We were never going to be much this year.
But I have to wonder about not adding one new starter, not making any play at even one quality FA, and just hooking up CAA/Kentucky folks with Dolanbucks.
But, uh, is this all just a scam?As mentioned - Burks, Noel have a chance to start
And a deal could still be made.
But seems like '21-'22 is most important and Thibs may have to make do for a year. My guess is he will do just fine - then put his indelible stamp on next year's team.
So, BOWd, exploiting relationships
constitutes a scam? And one has to wonder why
we didn't add any starters or
make any play at even one quality FA.
Well.... Such a sour view.
But hey, they hired Leon Rose and not BoD.
In Bo's scheme of things....
* We draft a 3&D SF at #8 such as DA of Vassell.
* We sign Christian Wood and Fred Van Vleet as free agents, and/or, go ALL-IN FOR Gordon Hayward, because this is a Wing League, and hey, wouldn't it be smart of the Knicks to get a bonafide starter at the primary position in the modern game.
FAIR ENOUGH?
K. The plurality of decision makers on the Knicks, lacking Bo's perspective, or least ways, not sharing it, were more enthusiastic about Obi Toppin than Haliburton, Vassell or Devi, manuevered a trade up for a possible trade down to grab him at #5, and freaked when he landed in our laps at #8. Bo feels Obi is redundant and severely limited. Duly noted.
We'll come back to Obi, but as for whiffing on adding a bonafide starter or failing to make ANY PLAY on free agents, well, I'm not feeling you.
Again, Wood at 3 X $42 Million was off the board once we drafted Toppin. Fred Van Vleet, long a fave target of the cHipster [and did not Bo originally pooh pooh such enthusiasm, based on his suspicions that Fred was a product of a system, and not as good as I thought] was never [repeat, NEVER] looking to leave the Raptors, nor were the Raptors ever [repeat, EVER] going to let him go. Were we going to outbid them, more to the point, would they let us, seeing as how they could offer an extra year. Nor did they have to, and 4 x $85 million would not have seemed outrageous, nor did the Raptors have to go above that, because nobody [repeat, NOBODY] was ever really in the hunt.
And the assertion that we didn't make a play for Hayward is disingenuous on Bo's part.
Once it was plain that Gordon was in play, we most definitely were in the hunt, least ways that is what the smoke signals indicated. And we were purportedly even willing to go to four years, but 4 X $120 million?
Really, Bo.
And who else should we have targetted? Gallinari? Montrel? Bertrans 5 X $80 million. We couldashoulda had Betrans, Chip.
Bo disapproves of all our moves, and counts them as pathetic and half hearted at best, a scam at worst, and holds that we didn't get better, in fact, we got worse.
K.
A few final thoughts from this poor deluded patsy.
You take a very dim view of Obi, and harp on the received wisdom that he is old, has a low ceiling, is a lousy defender....funny, I never heard anyone brag about what a great fucking defender and atheleted Bertrans was.
You seem to overlook the fact that on the plus side--Obi DOES HAVE a plus side--he possesses great size, a terrific motor, and was the college player of the year, even with all of that sucking. Perhaps because the voters were deceived by the was fact Obi was a scoring machine who could stretch the floor as a scoring 4 on the order of converting 39% of his 3-Pointers.
In fact, while the Knicks were whiffing in every way, they did address a number of issues, while maintaining cap space and flexibility and setting up depth and competition at every position.
Such, as, ohh, I don't know, addressing our woeful lack of a three point game last season.
Obi and Immanuel, our two #1 picks, are both first rate three point shooters. Likewise, Bo craves wings, but apparebtly discounts us re-upping 6'6" wing Reggie Bullock, who was coming off of neck surgery and not very effective from trey last year [.333%] but in terms of a snipers pedigree, going back to 2017-2018 with the Pistons drained 125-281 [.445% for those keeping score], and he is a good defender, so he can push RJ, if not supplant him. Likewise, the Knicks brought on 6'6" wing Alec Burks, who seemingly lacks pizazz to BoD, though in averaging 26 minutes a game for Godlen State/Philly last year, put up 15.0 ppg, with 4.3 boards and 2.9 assists, while converting 235-265 FTs [.887%], though I suppose I impress easily.
Oh, and the other body in that trade, PF-C Omari Spellman, is only 23, and basically checks in at roughly 40% from trey and 80% from the FT line. Clearly another scam.
Oh, and Austin Rivers, didn't set the world on fire last season, but converted treys at a respectable .356% and upped his so-so free throw shooting to .703%, nothing to shout about, but second best of his career.
So let's see: adding/re-adding Toppin, Quickley, Burks, Spellman, Rivers, Bullock to battle for minutes, all capable of stretching the floor.
As for Randle and Knox and Smith, well, BoD has written them all off.
So clearly, a woefully half hearted offseason at best, a cynical scam at worst.
Why is Chip buying into this shit?
I am happy we didn't engage in big splashy long term commitments.
We look to engage our youthful core of
Robinson, Randle, Knox, Brazdeikis, Barrett, Smith, Ntilikina with some serious fucking competition from among others, first rounders Toppin and Quickley, let alone Noel. Payton, Rivers, Bullock, Burks, and Kidd-Gilchrist, all on make good one year deals,
as our puppies enter the bell lap of the shit or get off the pot derby.
We were never going to be that good anyway, right Bo?
So why is Chip looking forward to fierce compeition up and down the roster, while Bo is bewailing ALL OF OUR MOVES?
Perhaps because for once we are taking the road less travelled, resisting the shiny objects, and not simply paying lip servive to youth.
Perhaps because I am looking forward to all of this clay being fashioned in the image of the maker's hand, as Thibs is tasked with creating a culture of defensive accountability, offensive efficiency, and the baby steps of a competitive culture forged in Tom's image.
You beg to differ.
Well, that's why they make menus.
You are depressed. While I am clearly out of my mind.
As Kiid and Facil and others suggest, who knows what machinations reside in the heart of Leon Rose, but clearly, we have not seen the last of his moves, and given the crowded nature of our present roster, DEALS BECKON.
But first....
THE FIRE. Forward into the breach, Knicks fans.
So let it be written, so let it be done....
Poll
