Summer Reflection

Before I take on recent news I figured I would fill you guys in on how I feel about the Knicks and the moves made this summer. As we all know the Knicks have been one of the worst franchises in sports this past decade. Fast forward to 2008 the Knicks add Mike D’Antoni to the bench and Donnie Walsh to the front office and the frenzy begins. They were presented with the challenge of returning the Knicks franchise to it former glory. They spent the next two years making cap conscience moves bringing in disgruntled and unwanted veterans, destroying team chemistry and possibly slowing the maturation process of their young players. It was all in anticipation of the summer of 2010 when the best free agent class of all time, laden with franchise changing players, became available. 

The 2010 draft came and with their two second round picks the Knicks selected Syracuse guard Andy Rautins and Stanford unknown Landry Fields. Knicks fans responded with Landry who? What about that New York kid Lance Stephenson what are we doing? Well Landry fields won the heart of many Knicks fans with his play in the summer league and Lance Stephenson threw his girlfriend down the stairs…nice. Then the clock struck twelve on free agency the Knicks got Amare Stoudemire, Bulls got Carlos Boozer and the Heat got everybody else. Once LeBron’s 'Decision' was made public the Knicks didn’t sit on their hands they responded with one of the smartest yet miraculously uncovered moves of the offseason moving the already departing David Lee for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike. Since then the Knicks have added a tough point guard in Raymond Felton, a sharp shooter in Roger Mason Jr, and a low risk high reward signing in Russian big man Timofey Mosgov.

What we Knicks fans need to remember about this summer is that the goal for the past two years was not just to get LeBron, there is no player so good that the mere prospect of getting him alone is worth purging your team for two years. The goal, which Donnie Walsh repeated ad nauseam for the past two years, was to get under the cap and have the flexibility to add talent to this team and win. If you use that as they measure of success I believe the knick have done well. They added a top 5 big man with playoff experience in Mike D’Antoni’s offense in Amare Stoudemire. The addition of Raymond Felton gives the Knicks a tough point guard who greatest assets are his speed and ability to get to the rim as well as his terrific perimeter defense. Anthony Randolph a 6'10 athletic specimen whose potential is arguably as high as any rookie in this years draft class. Ronny Turiaf a much needed defensive presence in the middle that block shots for you and is a great locker room presence. They also added Kelenna Azubuike and Roger Mason Jr. who are both true shooting guards who can shoot the rock. If you take into account player progression the Knicks have improved at every position while adding depth and a superstar. Raymond Felton >> Chris Duhon, Wilson Chandler 2010 > Wilson Chandler 2009, Danilo Gallinari 2010 >> Danilo Gallinari 2009, Amare Stoudemire > David Lee, Ronny Turiaf > Jared Jeffries.


So while we didn’t get the biggest fish in the pond, Donnie Walsh still succeeded in improving the roster by adding youth, athleticism, shooting, defense and most importantly winners.