|
firefly
Posts: 23253
Alba Posts: 17
Joined: 7/26/2004
Member: #721
United Kingdom
|
Berryman: Roots of the Atlantic Disaster
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Archer Berryman
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jan 12, 2007, 13:50
Stop right here. If you're thinking this column will be another punchline to the 'How Bad is the Atlantic?' joke, think again. The grotesque awfulness of the division has been plenty covered already and was put best by one of the architects of its ineptitude, Mr. Doc Rivers. When it is established by one of the participating coaches that is better to have a day off than actually play a game, little more needs to be said about the overall incompetence.
What we are interested in is how it got this bad. After a little research, you can point to several events in a timeline, disaster flashpoints, if you will, that laid the groundwork for the sinking ship we are now witnessing. Some of these events happened nearly ten years ago, which shows how many separate things need to go wrong for all of the teams in a division to be so terrible. Without further ado, we present the roots of the Atlantic disaster, in timeline format:
May 19, 1998: Billy King promoted to G.M. of the 76ers
It happened over seven years ago, but here was the beginning of the end in Philly. It is common knowledge that King is one of the main reason Philadelphia is probably the worst team in the NBA right now. It is true that the 76ers advanced to the NBA Finals two years after he was elevated to General Manager, but that was more the result of a great coach (a coach who made many of the early personnel decisions, by the way) and a motivated superstar with solid role players around him. The further into King's tenure, however, the less talent Iverson had to work with, and the more things went downhill. The downward spiral culminated, of course, with the recent trade of Iverson that brought back little in return. Now Philadelphia is at square one, and King is responsible for getting them there. If only they had known in '98...
Early 1999: Ernie Grunfeld fired as G.M. of the Knicks; Scott Layden hired shortly after
Ernie Grunfeld was the man who built the Knicks into a '90's powerhouse. New York never won a title, but the teams Grunfeld assembled under Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy were contenders for the crown almost every season. Grunfeld made many shrewd moves to keep his team on top while Patrick Ewing was aging, including stealing Allan Houston away from the Pistons in an excellent free agent signing. We could go on about Grunfeld (just look at what he's done with the Wizards), but the point here is that when he was foolishly let go after a slow start by the Knicks in the lockout-shortened 1999 season (they got to the Finals that year, by the way), it was a huge blow to the franchise.
Who they hired in his place was just as damaging, of course. The job Scott Layden did in his four years in New York makes even Isiah Thomas look like the second coming of Grunfeld. Many of his free agent signings defied explanation, and he was the man who entered the Knicks into the salary cap hell from which they are still trying to escape.
Summer 2001: Allan Houston signs a 7 year, $100 million contract extension with the Knicks
We're not including too many specific personnel moves in this list, because we believe the men who make the bad moves are more responsible than any individual move, but how could you trace the Knicks' demise without including the Houston contract? This was the deal that symbolized the team's new way of doing business: try to outspend everyone without any thought towards the repercussions. Scott Layden began this practice with the Houston signing (and several other terrible contracts), and Isiah Thomas has certainly kept the legacy going. At this rate, the Knicks won't have a manageable payroll until the end of the decade, and this is where the overspending started.
Late 2001: Jeff Van Gundy resigns as Knicks coach
Van Gundy had held the Knicks together despite two years of questionable moves by Scott Layden, and it was his resignation that plunged the Knicks into the full-fledged chaos that still swirls around the team. After a 10-9 start to the 2001-02 season, Van Gundy had had enough, and the team tanked without its leader, finishing 20-43 the rest of the way under Don Chaney. The Knicks have never even sniffed success since Van Gundy moved on.
Summer 2003: Larry Brown resigns as 76ers head coach
Like Van Gundy, Brown was the glue that held Philadelphia together for years after the team stopped improving. Brown's personnel decisions were questionable at best, but he was the only coach to truly get through to Allen Iverson, and after he left, things came crashing down. Plus, after Brown's exit, Billy King became the main front office decision maker. We all know how that worked out!
Late Summer 2003: Antoine Walker traded to the Dallas Mavericks
The demise of the Celtics began not with a hire but with a trade. Danny Ainge dealt away Antoine Walker and got very little back in return. No matter how you feel about the much-maligned Walker, Paul Pierce dearly missed the team's second star, and the only success the Celts have experienced since then was when they re-acquired Walker for the stretch run two years ago and won the Atlantic. Danny Ainge has failed to develop a second premier player in Walker's absence, leaving Paul Pierce on his own with several young and talented but unpolished players.
December 22, 2003: Isiah Thomas named President of Basketball Operations of the New York Knicks
The Knicks were in a sinkhole when Thomas took over, and he simply dug them deeper before starting to make some headway. The Stephon Marbury trade is haunting the Knicks, and Thomas made several Layden-like (read: financially irresponsible) signings and deals that have only further plunged the Knicks into cap debt without improving the team. Recently Thomas has made some shrewd draft picks, but on the whole, his tenure has only perpetuated the ineptitude of his predecessor's.
Summer 2004: Realignment removes Heat, Wizards and Magic from the Atlantic
When the league switched to a three division per conference format, the Atlantic lost the three teams that are the best of the bunch right now. The Wizards and Magic are the two best young teams in the league now, and the Heat won the title last year. There is no way you would be reading this article if those teams had remained in the Atlantic division.
Summer 2004: Doc Rivers hired as Celtics' head coach
Rivers has struggled mightily since becoming the Celtics' head coach. He came with a reputation as a great motivator, but his skills as a game coach have been exposed the last two and a half years. Rivers has been unable to settle on a consistent rotation and shuttles players in and out of games with little reason behind the moves. A young team needs stability and defined roles, and Rivers has failed to provide that in his time as Celtics coach, which will almost certainly end after this season.
Summer 2004: Rob Babcock hired as Raptors G.M.
Babcock's tenure as the Raptors' G.M. began with one of the worst draft picks in recent memory when he took Rafael Araujo 8th in the first round of the 2004 draft. It would be difficult to point to one positive move Babcock made during his time with the team. He lasted only a year and a half on the job before getting canned. Babcock's main legacy, of course, will always be tied to...
December 17, 2004: Raptors trade Vince Carter to New Jersey
I was considering including a timeline item titled 'Vince Carter Stops Trying', but decided it would be too tough to pin down a date. So the ridiculously lopsided trade will have to do. Blame Babcock for pulling the trigger on the deal that brought back only average draft picks, mediocre players, and a guy who begged himself out of town without even playing a game (although he was kind enough to collect the remainder of his contract). But blame Carter, too, for quitting on a franchise and an entire city and placing the Raptors in a hopeless situation that they are only now beginning to come out of.
Summer 2005: New Jersey selects Antoine Wright with the 15th pick in the first round; voids Shareef Abdur-Rahim signing
Desperately in need of depth to fill out their contending team, the Nets selected Wright, who has yet to make any impact in the league. Players chosen after Wright who would have contributed more in New Jersey: Danny Granger, Hakim Warrick, Nate Robinson, Jarrett Jack, Luther Head, Jason Maxiell, and David Lee.
Meanwhile, Rod Thorn crafted an excellent deal for free agent power forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who signed and was slated to start at the four for a Nets team in need of frontcourt help. He was the final piece. Until, that is, Rod Thorn saw something in Rahim's physical he didn't like and voided the deal. Abdur-Rahim went on to sign with Sacramento, where he has been injury-free. Because of Thorn's unjustified panic, the Nets are still stuck with Jason Collins as a starting power forward, and the lack of a make-up move for losing Rahim deflated the entire team.
Fall/Winter 2006: Vince Carter gets divorced, Nenad Krstic tears up his knee, Jason Kidd files for divorce
Distractions, rumors, and injuries have swirled around the Nets all season, and you wonder why they have joined the rest of the Atlantic in the tank. Two of the team's top three players are dealing with difficult personal issues, while their only dependable frontcourt player tore an ACL and will not return this season. The sad thing is, this was it for the Nets. Vince Carter will be a free agent this summer, Jason Kidd isn't getting any younger...how could Rod Thorn possibly keep this team together for another season? This was New Jersey's last big shot, and various factors have ruined the team.
So there you have it; a comprehensive overview of why the Atlantic sucks. As an addendum to this study, allow me to opine that David Stern should not consider re-aligning to get rid of the disgraceful Atlantic. Here's why:
-Most of the teams in the division have been horribly mis-managed for a long time, but that will soon come to an end. It's likely that many or all of Billy King, Isiah Thomas, Doc Rivers, and Sam Mitchell will be history after this season, with better options brought in as replacements.
-Some teams are already on the way up, and all teams have reason to hope. Toronto is under the direction of Bryan Colangelo and they have an excellent young superstar in Chris Bosh who is committed to the franchise. How much longer until they are a perennial playoff team?
The Knicks, despite the mistakes Thomas has made, actually have a nice young core and an excellent frontcourt beneath the salary cap rubble. A solid coach could really make something of this team with a couple more pieces.
The Celtics' young players have to come around some time...right?
The Nets' eventual move to Brooklyn has the potential to invigorate a franchise that has suffered pathetic fan support for years.
And if Philadelphia gets lucky, Greg Oden or Kevin Durant might be wearing a Philly jersey at this time next season.
-Finally, look at the prestige of the teams that are struggling. Philadelphia, New York, and Boston! How long do you expect them to suffer? Some of these teams will spend any amount of money and effort to return to prominence, and eventually they will get it right. When they do, nobody will be complaining about the Atlantic anymore, even if it does take a couple years.
Some men see things as they are and ask why. I dream things that never were and ask why not?
|
