The New York Knicks have returned to action after the All-Star break, but their youngsters remain on the bench. Meanwhile Mike Miller still gives a bulk of the minutes to the likes of Bobby Portis and Mo Harkless.
Now that the all-star break is behind us, we see that no change of direction has taken place in the New York Knicks rotation. Steve Stoute hasn’t stepped up the plate and made changes after his huge interview blunder.
Oh, that’s right, he is not responsible for personnel matters, he is the media guru. Perhaps we will see some changes when Leon Rose gets back from planning a party for Dwyane Wade. Now that he has given up being a players’ agent, he can become a party planner when Dolan inevitably fires him.
Why so negative you may ask? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. The New York Knicks have been ran by one man since Donnie Walsh left, and that includes the Phil Jackson era, and that man is James Dolan.
What other organization would tolerate a Steve Stoute. Only the New York Knicks, because he is an minion of Dolans. So yes, as a forever Knick fan, I am angry and cynical.
Last night’s game against the Pacers had Bobby Portis getting 27 minutes and Ignas Brazdeikis none. Why? We know who Bobby Portis is. If we can’t unload Julius Randle, will Portis be returning?
With Elfrid Payton out, our first look at minute distribution after the All-Star break saw Dennis Smith Jr. playing 15 minutes, Frank Ntilikina 32, RJ Barrett 26 and Kevin Knox 17. Mitchell Robinson‘s minutes were limited by foul trouble, but the third and fourth were bad calls while Miller called for a failed review of the fifth.
What is the primary objective for the rest of the season? Making the playoffs is nearly impossible because all the teams ahead of the Knicks would have to lose and lose, and then lose some more. It’s not happening. Could the team be building a culture and an identity with a lame duck coach and a lame Julius Randle as the featured player? Hardly.
A positive would be playing the young projects consistent minutes, night and night out. They would become confident of their minutes whether they perform well or poorly. Then we would see what these guys bring to the table before we make cuts and trades.
Is there a New York Knicks fan who doesn’t want to see Allonzo Trier and Ignas Brazdeikis play 15–20 minutes a game? How would Dennis Smith jr. perform if he weren’t looking sideways at the bench?
We know Knox can shoot. Are his short-comings due to an immature body, a lack of confidence or a lack of talent? We won’t really know what we have if these guys aren’t given solid, consistent rotation minutes.
Haphazard moves made without an overall plan has been this franchise’ MO. We can’t combat global warming by turning up the AC.
As currently constructed, the New York Knicks are less than ordinary. They are an ill-constructed, aimless team that doesn’t play together on either end of the floor. On offense we have players doing what they do best, regardless of a team concept.
On defense, we have bold scorers who become shrinking violets. Yes, I am angry and cynical because James Dolan will not bring in a person strong enough, with enough authority, to do what is necessary to turn this franchise around.