Cartman718 wrote:The way I see things actually played out since 1999...1. Dolan started "taking over" Cablevision, MSG, Knicks in 1999.
2. Post Ewing, Dolan desperately wanted to return the Knicks to greatness and by doing so, cement his legacy as a winner (not having won anything except a silver spoon up his ass prior to that) in life.
3. In his final year with the Pacers, determined to develop the youngsters, Isiah gets to the playoffs yet again (almost 50 win season) and coaches the All Star game.
4. After another first round exit, Larry Bird boldly replaces IT with Carlisle in the off-season.
5. After a terrible start to the next season, Dolan is looking for a new GM. Enter Isiah Thomas.
6. IT knew the right things to say, right approach to schmooze the "white boss" having done his own research on Dolan and having grown up as a survivor.
7. Dolan in his own lack of experience with basketball as a business...he sees Isiah Thomas as a winner because of his resume - 12 time all star, played for Hoosiers, Bad Boy, leading a young Pacers team to playoffs multiple times, All Star game head coach, etc.
8. Dolan sees IT's family history and sees brothers with substance abuse problems and how IT thrived despite that...and the heady mix of that information plus his basketball resume...he sees IT as a winner, something he himself aspires to be.
9. He hires IT and starts developing a professional and personal friendship with someone he now admires.
10. IT knows how to sell himself, and in order to set himself for a long tenure with the Knicks, he hires Larry Brown as coach. He knows fully well that Coach Brown likes players that play "the right way" and will trade anyone for a bag of chips if they don't.
11. IT feels, this should buy me some time, I can now do what I do best...evaluate draft talent and leave the coaching to Brown. Dolan should buy his "break the team down to build it back up" approach.
12. That's a miscalculation and Dolan gets rid of Brown when expectations are not met, then the Anucha thing and TruckBury thing happens, Dolan has no choice but to get rid of Isiah and Steph as well.
13. Embodying the Bros before Hoes mentality, he gives a terrible Coach Chaney 2 contract extensions and hires Wilkens as well, who being a saint compared to his predecessors is unable to adapt to the already changing game.
14. Dolan senses this, and brings in D'Antoni within a week of being given permission by the Suns to talk with other teams.
15. D'Antoni's lack of control with the Suns means he's looking for more control with the Knicks, but Dolan is still all about becoming a winner, and reluctant to give up control.
16. With no Steve Nash'esque point guard to run his team, D'Antoni is forced into resignation and Woodson takes over a Carmelo - Amare led team.
17. Woodson realizes that his 2 stars are one-on-one players primarily and changes SSOL to BullyBall, paying immediate dividends ending the season 18-6, albeit followed by a first round exit against Lebron Wade Bosh led Heat.
18. Things finally seem headed in the right direction with a 54 win season, but a second round exit is leaving a bad taste in many people's mouths from Dolan to Woodson to Melo to Amare and more importantly the fans.
19. Melo is just entering his peak and Amare is at his peak and Chandler is the big many people feel the Knicks need, but Woodson's past with Hawks is hardly magical and no one sees his resume as a "winning" one.
20. Dolan finds that Phil Jackson has somehow become available. After more than a decade of trying to hold on, Dolan has given up on controlling his legacy with the Knicks. He hires Phil Jackson to run the Knicks, assuming the Zen master will easily translate from Unmatched Coach to at least Great GM.
21. Woodson is fired, Kerr picks the Warriors over Knicks and the Knicks end up with Derek Fisher.
22. Dolan is still confident that Jax can convince Carmelo to stay...and he does albeit at a $125 million price tag.
23. Dolan and PJax are betting Carmelo's peak plus NYC's market will be enough to lure other FAs.
24. However, Carmelo's reputation as a ball hog prevents any FAs that matter from joining the Knicks.
25. With consolation acquisitions and Kristaps Porzingis in hand, this season begins with optimism with a 25 point drubbing of the Kidd led Bucks on opening night...on the road.
26. In the first 15 games over the first month or so of the season, the Knicks are hot. 4 game win streak and they are sitting at 8-6. PJax and Steve Mills are looking like early geniuses. Derek Fisher is looking like a real coach.
27. The up and down Knicks are struggling to find any consistency under the ever changing lineups...losing 5, winning 4, losing 4, winning 5.
28. But when PJax sees that the team is not really listening to Fisher's preaching speeches, he makes a change to save the season.
29. Dolan refuses to spend any more money than he already has, and Rambis becomes the next head coach.
30. Lineups remain the same, Rambis in effect saying...I do not really want this high pressure job. I'd rather laugh around and watch pr0n.
31. ThisMelo, DadMelo however is turning eyes and changing his reputation as a ball hog. 3 assists in November, 4 in December, 5 in Jan and Feb, he's making "Cam Newton passes out there".
32. The coaching change may have come too late for the Knicks. Porzingis is tired, Melo somewhat hurt, young players lacking confidence thanks to Fisher.
33. PJax realizes that Dolan wants the Knicks to make the playoffs to de-value the loss of the first round pick next draft, but PJax cannot help this situation without hiring a real head coach.
34. So Melo is frustrated, Rambis is somewhat inept at head coaching, PJax hands are tied, but Dolan is still expecting that his execs will sleep in the bed that they made themselves but somehow still make the playoffs.
35. Meanwhile the terrible guard play (partly because of talent and partly because it was not maximized earlier in the season) is causing the Knicks fans to lose faith in management once again.
36. The pressure is on the Knicks management who paid Carmelo 125 mill and on Melo to deliver.
37. To Dolan, the Management sell is - the role players are not that bad. Carmelo's take - yes they are that bad. Dolan's decision... we should see it by the end of the season. He might be the only owner with balls to fire Phil Jackson before his tenure is over.
The Knicks will continue to remain stuck in the mud until Dolan either sells or realizes he should bring in a GM with an eye to where the future of the game is. Remember Steve Mills is the one that was more responsible for the Porzingis pick than Phil Jax.
