With the Eastern Conference getting a lot tougher over the NBA summer, how does this affect the New York Knicks’ title chances?
The Knicks didn’t exactly sit on their hands over the summer either, trading for Andrea Bargnani, acquiring Metta World Peace via amnesty, adding Beno Udrih and Cole Aldrich and drafting Tim Hardaway Jr.
Does this make them a contender in the East?
The short answer is yes, but can they translate that into a genuine title run?
Things look good on their roster at first glance but dig a little deeper and it gets worrying if you are a Knicks fan.
Carmelo Anthony is your team’s superstar, which is great except he is a volume shooter who relies heavily on outside shots and lacks focus on the defensive end.
From there the drop off to their next best players is substantial as they don’t have a reliable number two option who can be consistent enough game in, game out.
Tyson Chandler is great on defence but struggles to get points on the board unless it’s a put back or alley-oop.
Raymond Felton has the potential to score 20+ but can just as easily go missing during a game.
Bargnani is a big gamble considering they traded away their best three point shooter and critical floor spacer in Steve Novak, a 2016 first round pick and two later second round picks.
I’m still not convinced a new home is what he needs to get his career back on track.
Throw in the athletic but raw Iman Shumpert and the shooting exploits of J.R. Smith and this team will either frustrate or delight you.
That kind of flashy game is exactly what fills Madison Square Garden with fans every night the Knicks take the court and, in the end, that is the problem with this team.
The fans demanded a big name star to partner their new signing Amar’e Stoudemire (an entirely different mistake) but the player they got was Carmelo Anthony, a player who has a reputation of failing in the first round of the playoffs.
When Amar’e inevitably broke down with injury (as everyone predicted), they had very little cap space to go out and attract key pieces required to win a championship.
Instead they have sacrificed their future by giving away draft picks – check out the debits section for their future draft picks – for players who can draw crowds based on their reputations (Carmelo Anthony/Metta World Peace) or simply aren’t enough to make them a legitimate contender (Andrea Bargnani).
While they may look good on paper and will put up a few good wins for the fans at the Garden, I fear this team will be nothing more than a fifth seed in the East.
Their current roster has been built to entertain the masses but when it comes down to the nitty gritty of the playoffs they will fall short yet again.
If that happens, expect Carmelo Anthony to be seriously considering his future in New York.
Mark Pybus
Roar Guru
Playoffs for the Bobcats? :P
mushi
Guest
Well they are screwed now
mushi
Guest
I think you're being a little harsh on chandler's skill set (he deters penetration and close shots rather than weak side blocking them like an ibaka - which is more valuable) but more so on the value of having a defensive "coordiantor", it's probably more valuable to be able to increase the defensive prowess of the other 4 guys than just be better yourself.
astro
Guest
True, but who is he passing to on this team?
Red Kev
Guest
Melo's a one-man team because that's how he plays, he wants a one-on-one iso-ball offensive system.
astro
Guest
The Knicks are a mess and miles away from contending. Melo is great, and so far his rebounding rate has been fantastic (Note: calling him 'a player who has a reputation of failing in the first round of the playoffs' is a bit harsh...he steered Denver to WCFs, and was knocked out by the Celts and Heat with the Knicks in 2010 and 2011, and reached the second round last year...so he's hardly TMac), but he's a one man team at the moment. The balance of this roster is horrible. We're only 3 games into the season, and Woodson is already playing with line ups and swapping guys around. Not a good sign...Think you're spot on in saying they'll be playoff fodder for one of the East's big 4 teams.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Yeah good point on Thibs!
Mark Pybus
Roar Guru
Iso ball is great when Melo is hitting his shots but completely agree on the Knicks being unselfish. That stretch last season where they knocked off Miami and a heap of other teams was magical. Don't see that happening this season until J.R returns, if it happens at all. Is any Bulls game pretty to watch? Thibs really knows how to suck the fun out of a teams offense.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Yep, I agree Mark. Although personally - which is obviously therefore subjective - I don't find the Knicks that attractive to watch. While it's always great to watch a pure scorer go off for 45 or more, like Melo can, the rest of the time, I'm not a big fan of the way they play. Early last season, when they were moving the ball around and being really unselfish, they were great fun. But they reverted to iso-ball late in the season and then in the playoffs. I've only seen the Bulls game this year, so it's obviously a small sample size, but that was UGLY!
Mark Pybus
Roar Guru
Scoring options are not a problem for this team as you said but with an aging team and with some of your starters lacking intensity on D they can't afford to have guys go missing if they want to win. My point was they don't have the personnel to play the lock down defensive style it takes to win a title. Entertaining they will be but not title winners.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Spot on Mushi - it's their defence that is the major, major concern. Bargnani and Stoudemire are terrible defenders, while Melo only plays half-hearted D. Meanwhile, their 'best' defenders are slightly overrated in my opinion. - Shumpert has energy and athleticism, but his fundamentals are questionable and he gambles a lot. - Metta is still above average, but he's not the lock-down defender he was. - And Chandler is actually a better 'organiser' than he is actual defender. He can be imposing in the middle with height and length, but his value comes from being vocal and organising the D. I think he's a very, very good defender, but I don't think he's a great as people think. But maybe I'm too harsh?
mushi
Guest
I think it is a resounding no but because of the opposite of what you cite. They've got scoring options galore and Melo is probably the second or third best player at getting his own shot so he's less reliant on having a second creator that and his floor spacers is going to get good looks. this team is going to be able to put up points. that said the defense is horrible, metta isn't the player he once was at that end and shumpert needs to focus. It's because of this I'd call Chandler their most important player. But with close three teams getting better (bulls, nets, pacers) and the heat just being better they are looking at a first round away series in the play offs.
Max Maddison
Roar Rookie
No chance whatsoever, and that is coming from a Knick's fan. They have regressed since last year and will continue until they shed Amare's contract in 2015.