he was in Toronto which was never a championship team but just a traditional playoff team that makes it and gets eliminated in the 1st-round. Both James and Bosh seen the opporunity to team-up with Dwyane Wade in South Beach and the rest is history as the NBA's new dominate "Big-3" has been to the Finals in each of their first three seasons together going 2-1; and are looking to make it four this  postseason.  Both have solidified themselves as champions with a dream-like career and unlike Biggie Smalls, they don't have to wake up and say "It was all a dream" becasue they lived it.

Dwight Howard on the other hand forced his way out of Orlando after making the Finals in 2009 and Eastern Conference Finals in 2010 but after that there was tumultuous ending with the franchise as he had sage known as a "Dwightmare" becasue he wouldn't makeup a decision on where he wanted to play. After a brief stop with the Lakers, Howard signed with Houston to team-up with James Harden and a very young core of role players in H-Town in hopes of fulfilling his championship aspirations now that he feels himself again.

Both Howard and ‘Melo do share something in common, both have seen the blueprints that their peers have laid out and are trying to follow it correctly on their way to the top with some help on the way. If Anthony wants another ring next to his wedding then joining the Chicago Bulls this summer will be the best option for him. He will still be the same player but the difference is he'll have more help with players that know their role and are fine with it as they excel at it and also another joining another superstar in Derrick Rose would be a dream come true. ‘Melo has been flirting with Chicago all season but it's time for him to put his big boy pants on and go in for the kill.

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Mike Woodson Fired as Head Coach of Knicks

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725

On Monday, the New York Knicks announced that they have fired head coach Mike Woodson, ending his 26-month run leading the team. President Phil Jackson did not stop there, as the entire coaching staff was relieved of their duties, as Jackson looks intent on cleaning house and overhauling the whole thing.

Howard Simmons/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The firing of the whole staff is something that could be looked at as a positive. It is a sign that James Dolan is not meddling in the decision making yet, as Herb Williams is even being relieved of his duties this time around. Williams was the longest tenured coach on staff, and had the longest tenure of any assistant on the bench in Knicks history. He was able to stick around through the tenures of six different coaches, a clear sign that he was a Dolan guy, as assistant coaches change in the NBA pretty regularly. It may not be looked at as a big deal by some, but it is definitely a move that will raise the eyebrows of some and should be looked at as a positive, as Jackson, for now, looks to have the full autonomy Dolan promised.

Now onto Woodson…

Woodson had a roller coaster ride with the Knicks, experiencing plenty of highs, but also many lows. The highs came right off the bat, making Woodson popular amongst the Knicks and their fans. After getting off to a slow start in the lockout shortened 2011-2012 season, Woodson relieved Mike D’Antoni of his duties, and got the Knicks to finish the season strongly at 18-6. The goodwill was somewhat lost after the Miami Heat handled the Knicks relatively easily, disposing of them 4-1 in the playoffs that season.

But, Woodson had done enough to have the interim tag removed, as he became the head coach for the 2012-2013 season. Woodson and the Knicks then experienced their highest high under his tenure, finishing 54-28, and winning the Atlantic Division title. The Knicks then went on to win their first playoff series in what felt like forever, defeating the division rival Boston Celtics, effectively ending an era in Boston.

Woodson looked to have finally adapt to his surroundings. Knowing the Knicks had shooters at their disposal, he began using a small lineup, starting two point guards most of the season. The results were phenomenal, as the Knicks spread teams out and killed them from the perimeter, raining down three pointers and executing the pick-and-roll game to perfection. With the perimeter opening things up, the middle was wide open for Tyson Chandler to dive right to the basket for alley-oop dunks.

Then the low came along in the second round against the Indiana Pacers, as the Knicks pretty much abandoned what had gotten then to that point, the small ball lineup, in favor of a bigger lineup to try and contend with the Pacers inside. Woodson looked to have gotten nervous after a Game 1 loss, panicked and made the change that effectively ended the Knicks season. The results were ugly, as the Pacers knocked off the Knicks in six games, winning two of the four games by 11 points.

ESPN.go.com

The highs were never again experienced with Woodson at the helm, as the 2013-2014 was as disappointing a season the Knicks had put together in some time. This was arguably worse than seasons under Larry Brown, Isaiah Thomas or D’Antoni.  Unlike those teams, the Knicks team this season had expectations, a team that could make noise in the postseason after the successful run they had put together the previous season.

But the problems that Woodson showed in the playoff series against the Pacers in 2013, reared their ugly head throughout the 2013-2014 season. Armed with newly acquired big man Andrea Bargnani, Woodson was insistent on starting a ‘big’ lineup. He continued to play Bargnani alongside Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler in the starting lineup, even though the results were not positive, and sometimes down right ugly to watch.

The Knicks personnel changed quite drastically this season, as the wiley veterans and sharpshooters were gone. In their place, was much less experienced players, some of which could be argued should not have even been on the team in the first place, and no real three-point threats. The loss of players like Jason Kidd, Rasheed Wallace, Kurt Thomas and Marcus Camby impaced the Knicks just as much, if not more, in the locker room and off the court as it did on it. The Knicks just did not have as good a roster as the previous season, and the results were a team that performed poorly.

Because of this, it is fair to ask if Woodson has unfairly been given the blame for this season. With a roster depleted of talent, and expectations set sky high by owner James Dolan at the start of the season, it was almost as if Woodson was set up to fail. The formula that had succeeded last season, placing shooters all over the court around Anthony, was replaced with higher price tags and more noticeable names.

It could also be argued that as the head coach, Woodson needs to make what is given to him work. This is true to an extent, as Woodson’s schemes did not fit the personnel he was given. His reluctance to trust younger and less known players also hurt, as the Knicks once again this season, much like last season with Chris Copeland, had players on the bench that performed when given the chance, but were never given real opportunities to play. This season those players were Toure’ Murry, a defensive ace in the making learning to play point guard, and former lottery pick Cole Aldrich. Whoever takes over the Knicks next will be sure to give those two long looks before the Knicks lose out on them in the offseason like they did with Copeland.

David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images

Woodson should be praised for some of his work though, as he did get enough out of J.R. Smith to make him Sixth Man of the Year in 2013. Smith played the best basketball of his career, as Woodson finally looked to get to Smith, a player who has clashed with almost all of his coaches previously.He also got the high-profile players such as Anthony, Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire to buy in, resulting in the most successful season the Knicks had seen in over a decade.

In the end, Woodson’s message began getting stale with the players, as some started to become frustrated with the lack of changes being made when the going got tough. Throughout his career, Woodson has shown a reluctance, even stubbornness in some people’s eyes, to fully buy in and change his ways. The timing of the poor results could not have come at a worse time for Woodson either, as Jackson seems intent on bringing in his own guys and making this work. It may not have all been Woodson’s fault, but as the head coach some blame needs to be placed on him, and changes needed to be made. As a result, his job will be filled by another person in the coming weeks. Woodson ends his tenure as head coach with a final record of 109-79.

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Knicks Defeat Nets, Win Season Series 3-1

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Tuesday, April 15^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets

Post Game Recap

The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets finished up their disappointing season series Tuesday night, as the Knicks defeated the Nets 109-98. It was the third win in the series for the Knicks, who defeated the Nets by 30 and 29 points earlier in the season, while the Nets lone victory came by 23. There was plenty of players not suiting up tonight, and veterans who did played very little as both teams had nothing to really play for. The play resulted in a game that looked more like a preseason game than a regular season meeting. Both teams will be playing their regular season finales Wednesday night, as the Knicks will take on the Toronto Raptors, and the Nets will be going against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Knicks Perspective:

It was yet another solid performance for the Knicks tonight, even though they were eliminated from playoff contention Saturday night. Tonight they were without Carmelo Anthony, who it turns out, is suffering from a torn labrum. Several other veterans, such as Tyson Chandler, Pablo Prigioni, J.R. Smith, Raymond Felton and Amar’e Stoudemire came nowhere near to their regular minutes, as head coach Mike Woodson rolled with the reserves and younger players.

The player who performed best tonight in the extended minutes once again was Cole Aldrich. Aldrich came down with a season-high 13 rebounds to go with 13 points, one steal and one block. Aldrich has shown all season that he is capable of producing when on the court, and tonight was no different. He definitely deserves a shot at being Chandler’s backup next season, as he has proved himself a capable backup and spot starter when needed.

Another player who looked good tonight was Iman Shumpert. The much maligned shooting guard has had his struggles this season, but has been coming on since being moved to the bench. His defense has started resembling more of the lockdown performer he was before the knee injury and what he showed during last season’s playoffs.

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

He also had two highlight plays tonight, breaking Paul Pierce’s ankles with a crossover into a jump shot in the third quarter that he nailed, and finishing in transition with a dunk off a pass off the backboard from Toure’ Murry. Phil Jackson mentioned Shumpert as one of the players he was impressed with, and he has done nothing to change that thinking.

Tim Hardaway Jr. continued to score well off the bench for the Knicks. Tonight he scored a team high 16 points, making 5-12 from the field and 4-4 from the foul line. Hardaway Jr. looks like he is going to be a great weapon off the bench for the Knicks as a wing scorer. It would not be shocking to see Hardaway Jr. push his per game scoring up to the 12-13 point range as he becomes more accustomed to the NBA game. Where he needs to improve still is on the defensive end, as he offers very little outside of a scoring punch at this time.

Nets Perspective:

It was a letdown of sorts for the Nets, who still had something to play for in the game, but did not look like it from how they played. The Nets still have not locked up the fifth seed, and do not look like they want to as it will result in a matchup with the Chicago Bulls in the first round.

Mason Plumlee was a bright spot for the Nets tonight. With Kevin Garnett missing so much action this season, Plumlee has really grown as a player. He now looks like an important piece for the Nets heading into the post season. He is a big that is active and can keep up with the talented front lines of teams like the Bulls and Raptors, something Garnett does not look like he will be able to do any longer. Tonight Plumlee finished with an impressive 16 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Marcus Thornton looks to have been a steal for the Nets and real weapon for them off the bench. Tonight he poured in 24 points, and has been much more successful and productive off the bench than Jason Terry was. He gave the Nets a little more youth, and at this stage of their careers, a more dangerous player. He may lack the experience Terry has, but he makes up for it with his explosiveness. It is possible he could lead the Nets in scoring any night off the bench, as he is capable of filling it up from beyond the three point line.

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