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Last Season: 54-28 (Finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference)
Prediction: 59-23
Key Losses: SF Steve Novak
Notable Free Agent Signings: PF Kenyon Martin, SF Metta World Peace, SG J.R. Smith, and C/ PF Andrea Bargnani
The New York Knicks are good. I can’t and won’t deny that fact, but I will never put my money on them winning the championship; not with this squad. With players like Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and J.R. Smith, there will never be complete chemistry.
So how will the Knicks offseason impact their title aspirations this upcoming year? Well, I posed that question to one of my die-hard Knicks fan friends, and in typical Knick fandom, I was hit with this response: “the Knicks are the best, that’s all I have to say”. Thanks for your carefully thought-out and articulated words, Amari. I think that the Knicks have had a very fruitful offseason. They received some valuable pieces that will benefit their playoff push and trophy aspirations, but I don’t think their squad is strong enough to rival the Miami Heat or Indiana Pacers.
Resigning Kenyon Martin was the right thing to do. J.R. Smith? I’m not quite sure. Martin has everything you want in a big man, he hustles hard and plays tough, physical defense. He doesn’t take anything from anyone and always steps up for his teammates, regardless of the possible ramifications of his actions. Martin will be a solid back up for Tyson Chandler, which he proved after the Knicks gave him a chance last season.
I think Smith was signed purely because he was a sixth man of the year candidate last season. He completely dropped off the face of the Earth during the playoffs, and everyone, including Knicks fans, will agree with me on that. Smith is a shot-chucker, one of the worst offenders in the league. He shoots with abandon, whether he’s hot or cold. He’s capable of playing smart basketball, but chooses to take threes from two feet beyond the arc.
He can dunk the ball with abandon and is a highlight-reel machine. Regardless, anyone who shoots the ball without consideration for his teammates should be considered a negative factor on a team. Obviously the Knicks front office didn’t feel that way but we’ll see how he performs in October.
After Metta World Peace was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers (a terrible mistake), he decided to return to New York, the place of his upbringing. This move should benefit the Knicks greatly. Imagine having Iman Shumpert, the Knicks best wing defender, paired with World Peace on the floor at the same time. That would be a nightmare for opposing players. They aren’t stagnant on offense either, which some defensive specialists are, like Thabo Sefolosha and Tony Allen, meaning coach Mike Woodson wouldn’t necessarily sacrifice his offensive capabilities by having the two on the court at the same time.
The former Ron Artest can sometimes go off the game plan and do his own thing, which is something that teams have had to live with his entire career, but his defensive prowess and appeal to the fan base outweighs any of the negatives he brings to a team (which isn’t nearly as much as it was pre-Malice in the Palace).
And lastly, we have Andrea Bargnani. The former number one pick from Italy is considered a bust by many. He has been plagued by injuries the last two seasons, only playing a combined 66 games out of a possible 148 (11-12 season was shortened by the lockout). He is an extremely poor rebounder for a seven footer, only averaging close to five for his career.
However, he’s a lights out shooter from just about anywhere on the court, and will be a good tool for Woodson to use to spread the floor when he has players like Tyson Chandler and Kenyon Martin playing at the same time. I see New York’s decision to sign Bargnani as a dice roll. He’ll either pan out, or he’ll be relegated to the end of the bench.
Overall, the Knicks made more smart moves than stupid ones this offseason. I’ve predicted that they will win more games than they did last season but I ultimately don’t believe they will win a championship with their roster. Any team with Carmelo Anthony will live or die by his shot selection. Add J.R. Smith and Amar’e Stoudemire to the mix and you have a talented by highly risky team. Jason Kidd, who I always viewed as a player who guided his teammates with his experience is gone, and I don’t see anyone filling that void.
