I haven't been following this season closely in terms of observing gameplay, so maybe I shouldn't bc commenting on the Knicks like that. But I've been a "fan" of this team for over 30 years, and a lot of the things I predicted with this current iteration of NYK is, sadly, coming true.
KAT THE SCAPEGOAT
I just recently learned that KAT won the 3-Point Contest a couple of years ago. That's how good of a shooter he is - as a C. But I still argue that it isn't ideal to have the tallest man on your squad more prone to shooting (long-range) jumpshots as opposed to taking it to the hole.
The way you mitigate such anomalies is by having the other players on the team, i.e. the wings, be above-average defenders and rebounders. As far as starters go, the Knicks have more quality, all-around wing depth than any other squad in the league. So even if Karl is out there hoisting up threes, the interior should be able to compensate. You know, KAT is going to KAT. And that's what makes the mediocrity of this team even more surprising.
THE "CURSE OF THE KNICKS"
If you're the type of sports' fan who likes to be disappointed you know, having a reason to be depressed at the office - 'I'm not feeling good today. My team has lost yet again' - then the Knicks are for you. NYK rosters tend to fall into two categories which, in a way, are kinda one in the same. Either they're contenders who, even if they make it to Game 7, somehow flunk in the Playoffs. Or they have a talented, overpaid roster that just flunks in general.
Those Michael Jordan years, i.e. the early-1990s, I mean you can't blame anyone for losing to MJ. But damn, were some of those losses painful. And even when His Airness wasn't around, the Knicks failed to get over the hump.
There was that one asterisk season when they made it (back) to the Finals, only to have their asses handed to them by the Spurs, like when Tim Duncan was a rookie type shit, illustrating how even a much less-popular franchise can build a dynasty, while NYK can't.
Oh, and let's not forget circa the early 2012, back when NY managed to land both Melo and Amare Stoudemire. Theoretically, that was supposed to be best F combination in the league. But first of all, they gave Amare like a max contract, even though by that time he was already on the perennially-injured list. And second, remember that time he punched a fire extinguisher and in the process, extinguished any (false) hopes of the Knicks prevailing in the playoffs? That's NYK for you.
Having too little of what you need is a curse, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, so is having too much. Robert Kiyosaki, aka Rich Dad / Poor Dad, has this saying, when it comes to money, that he'd rather be cursed with too much than too little. But that's not true in all cases.
You have a team like OKC who, faced with the challenge of not being a coveted free agency destination nor a franchise that's particularly favored by they powers-that-be, dug deep inside their own expertise and managed to put a potential dynasty together. Braintrust-wise they're the envy of the league, at least for now, while a couple of their big 3 are still on their rookie contracts.
On the other side of the coin you have the Knicks, the premiere team (as compared to the Nets) in "the biggest market in the NBA", their home being the most famous arena in the United States, seemingly with all the money in the world, with every superstar free agent at least reportedly considering signing there. Every year, credible reports emerge of the Knicks being after KD or Lebron or this season, Giannis. After the Lakers, it's safe to presume that NYK is the most coveted player destination in the NBA. And that's pretty amazing, considering how outstanding LAL's history is compared to the Knicks.
OVERTALENTED
But as I've been saying since the time they went out and hastily acquired KAT, this iteration of the Knicks are overtalented. Karl's money could've rather been used to land what they really need, i.e. a versatile, defensive-minded C. This team was not lacking in offensive firepower when they went out and got KAT.
All things considered, they'd been better off keeping Julius Randle, now that he's prover healthy. I'm not saying that Randle is better than KAT. But in the grand scheme of things he's just as effective, yet one of those players whose style doesn't take away from his teammates(?).
So what inspired me to write this post was reading today that, oh shit, Bridges is riding the bench during crunch minutes, if you can imagine that. As far as two-way players go, i.e. dudes who are good on both offense and defense (unlike KAT or Brunson), Mikal is top-10 in the league. Furthermore, as the NY Post has pointed out, the Knicks are paying him $150mil. It's one thing when you have these star players getting paid a gazillion dollars to ride exercise bikes and shit. But to have someone like that who's actually healthy riding the bench? Only in NYK, dear reader.
So after this season is over and everyone is finally able to realize that what I'm saying is true, these are the questions that need to be asked. Why did they go out and get KAT to begin with? Why didn't they allow Bridges +Anunoby + Brunson to mesh first? Why not let that core play out a full season without, you know, adding a superstar to mix and then evaluate what type of additions to make? Fuck happened to Mitchell Robinson? TF you doing getting repeatedly blown out by the Pistons, who only have, relatively speaking, like two recognizable names on their roster? The Pistons are supposed to be like small boys compared to the Knicks. NYK beat Detroit in the playoffs last year yet somehow, since then, despite retaining all of their rotation players, have managed to get worse
CONCLUSION
You know how you go out and buy some really expensive shit and then later, when you're broke, start kicking yourself? Or you know how, you know, you buy a really expensive car or outfit to get a particular girl, and she still rejects you? That's how I see the Knicks.
Sometimes, having too much money and favor is a bad thing. When there's limitations, you have to manage and use your brain. But when the reins are off, you're able to do all types of dumb shit knowing that, win or lose, the money is going to keep coming in regardless.
No comments:
Post a Comment