Why the Knicks should want All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving
By Kramer Smith
Why the Knicks should want Kyrie Irving if he wants them
I love a good narrative in storytelling and sometimes there are few better than the ones we get in professional sports. I think about LeBron in Cleveland or Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, a good character arch that results in a hero’s triumphant success.
In this story, though, Irving is not a hero. To the fans of Cleveland, Boston, and now Brooklyn, he is a villain. It’s an arch he’s coming to embrace, I believe, as we saw some rather obscene gestures and comments from Irving in this year’s playoffs against the Celtics.
If Irving is really at odds with the Nets and wants to remain home, there is no better option than the franchise across the river. The Knicks have proven to be a playoff worthy team now, with a budding star in RJ Barrett, an All-Star caliber player in Julius Randle, draft capital, and cap space.
They have also created a strong infrastructure in their front office and have had one of the most coveted coaching staffs in the NBA, as nearly every assistant on the bench has received head coaching opportunities since joining New York.
I cannot think of anything greater than one of the most hated players (a former Celtics and Nets player, mind you) coming to the Knicks and finding success. Irving is the exact kind of player that would light an absolute spark under New York’s fanbase, as I imagine Irving pulling off his playoff shenanigans to a standing ovation in Madison Square Garden.
I have not gone into any depth about Irving as a player because I don’t have to. He is a bonafide superstar and arguably the best ball handler in the history of the sport. The Knicks desperately need a point guard and Irving alongside Barrett and Randle would be something spectacular to watch.
There is absolutely no argument against wanting Irving as a player. He is a master basketball player and with him at the helm in New York, the team would be an instant playoff threat.
Why New York Knicks fans should embrace Kyrie Irving’s villain arch
Kyrie Irving as a New York Knick has the potential to be the most hated player in NBA history and I think that’s something we as fans should absolutely embrace. For the amount of disrespect Barrett gets in comparison to his peers, to the slander of Randle, and the years of memes and social media ridicule, we are easily one of the most condemned franchises on Earth.
They already want to see us lose and fail, so why not give them another reason to hate us? Let’s embrace the villain arch, let’s get back to the 90s style of Knicks basketball, and embrace all the characteristics of “Bully Ball.”
Irving would be the epitome of a New York Knicks superstar, and if there is any chance these reports have validity, New York should absolutely welcome Irving into the Garden with open arms.
