The New York Knicks in 2006

The New York Knicks have fallen on hard times and there is little to say that they won’t fall even harder in 2006. While it would seem hard to get worse than 23 wins and the massive distraction that is coach Larry Brown, except even bigger distraction Isaiah Thomas (who has done little to nothing as an NBA coach and executive) is now on the sidelines. This team is loaded with talent, with guards Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis only a few of the big names on this roster. However, they underachieved in 2005 and this loaded roster turned out to be nothing but a team riddled with injuries and big salaries. Thomas may be friends with Marbury, but he may need to make tough decisions on playing time and personnel by mid-season, depending on how poorly his coaching style translates to a team full of ego.

Frontcourt- The front court makes up for its lacking name appeal with its grit, defensive skill, and energetic play. Center Channing Frye had a solid rookie season and if he can prove to be a scorer on the interior, he will be a force with the Knicks (or whomever he gets traded to) for the next ten to twelve years. Alongside Frye should be power forward Eddy Curry, whose physical traits alone should make him a NBA All Star. However, Curry does not have the mental toughness or game knowledge to be a prolific NBA player and his efforts will probably land him on the trading block. By mid-season, second year player David Lee, who played hard last season, should be splitting time or taking over for Curry. The small forward spot will be filled by another big ticket acquisition Jared Jeffries, who can slash to the lane and play defense but needs to prove himself worthy of a $30 million contract.

Back court- The back court is loaded for talent on the Knicks, with shooting guards Nate Robinson, Stephon Marbury, and Steve Francis along with Jamaal Tinsley and Jalen Rose. Thomas needs to avoid the guard shuffle that Brown had in effect during 2005 and the odd men out will likely be trade bait, considering the big money at the guard positions. I expect Stephon Marbury, with his close relationship with Thomas, will beat out the competition for the shooting guard position. Jamaal Tinsley should win the point guard position, but he has been too oft-injured to consider him a sure thing. If Tinsley is healthy all season, the Knicks will have a solid point guard. Otherwise, look for Robinson or rookie Mardy Collins to take the point for New York. Francis and Jalen Rose will play a bit off the bench but they want the ball and if a team is willing to take on their contracts, the Knicks will look to move them quickly to avoid any contention with their new coach.

Bench- The bench for the Knicks could be strong if a few big name players like Steve Francis or Jalen Rose would accept roles as secondary players. However, Francis feels he can contribute a lot to any NBA team and Rose will probably demand more minutes and touches from Isaiah Thomas. With these two likely out of the picture, the Knicks are left with a thin and young bench with rookies Mardy Collins and Renaldo Balkman, along with Nate Robinson, coming on in relief. Collins will be a solid reserve player in his first year, Robinson will provide decent minutes at either guard position (though he shoots too much to be at the point for too long), and the jury is out on how good Renaldo Balkman can be. He is a tweener who can’t bang in the paint, which could be troublesome for the Knicks if they get into foul trouble early in games. The Knicks need to make some moves to get a decent bench or they will wilt in games against the improving Eastern Conference and the outstanding Western Conference.

Intangibles- Isaiah was a prolific basketball player at the college and pro levels, but his skills have not translated as a pro personnel director with the Raptors and coach with the Pacers (though he had some decent records with Indiana). The combination of Larry Brown and Thomas last season was a sure-fire disaster and Thomas showed that he cared more about his image and getting back on the sidelines than the success of the franchise. While Thomas brings some energy to the New York sideline, that will last a week and then the fact that he won’t keep his team’s attention will set in. Chairman James Dolan is giving Thomas a short leash and unless they make some miracle moves during the season, Thomas will choke on that leash.

2006 NBA Projection- The Knicks will finish with around 24-26 wins and while this is a slight improvement over last season, it will prove to be a big disappointment to Knicks fans. As someone who enjoyed watching the Knicks of the 1980s and 1990s, my sports heart aches for diehard New York fans but there is always Giants football and Yankees baseball to keep you distracted. They will finish near the bottom of the NBA and will be looking to dump salaries and probably Coach Thomas by the end of the season.