New York Knicks: Why is Steve Mills kept quiet?
By Matt Shetler
Many New York Knicks fans were extremely disappointed when the NBA Trade Deadline came and went without the Knicks making any moves, especially at the point guard position when Knicks fans must come to grips with the fact that Raymond Felton is still their point guard for the foreseeable future.
Sep 30, 2013; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks president and general manager Steve Mills answers questions during media day at MSG Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
However my biggest issue doesn’t necessarily come with the fact that Knicks’ general manager Steve Mills didn’t make any moves, but my issue comes with the fact that James Dolan keeps him silent.
Why is that?
You hear from every other general manager in the league, especially explaining their moves or lack of moves at the deadline, but we haven’t heard a peep from Mills all season long.
The last time Mills was really in front of the camera answering questions was Media Day.
The timing of the firing of Glen Grunwald was interesting to say the least, but the appointment off Mills was simply a head scratcher.
His appointment by Dolan, followed by his season-long silence just goes to show that he is nothing more than a puppet that Dolan is pulling by the strings on a daily basis.
With a team that had high expectations coming into the season, but is stuck in quicksand at a disappointing 21-34, you would have thought that Mills would have done something this year to attempt to right the ship. But at the end of the day that isn’t his job. Mills is simply a yes man for Dolan.
Since replacing Grunwald as general manager in September, Mills has made just two personnel moves of marginal significance, both of which involved Chris Smith, an unproven guard and the younger brother of J. R. Smith. Amid league wide whispers of nepotism, the Knicks signed Chris Smith to a guaranteed contract out of training camp. He was released on Dec. 31 to clear a roster spot for Jeremy Tyler, a center who has shown some promise in recent weeks.
But throughout all of that, you haven’t heard a word from Mills explaining himself. You haven’t heard a word from Mills explaining why trades fell through or shooting down reported rumors.
Does anyone else think that is odd?
It is.
Mills is the only GM in the NBA who doesn’t speak as it appears that Dolan has ordered him not to. That could be the only logical explanation.
I’m realistic. Despite what many Knicks fans were hoping would happen at the trade deadline, the Knicks didn’t have anything of value to trade. Major moves weren’t going to happen, but a couple minor moves could have.
But that doesn’t excuse Mills from not biting the bullet publically when every other GM in the league does. That’s part of the job.
I had major fears of what would happen when Mills was named the team’s GM in September and those fears are coming to reality. He is the Knicks GM in name only as Dolan will continue to call the shots.
If that’s the case the Knicks are in trouble for the future.
Until Dolan gets a real basketball guy in the GM position to call the shots, the Knicks will never get better.
It all starts at the top. That’s how good organizations in every sport operate. Until Dolan recognizes that and backs away from basketball related decisions, this franchise will continue to struggle.
You can’t run a successful team when you have a puppet for a general manager.
As long as Mills remains in that role, I don’t expect things to turn around anytime soon.