earl, if the choice was between avery + jax, who would you choose?

dj - The REAL question is when the dust clears in The Garden by 2011, are you still able to afford seating in section 404, or will it be obliterated by some fancy-schmancy luxury suite manned(cough)-up by someone yapping away on a cel phone?

"That was Bill Bradley..."

It would be even better to bring back a classy PA announcer for the MSG stereo system more like the legendary John Condon, as opposed to the fake enthusiasm of a game-show host. I cringe every time I hear the goofy sing-song interpretation of "Marrr-berry!"

I'm witchoo dj... Bring back the white warmup jackets

No

A Thousand Times No

When the Knicks were in town two years ago, the always loquacious (George) Karl said, "I'm from Pittsburgh, but the best place to win a game is in the Garden. The city seems to have a love and passion for the game that very few cities have. I have the same pull for that type of passion. Part of me would love to coach the Knicks someday."

- NYPost

Nalod - if that's the case, Phil Ford can keep his New York apartment

I understand Charlie Scott could use a gig

No to D'Antoni

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/blog/2008/05/much_ado_about_something.html

From the beginning this has been mainly about D'Antoni and the Bulls. They were the first to fly to Phoenix and talk to D'Antoni when the Suns gave him permission to speak with other teams. Donnie Walsh arrived the next day.

Walsh does have an interest in D'Antoni and, through people close to him, there is a sense that Walsh is confident that D'Antoni could be successful in New York. But is Walsh desperate to hire him?

He doesn't seem to be.

Not as desperate as the D'Antoni camp has in perpetuating the notion -- through the eager media -- that Walsh and the Knicks are holding a blank check to lure D'Antoni away from the Bulls, who are trying to be reasonable with their contract offer after regretting a long-term committment to Scott Skiles. As the Tribune reported, the idea that the Bulls won't pay because they still owe Skiles a ton of buyout money is factually incorrect.

Skiles is owed $3.5 million, but as per the agreement that number will be paid out over time. The Bulls will pay Skiles $1 million each in the next two seasons and then $750,000 each in the following two. That is hardly break-the-bank numbers for a wealthy team like the Bulls.

Bottom line, if they want D'Antoni, they can certainly match the remaining salary he has in Phoenix, which is $4 million this coming season and $4.5 million in 2009-10.

But if you represent D'Antoni and the New York market is involved with even mild interest, you wouldn't be a good agent if you didn't try to get your client more. The Bulls have no interest in getting into a bidding war with the Knicks.

And the Knicks have no interest in bidding against themselves, which is a refreshing change from the mindset of the previous regime.

More to come. Stay tuned . . . .

I totally agree. I think D'Antoni would just compound all of the other mistakes the Knicks have made during the Layden/Thomas era. I will be very frustrated if Walsh makes this move. In my mind it would appear that Dolan is still controling things. The fact that Isiah still exists in some manner with the Knicks says enough about Walsh and his total control of basketball operations. Mark is the kind of guy the Knicks need. If the team was going to go in the direction of a D'Antoni style coach they should have made a run at Calipari before he reupped.

Posted by misterearl:

No

Buying a coach like D'Antoni seems to fit Dolan's impatience. Hiring a Mark Jackson, and allowing him the opportunity to find his voice the same way Pat Riley (with no prior coaching experience) did, would appear to be a better fit for a roster in transition.

Donnie Walsh is on the clock.

For once, I agree with you, misterearl. But it looks like Donnie only needed 7 seconds this morning to disagree.

Posted by misterearl:

I'm with Mike Wilbon on this one crzymdups - D'Antoni is a strange move when you have the opportunity to deflect the aggressive personality of the city in a new hire.

Besides, Don Chaney was a better student and teacher of defensive strategy. The mild-mannered D'Antoni just might get eaten alive by the New York media sharks.

Mark Jackson would have been perfect.

With the big contract, (it still ain't my money) this honeymoon will be much shorter than Jackson's. The comparisons to his winning percentage at Phoenix have already started and this ain't Phoenix.

It won't be pretty.

i'm with misterearl on this one. d'antoni may get a year's worth of rope tops...then there will be major pressure to make a big time move...

it's a strange hire...and one i think with heavy influence from stern...

walsh hired as gm - check
d'antoni hired as coach - check
#2 pick in the nba draft - almost check