The New York Knicks have completed 3 offseason moves. All 3 with mixed responses, different purposes, and most important unknown possibilities/prospects. First we go through the free agent signings. I just want to put the book down on this once and for all, as everyone has vented their minds on the subject of Clarence Weatherspoon and Allan Houston. Number 1: Signing Weatherspoon with full 4.5 exception, 10% increases, 5 years. Why? (Oh my god, why in the world WHY!!??!?! to most people). LJ's back is in question. LJ brought 2 things to the knicks during the 98 season, and through to 1999-2000 sorta. Durability and leadership. WEatherspoon brings durability and has yet to be shown as a lockerroom prescence. But undoubtdly LJ wil be there at the lockeroom, at the bench, at the practices, and everywhere that encompasses the Knicks, because thats what he is, a knick. Weatherspoon provides the emanation of LJ's old form, staunch yet stout and durable body to play power. The BIG difference however is weatherspoon is more of a rebounder than a low post scorer. Signing Weatherspoon was not a terrible deal, basically we had no other options. SUre people can complain what about signing Shammond WIlliams or Rod STrickland, Rod is old, as is Mark Jackson. Shammond will not find time with both jackson and ward here. Knicks used their exception, rashly yes, but felt they had no options with no takers for jackson or ward, especially in any way to ease perimeter glut.
2: SIgning of Allan Houston to 100 Million, 6 year contract. THis signing meant one thing, and only one thing, Allan Houston is Dolan's Man. Dolan believes ALlan Houston can bring a championship to NY, and is now centering the team around him. THis makes the Knicks Allan's team on paper, but to many, Sprewell's team in spirit. Allan HOuston IS one of the top 7-8 2 guards in the nba now with more emphasis on jumpshooting. SUre Houstons not a slasher, but with his so called "new motivation" maybe hell be able to learn how to drive like those 10 second cars he'll be able to buy (10 second cars to those non car buffs readin this is a car capable of running a quartermile straightaway within 10 seconds or less, usually cars like this are on the upwards of 50-60k depending on whether you "soup" up a car or jus buy a ferrari which costs over 120k the good ones at least).
3- Trade: Rice/Bogues----Anderson/Eisley. What many do not understand, not to discourage or disparage any of you, but a team can not hold more than 2-3 allstars (but the fact that spre AND houston are both 2 guards that are allstars jus complicatesthings), that includes former allstars as well (ex: Rice). you mite argue now that larry johnson is a former allstar, but he is a leader, rice is not. LJ recognizes hes no longer grandmama, and now has to scrape up the rest of his life, his career, and that 84 million 12 year contract he signed way back. Rice was expendable, spre and houston are not. We got younger and more humble. We lost Rices contract and his ego, but got back 2 contracts worth an agonizing capwise 6 years. At least Shandon Anderson will gladly ride behind spre and houston without demanding any shots, sure his numbers will prob be 5 and 5 this year, but he will be a reserve nonetheless. What he can aspire to be? 6th man of the year? Perhaps. Eisley will have to pick up the slack that jettisoning Rice has caused. Besides Allan Houston, whos the next legitimate 3 point threat? Eisley wil have to pick it up, but obviously will need minutes, and eventually a starting job. Can you say goodbye charlie ward?

Future?

THe core of the team is intact and will stay intact for the next 5 years. Allan/Latrell/Marcus are the Knicks, with Kurt/LJ/Jax/Shan/How/Clar/Othella backing them up for years to come. We DO have the potential, the depth, to go far, but how far? Even if THIS season does not bode well, the season after will reap more benefits with centers like Mourning, Mutombo, Olajuwon, and as a pf Antonio Davis beginning their decension.

Bottom Line

Do not sulk, do not be depressed, we have a great competitive team. Even though many say that Houston/Spre/Camby are not good enough to win, they may not win the championship (who can with shaq and kobe around), but they jus may win the East. We are starting to develop our own nucleus rather than importing it, like we would have if we got webber and lost houston and camby.

1) The only reason why the Knicks signed Spoon was as insurance
just in case LJ retired. Without Spoon, you would have Kurt starting
and just Harrington off the bench. Obviously, management doesn't
value Othella's defense and rebounding that much.
2) The Knicks had to sign Houston for the max. He would've walked
and they would have not received any compensation for him otherwise.
3) Rice said during this past summer that he expected to start this year. So obviously, there were going to be chemistry problems.
In return the Knick's got a defensive stopper, energetic and durable
SF in Shandon Anderson. At times if you have Camby, Thomas, Anderson,
Spree and Ward in, that's one hell of a defensive team. Knicks also
got a younger, up tempo pt guard all for a disgruntled, hurt vet.

This deal made us was more athletic, younger, and deeper. It gives us better chemistry and more unselfishness. Unloading Rice makes Houston and Sprewell more affective because they can always have the ball in there hands. With Rice added to the mix, new york had too many outside scorers and nothing else. I believe Anderson will get much better and so will Eisley. Camby is the key to the team now because nobody really knows how good he will be. If he can develop into an all-star while Houston and Spree are still in their primes, we will definetly be back in the finals.

I think you guys have given a great positive slant on the trades, signings etc. Hope is eternal. Let's hope that Layton has one more trade up his sleeve - for a Camby backup.. Once that happens, training camp and pre-season will worth the anticipation. After that, we will all be moaning about the season - which I can't wait to begin... Go Knicks -

That's what we need right now, Ward gone for a Camby backup.

I'd actually like to see Ward and Othella for a backup center. Gets rid of some of the glut at PF and makes it easier to keep and develop Wright.

Posted by Blade:

2: SIgning of Allan Houston to 100 Million, 6 year contract. THis signing meant one thing, and only one thing, Allan Houston is Dolan's Man. Dolan believes ALlan Houston can bring a championship to NY, and is now centering the team around him. THis makes the Knicks Allan's team on paper, but to many, Sprewell's team in spirit. Allan HOuston IS one of the top 7-8 2 guards in the nba now with more emphasis on jumpshooting.

whoa, long post. The above is the only thing I would disagree with. Dolan's a corporate man, so he has to put on a brimming-with-happiness face with the signing of Houston, like it or not. I am not sure he believes Allan can bring a championship to the Knicks, but when the knicks couldn;t do a sign and trade for Webber, Dolan had to do everything in his power to sign the shooting guard. If we ever trade Houston for an all-star big man (please, please, please) you will see that same smiling face from Dolan and company.

rice would have been good this year if he wasn't injured. he can shoot the three. he's a shooting gaurd in a small fowards body. he is second to houston in shooting (was) if he would have started this year, he might have had to guard jordan (if he comes back). even so... who can actually guard three sgs that are in ave 6'6? playing zone will have the centers and power fowards inside, and with 3 sgs that can shoot quite well (with the exception of sprewell because on and off), that is a huge threat. now that that's gone, the only way to go is big and defensive. we still have three sg's.... trade one. the only reasonable one that people will take would be sprewell. to make that package sweeter, throw in somebody like thomas/harington, but you have to throw ward in. if we can get somebody like Rasheed wallce, that is something worth doing. what all of you are thinking about is having the core of the future with 3 people (2 of which are 30, and one is not an all-star caliber player yet). why not put that to 2, with Rasheed Wallace and Camby, with houston being the threat that he is avging 20-25? he can't be the future... he's 30, look what happened to rice! no matter how much you like the players (sprewell, thomas), you have to trade for better