Other than the Cavaliers, the biggest loser in the free agent derby was clearly the New York Knicks. No one expected the Clippers to get anyone. The Bulls got Carlos Boozer and already had a solid core in place. The Heat scored incredibly. The Hawks held on to Joe Johnson (though overpaid incredibly). The Suns happily saved money. The Mavericks re-signed Dirk Nowitzki. The Celtics kept Paul Pierce and Ray Allen while adding Jermaine O'Neal. The Rockets held on to their various assets, keeping them in position to make a strike if a top-level player were to become available during the season (Carmelo Anthony? Chris Paul?). Even the Nets can say they're headed upwards, striking out on the big guns but still adding Martell Webster and rookie Derrick Favors to a decent Devin Harris-Brook Lopez combo while adding a gazillionaire owner who is eager to spend.
The Knicks? Well, it was a complete failure, unless you consider replacing David Lee with Amar'e Stoudemire, Kelenna Azuibuike, Anthony Randolph and Ronny Turiaf a success.
When Donnie Walsh took over the Knicks basketball operations from Isiah Thomas a couple of years ago, he had one mandate: clear bad contracts and create cap space for the summer of 2010. LeBron James was the target but, failing that, they would get Dwyane Wade. Surely they wouldn't miss out on both, right?
When Mike D'Antoni left Phoenix two years ago, he agreed to spend two seasons coaching horrific rosters in New York because come the summer of 2010, they would become title contenders. With D'Antoni's relationship with LeBron and Wade from USA Basketball, clearly the Knicks wouldn't miss out on both, right?
Well, they missed out on both. In fact, here is how the free agency scorecard played out:
LeBron James: Miami
Dwyane Wade: Miami
Chris Bosh: Miami
Carlos Boozer: Chicago
Dirk Nowitzki: Dallas
Paul Pierce: Boston
Ray Allen: Boston
David Lee: Golden State (from New York)
Amar'e Stoudemire: New York
All the Knicks got was Amar'e, a player who needs an elite point guard or ball-distributor to succeed (he now has neither), has health issues because of past knee and eye injuries, plays no defense whatsoever, has previously clashed with D'Antoni when both were with the Suns (although they are said to have ironed out their differences), and is signed for an uninsured $100 million over five seasons.
Ever since Isiah left, Walsh and D'Antoni have told them to be patient, told them that come summer of 2010, it would all be worth it. Everything was geared toward this summer. And they, essentially, struck out. Is Amar'e really going to better the production Lee gave them? Doubtful, especially with Lee being a far better rebounder. Randolph's entire reputation is based on doing well in the summer league. Azubuike has no reputation and Turiaf is just a warm body.
The fans have every right to be angry. The Knicks, even without having any sure-fire proof that they could succeed in the summer of 2010, sold their fans on that false hope. When Walsh and D'Antoni came in, they did nothing to try and win for two seasons. Everything was geared toward this season, right down to giving up 2009 lottery pick Jordan Hill, their first-round pick next year and a swap of first-rounders in 2012 to Houston in order to get rid of Jared Jeffries contract to free up cap space. All for this summer. And they failed. Miserably.
Walsh and D'Antoni and hapless owner James Dolan can now try and sell the fans on the promises of next summer, when Carmelo Anthony is a free agent, but why should any Knicks fan trust them? Isiah Thomas failed miserably but one thing you can't fault him for was trying to put together a winning team. Walsh and D'Antoni gutted the team for 2010 and whiffed.
So Knicks fans can get ready for a season of Toney Douglas playing a mediocre point guard, Danilo Ganillari not having space to bury jumpers, Amar'e and Randolph playing the same position, Wilson Chandler being a so-so role player, Eddy Curry being fat and lazy (although it is a contract year!) and Turiaf doing nothing.
Oh, and if I'm D'Antoni? I resign immediately. Because he too was sold a false bill of goods. He was sold on coming to the Knicks because they would be remade in 2010. Or does Walsh have some crazy trick up his sleeve? Can he parlay Curry's expiring contract into the hideous contract of Gilbert Arenas? That won't add many wins but it will add some buzz. Right now, that's all the Knicks can offer--buzz.
The NBA's greatest stage has been irrelevant for a decade and if it remains irrelevant much longer, it no longer will be the NBA's greatest stage, just as how Notre Dame is no longer college football's greatest stage. Sadly, that's what seems to be becoming of the Knicks.
