I agree Jackson has been mediocre more than good. The Melo card is a big factor. I don't know if Dolan brought him in to let Melo walk. Melo re-signing has to be a staple in that I would guess. So with Melo on your roster, you have to build a team good enough to win now. Which is what Phil has tried to do. It has not worked out. Trading Melo is simply the right basketball move longterm IF you can get some decent value.
The thing with Jackson is that he's taking all the heat for this. Melo takes it on the court, but off the court, it's all on Jackson. That's part of why Dolan hired him. Dolan's stepped back, and Phil is in the forefront, almost as if he is the owner (when Phil isn't).
I'm very impressed with how Phil and his people can scout and get talent out of nowhere. KP was lottery talent, but drafting KP took some balls.In NY most wanted one of the more proven college players. Even that aside, you look at getting a Hernangomez in the second round.
We just need to keep drafting well. It's the best way to get longterm stability in this league. With the cap rising, having so many contenders and playoff teams who have capspace puts us at no real advantge to free agents as we're not very good.
With the way Melo has began to play recently, I see no positive in keeping him. He's not even looking to pass. All he does is look for an isolation opportunity. The defensive effort remains weak. Team has been playing better and more cohesive without him. Real shame, because Melo has the talent to be a great point forward. Last year he showed it. All he has to do is look for open teammates ahead of his shot. He isn't. He is thinking about his shot and move every time. It's been evident that he no longer fits this team or the plan.
