MaTT4281 wrote:Spurs were PISSED when Marcus Morris reneged on that deal. I bring that up for no other reason than to rub salt in their 2nd place wounds.

That was a tough season, but some good pieces obviously with Randle who improved dramatically in year 2 (some might even call him the MOST improved...). Elfrid Payton was a hard watch at PG... Howard Eisley without the shot?

But that was the start of the rebuild, and we finally have a castle. How far we've come!

Plus Morris lead to IQ which lead to OG

Knixkik wrote:After missing out on KD and Kyrie, the Knicks pivoted to say the least.

Within 12 hours or so they signed Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, Elfrid Payton, Wayne Ellington, and Reggie Bullock. Most of these were 2 year deals. Just when we thought they were done, they failed Reggie Bullocks physical, renegotiated a lesser contract with him, and used the extra to sign Marcus Morris. While this was viewed as a very underwhelming class to the point where Steve Mills and Scott Perry felt it was necessary to issue a public apology to fans, most of these signings ended up jump-starting what eventually turned into the title team we have today.

Randle ended up being the main signing and resulted in a successful run as the main cog, as he was a 3 time allstar and eventually the outgoing contract for KAT. Randle had his ups and downs, but he was the definition of a floor-raiser for an otherwise bad team. Gibson, Bullock, and Payton all went on to have positive impacts on the culture for the Knicks and brought 2-way ability and seriousness in their roles. All positive signings. Portis and Ellington were mostly afterthoughts, but still solid players. Portis found his role on a title team and continues to be a good pro.

Marcus Morris was the last signing but was actually the Knicks best player for a period of time, until he was moved for a first round pick that turned into Quickley, who eventually became Anunoby. This free agency was very much part of the dark days, and it was active, disappointing, and boring in terms of players, but at the same time ended up jump-starting a transcendent path to what we have today. Hard to believe that was 7 years ago today, how things have changed. It was yesterday and a lifetime ago at the same time.

Time flies so fast... This all happened when me and the family were on vacation the last time. Which reminds me I need a vacation!!

Philc1 wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:KD and Kyrie being scared of playing for the Knicks needs to be studied.

They’re both mentally weak asswipes. They both did us the biggest favor ever. That offseason really got this started with the Knicks drafting RJ and signing Randle.

Randle schmandle.

Knixkik wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:KD and Kyrie being scared of playing for the Knicks needs to be studied.

I do wonder how much of KD’s injury changed their plans. I had read that Kyrie really wanted the Knicks but did not want to play there on his own with KD out the entire season, and preferred less pressure in Brooklyn. Like you said, scared.

Context of the moment matters. Unless your just into insults.

Yes, I'd imagine the year KD had to sit did matter and the Knicks had a **** roster with a FO in turmoil and revolving coaching situation. Knicks had just tanked with little to show for it. Steve Mills was in charge and it was a disaster.
Now lets be fair, perhaps if KD and Kyrie commited the situation would have changed but this is what those two were looking at in the summer of 2019. KD was a full year away from returning and it was a question he'd return to form. He very much did! You don't have to like him, but he came all the way back.

This was the year the NBA suspended play due to covid.
To be fair one cannot really reconstruct a thing as perhaps we don't draft RJ, and a slew of trades ensue. We likely trade RJ/pick or trade down. Free agency happens after the draft, but lets not get too real. One has to even say perhaps Leon is not hired.
Details, Details, Details!

But to be fair despite Kyrie turning into the weak link, the Nets came within a toe of getting into the finals riding Durant and if so, perhaps them and not Milwaukee wins the chip that year? So "asswipe" or not, they did come close one time.

Durant disrespected the knicks and its easy after 7 years later puff your chest out and shout from the mountain top but the knicks were a disaster at that moment and it smelled like the worst kind of Starphuch. The media and fan crush of anything but success would have been awful. Were they scared of that? Perhaps they were correct. Nets were not carrying that kind of luggage. The whole Kyrie thing was a mess and good fortune that they passed on Knicks. Durant was correct when he said at that moment in infered "Knicks are not cool". Hitting rock bottom and not doing that deal paved a path one did not see coming and while we celbrate all these years later its still incredible what occurred: Kmicks are champions!

Mills/Perry did one thing that really mattered and it was signing Jules who had a mostly really good 5 year tenure with us. And....with other FA DDV we turned that into KAT who had much to prove. Funny that in the aftermath of his awful brooklyn stint Kyrie replaces brunson in Dallas, and Jalen punches his way into the king of New York staring fear down time and time again! We go from the verge of signing a weak minded Kyrie and three years later get one of the strongest to play the game. Both have Chips and both will be in the HOF but one will be a Knick with stature while the other mostly a highlight reel.

Nalod wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:KD and Kyrie being scared of playing for the Knicks needs to be studied.

I do wonder how much of KD’s injury changed their plans. I had read that Kyrie really wanted the Knicks but did not want to play there on his own with KD out the entire season, and preferred less pressure in Brooklyn. Like you said, scared.

Context of the moment matters. Unless your just into insults.

Yes, I'd imagine the year KD had to sit did matter and the Knicks had a **** roster with a FO in turmoil and revolving coaching situation. Knicks had just tanked with little to show for it. Steve Mills was in charge and it was a disaster.
Now lets be fair, perhaps if KD and Kyrie commited the situation would have changed but this is what those two were looking at in the summer of 2019. KD was a full year away from returning and it was a question he'd return to form. He very much did! You don't have to like him, but he came all the way back.

This was the year the NBA suspended play due to covid.
To be fair one cannot really reconstruct a thing as perhaps we don't draft RJ, and a slew of trades ensue. We likely trade RJ/pick or trade down. Free agency happens after the draft, but lets not get too real. One has to even say perhaps Leon is not hired.
Details, Details, Details!

But to be fair despite Kyrie turning into the weak link, the Nets came within a toe of getting into the finals riding Durant and if so, perhaps them and not Milwaukee wins the chip that year? So "asswipe" or not, they did come close one time.

Durant disrespected the knicks and its easy after 7 years later puff your chest out and shout from the mountain top but the knicks were a disaster at that moment and it smelled like the worst kind of Starphuch. The media and fan crush of anything but success would have been awful. Were they scared of that? Perhaps they were correct. Nets were not carrying that kind of luggage. The whole Kyrie thing was a mess and good fortune that they passed on Knicks. Durant was correct when he said at that moment in infered "Knicks are not cool". Hitting rock bottom and not doing that deal paved a path one did not see coming and while we celbrate all these years later its still incredible what occurred: Kmicks are champions!

Mills/Perry did one thing that really mattered and it was signing Jules who had a mostly really good 5 year tenure with us. And....with other FA DDV we turned that into KAT who had much to prove. Funny that in the aftermath of his awful brooklyn stint Kyrie replaces brunson in Dallas, and Jalen punches his way into the king of New York staring fear down time and time again! We go from the verge of signing a weak minded Kyrie and three years later get one of the strongest to play the game. Both have Chips and both will be in the HOF but one will be a Knick with stature while the other mostly a highlight reel.

Yes!!! Omg, thank you!!! You just inadvertently said it!! Both of those players are schmucks, really and YES,they were correct in not coming here and trying to be a savior(s). Because they are piggy backers. They made the right decision