Let it snow
In case you were getting worried, Malik Rose made it up the driveway this morning.
And if you know what I’m talking about, you deserve some kind of award for paying close attention during a forgettable season. It sounds like everybody made it to shoot-around this morning. We’re not counting the writers, though.
I’m staying put for a couple of hours, then hopping a train down to MSG.
The comments yesterday were outstanding, every single one. What did we do before they invented blogs? I’m kind of interested to see how the Knicks respond now that they are past another trade deadline.
Will they play harder to save Isiah Thomas? They did just that early on last season before everybody broke down.
Will they give up the fight? Some of these guys are well beyond frustration. Some of these guys are getting angry.
Stay tuned.
And for the record, I’m not convinced Zach Randolph is the locker room cancer so many people who commented over the last couple of days believe he is. I kind of like visiting with the guy. So do a majority of his teammates. Heck, they still let him borrow hand lotion, so Randolph can’t be all bad.
On the court, they would like to slap him in the head at times.
It’s the same response they have when Jamal Crawford or Nate Robinson or Quentin Richardson put on the blinders and fire at will.
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
I know this is now off topic, but I thought I would throw it in. I am not saying that St John’s Alumni Ron Artest is a feasible solution to our problems, but I just read on ESPN Rumor Center that Artest is unlikely to opt out. Here what it said.
A few hours after Ron Artest’s future for the next few months was determined, the outlook beyond this season might have changed when his agent, Mark Stevens, provided the loudest din of the day. Artest, who has repeatedly said this season he would likely choose to become a free agent this summer, might not exercise the early termination option in his contract after all.
“Of course (Artest not being traded) changes a lot of about your perspective; a lot of things change,” said Stevens, whose client will earn $7.4 million next season if he doesn’t opt out. “Exercising our option at this point is possible, but not likely.”
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
I’m not a fan of most of the other beat writers but maybe, just maybe the other writers are run down from traveling…while you should be well rested.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:24 pm
As much as Artest likes his hometown NYC I’m not sure that he’d sacrifice many millions signing with the Knicks, especially considering he’s been underpaid for years.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I don’t remember the date of the last snowstorm (December something maybe), but you’re referring to the time Rose said his driveway had too much snow on it to go to practice. If I’m correct, right around that time there were stories in other papers about him asking for a trade.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Kudos to Larry. Now go find a hobby. Rose lives in Manhattan and the drive leading up from the parking garage was too icy to navigate that morning.
Artest will not leap into free agency until his agent does the market research. Landing on a contender usually requires accepting the mid-level exception, which is a pay cut for Artest. There won’t be many teams with cap room to spend, but he could still be sign-and-trade material this summer.
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Oh my God….. we dodged a huge bullet.
The Bucks turned down this deal:
Knicks send Randolph and Jones to Milwaukee and get back Simmons, Gadzuric and Bell. Just wow…
Simmons: 2 more years with over $20 million left
Gadzuric: 3 more years with over $20 million left
Bell: 4 more years with over $15 million left
I think Isiah is just trying to see how much he can destroy this franchise before he’s finally fired.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
After watching the debacle with the Sixers the other night.
THE SIXERS!!!!!!!! Who clearly do not have as much talent as the Knicks but are much better coached. I wanted a trade.
Anyone!!!!!
Ron Artest? I’d take Ron Paul!!!!!!!!!!
Charlie Bell? I’d take Charlie Brown!!!!
They can’t be any worse than they are now.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:05 pm
In these moments of despair (thanks Isiah) I’m tempted to think that the next GM (please, Jim!!) should trade everyone. But the truth is that with some of the pieces that we really need and a better environment, this team could improve vastly. For example, Zach is not a terrible player. He shoots well and rebounds well. He just stops the flow of the offense and he is a joke on defense. The capital sin was to pair him with another weak defender, that is Curry. If you put Zach on a team that is starving for low post baskets and already has an enforce in the paint, his weaknesses will not be so blatant. Amare Stoudmire is a bad defender too, especially when it’s time to clog the line, but he goes to the All Star Game and rightfully so. So, all it takes is to get a defensive-minded power forward, and a point guard that actually likes setting up his teammates. Then Curry, Crawford and Q will all look better. That until we can really get an All Star. I don’t think Artest will solve any problem, since a good defender on the wing is useless if everybody else just watch.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Now that the trade deadline has passed, I think the real question now is what do we do with the rest of the season?
We’ve proved that Eddie Curry and Zach can’t play together, and we’ve proved that Isian can’t motivate these guys—heck he can’t keep them from throwing things at each other!
Let’s let Herb coach some games and play the young folks for the rest of the season. Let’s let David Lee and Nate start the rest of the season. Let’s get Balkman some serious minutes.
Is there even a reason to watch another game this year?
Ugh.
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:21 pm
We will watch the games because we are fans. We watch because we know that after April the knicks won’t play again until the summer league. If you’re as big a fan as I am you know that baseball and football are no substitute for our beloved New York Knicks. All summer long I wait for ANY news on this beloved team. I will watch every game this season. And when the season ends, I will once again wait for another season. PLEASE Dolan, give us fans hope and FIRE ISIAH!!! Let the fans know that you appreciate the money they throw at you to attend the games. This is all I ask.