Comments on: SNY.com: Confidence in Tom Thibodeau has diminished among some people of influence at Madison Square Garden

By: latke

latke — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 14:07:44 +0000

Like the Stoudemire amnesty thing, the Lowry trade thing and the ddr signing thing are like 95% retrospective thinking. Sometimes people do things that are stupid but still work out anyway. Sometimes the future reveals new and unexpected info.

By: Knick fan not in NJ

Knick fan not in NJ — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 13:34:15 +0000

There is no way that anyone should feel Cam was a significant roster upgrade. At best you could think he would replace someone coming off the bench. They probably know they miscalculated, just like at least half the posters here thought we had a better team than this but have realized we don’t. That doesn’t mean they don’t get angry about the situation and lash out for some one to blame. If they are blaming Thibs, it’s normal in situations like this to blame the coach. A lot of posters here don’t think it’s totally Thibs fault we are so bad but they also want a new coach.

By: cybersoze

cybersoze — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 12:39:43 +0000

Alan, i think it’s probably 1, unfortunately. If they had recognized the mistake on Cam, they wouldn’t be so adamant in receiving a first on that deal. Getting the cap space of Burks, Noel and Reddish would be it. They could have even called Reddish the sweetener to get rid of the other contracts, to save face. But no, they thought Burks AND Reddish were each worth a first, being that one of these was subtracted as sweetener to dump Noel’s contract. They clearly overvalue our team and contracts. But maybe they’ll have more luck in the summer, as it’ll be easier to shop guys on 1+1 team option.

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 12:15:51 +0000

Getting back to the depressing state of affairs, it occurs to me that this may not just be a case of Wes and other FO guys trying to cover their own asses, though I’m sure that’s part of it. It’s that they are genuinely blaming Thibs for one of two things, if not both:

1)They really believe this team should be substantially better than it is — that the offseason plan was the correct approach, rather than a modest gamble that didn’t pay off at all — and are mad that he has done so poorly with what they think is a good roster. (They may also feel that Cam was that “significant roster upgrade” Thibs so badly wanted, and are thus exasperated that he won’t play the kid much.)

2)They are realistic enough to recognize that they miscalculated, and want Thibs to pivot towards development/tanking, but he refuses to do so. (You could also put the treatment of Reddish into this bucket, though the fact they considered re-routing him at the deadline may be yet another sign of them recognizing a mistake and trying to get out of it.)

2 is okay, and seems to be the page most of us are on. 1 would mean more of this bullshit for years on end. So that’s fun.

By: cybersoze

cybersoze — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 12:05:35 +0000

Owen: I have never heard that Lowry story.

It was December 2013, the Knicks would receive Kyle Lowry by sending Metta World Peace, Iman Shumpert and a future first-round draft pick (it was rumored to be the 2018 one… our very own 3-on-3 GOAT).
Until Dolan heard that Ujiri wanted to make the deal, which after being fleeced by Ujiri on the Melo and Bargnani (that summer) deals, he must have thought would happen again. That deal probably proved it wasn’t Ujiri fleecing the Knicks on all those deals, it was Dolan screwing us with his awful basketball knowledge.

By: Z-man

Z-man — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 11:50:20 +0000

No one should have expected the pick to convey this year, which would be at it’s second-lowest possible value (barring CHA becoming a top-11 team in the next 3 years). It would ideally transmit as a 15-18 pick in the 3 years after this one. So that pick will continue to have value as a likely non-lottery first round pick for at least another two years. What a shame we burned it on Reddish.

By: Hubert

Hubert — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 06:05:56 +0000

It also looks really unlikely that Charlotte is conveying their pick this year.

The irony of bad Knicks executives is that they always execute bad ideas well. For instance, Leon wanted to preserve the image that he had a first round pick to trade for as long as possible. It was a dumb idea, but damn if it he didn’t figure out a way to do it. That thing’s gonna be floating around for a while.

Another example of this is when Isaiah Thomas invented pick swaps to circumvent the Stepien Rule. Great execution of a terrible idea.

By: d-mar

d-mar — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 06:03:34 +0000

The East playoffs are gonna be so awesome this year if everyone stays healthy. 5 really good teams that could realistically make the Finals – Bucks, Sixers, Heat, Bulls, Nets (yuck). And then you have Cleveland and Toronto lurking out there as a spoilers.

Should be the most compelling NBA playoffs in years, can’t wait.

By: Owen

Owen — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 05:45:44 +0000

I have never heard that Lowry story.

Derozan must be juicing. I have always been down on his game but he has made me a believer.

Always been a believer in Luka. 49 points is a good night.

By: Ben R

Ben R — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 05:12:28 +0000

The upside is our next four games are almost for sure losses and charlotte losing maybe keeps Washington in the chase. Plus Indiana is about to win 4 out of 5 (orl twice, okc and det) so that puts them possibly within reach. If things break just right we could move all the way up to 5th. In 10 games I’m betting we are within 2 games of the 5th pick and so far out of the play in we’ll have no choice but to tank.