Nov 24 CHI W 85-78 1 36:44 7 13 53.9 0 0 0.0 7 9 77.8 3 4 7 0 4 0 0 4 21
Nov 21 @ DET L 86-98 1 37:20 12 19 63.2 0 0 0.0 2 3 66.7 1 4 5 1 2 0 1 3 26
Nov 20 GSW L 82-108 1 25:30 5 10 50.0 0 0 0.0 2 6 33.3 1 2 3 1 3 0 0 2 12
Nov 17 @ DEN L 83-115 1 17:41 5 8 62.5 0 0 0.0 2 3 66.7 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 12
Nov 16 SAC L 118-123 1 34:18 10 19 52.6 0 0 0.0 7 9 77.8 6 3 9 0 2 0 1 6 27
Nov 14 LAC L 81-84 1 36:29 7 14 50.0 0 0 0.0 2 2 100.0 4 8 12 1 2 0 0 2 16
Nov 13@ PHO L 102-113 1 25:34 7 11 63.6 0 0 0.0 3 4 75.0 3 5 8 0 1 1 1 6 17
Nov 11 MIA L 72-75 1 33:31 7 12 58.3 0 0 0.0 5 6 83.3 3 3 6 0 4 0 0 5 19
Nov 9 ORL L 102-112 1 35:51 7 9 77.8 0 0 0.0 5 8 62.5 1 2 3 2 2 2 1 5 19
Nov 6 DEN W 119-112 1 34:40 11 16 68.8 0 0 0.0 2 5 40.0 3 5 8 1 4 1 1 2 24
Nov 4 MIN W 97-93 1 34:46 6 8 75.0 0 0 0.0 2 6 33.3 1 6 7 0 2 0 0 3 14
Nov 2 @ CLE L 106-110 1 32:55 9 16 56.3 0 0 0.0 0 5 0.0 1 6 7 1 1 0 1 2 18
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

pts 18.6 rebs 7.1 FG% 61%
Pretty much the same thing he was giving last year 19-7 60%. Now that isn't Dwight Howard or any of the top tier all around big men BUT it's pretty darn good for what he does. Score nearly 20 points at a 60% clip and he does pull down his reasonable share of rebounds. He obviously is a guy who needs prodding and coaxing. He isn't mentally tough unless there is momentum for some pride to come out. He *clearly* is not in as good as shape as last year--I blame the Knicks as much as Curry--BUT there is no doubt we can rectify his problems and what he can do by getting him back into vigorous shape and getting his mentality back. If I know he can give me that--and he can on a consistent basis--I can *concentrate on making the team better in other areas. Contrary to some feelings/opinions--the 2006 Knicks were NOT a bad team---they were going to make the playoffs imho until Crawford got hurt. Lee along with Crawford had very good synergy and chemistry with Curry and when things were going well Curry played very well. Right now he is a zombie who probably doesn't even want to play and probably could care less. IMHO--the shortest route to getting back to something even reasonable is
A-rebuilding the guard positions and upgrading the speed by immense proportions.
b-rebuilding Eddy Curry
c-trading Zach Randolph
e-finding a 3and 4th big who do other things that are important in the front court

Players I believe have to go and reasons why they should go

Q_rich[the player is shot--there is no doubt about it he's done]
Zach Randolph--he's a great skill player and he can be on a winning team and help out a great deal--but I don't see it here
Nate Robinson--love nate but he is not passing the ball and like Randolph I think he can thrive somewhere else=--perhaps Golden State as they lost Hudson for a future lottery protected 1 pick?
Malik Rose--this is not a situation for him
Stephon Marbury--we cannot continue this charade--
Jerome James-see Q Rich
Fred Jones--not a piece of the puzzle


on the bubble

I need to see what Balkman Collins Chandler and Morris can do in NBA game situations. I am really perplexed as to why--when we sck--that these guys don't at least get some decent PT in these romps. Practice--you are talking bout practice--that's right AI--get them into the game--Balkman and Collins both showed some nice bonafides at times last year. they cant shoot which is an awful thing for a wing but they were able to do other things like rebound defend that help teams win--give the three wings some burn. I have no clue as to why they don't use Morris. Give him a shot--they touted him as a lottery pick for free--then use the darn guy especially with big game out. Until I can make a reasonable evaluation period on these players I can make no opinion

Guys we keep and why
Curry--not ready to give up on a 25 YO C. Need to rebuild him to what he was. Im not saying he is any saviour in anyway--we certainly need MUCH more--BUT he proved to me that he can be a player last year.
Crawford- in many ways crawford is curry at the G position. He needs other guards to hide his deficiencies but he brings something serious to the table--the plan would be--as always to make his game more effecient
Lee---Lee is a consistent piece he may be a better bench player than starter
Jefferies--he scks but he is untradeable. He can be used as a bench player--maybe 10th guy who can play some D--give some energy---insurance against injury--but he is CLEARLY not a core player.

Our best bet right now is sitting Q Rich Marbury Malik and Fred--and give those minutes to Collins Balkman and Chandler. Morris also should get some burn--even if it is 5-8 minutes a game. The best we can do right now is seriously evaluate these players to see what we have and IF we can mesh these guys with the others to rebuild new chemistry.
I WOULD sit Curry for Zach--let Curry get back into shape over the next few weeks--build Zach's trade value and see what we can do at the deadline.
There is a lot of work to do--winning really is a secondary reality to evaluating players who need to play. Hopefully we DO start winning and the new players are a conduit to that.
We need a whole lot of work.

Zach randolph and Nate Robinson to Miami for Jason Williams Mark Blount and a 2010 top 5 protected pick and a 2007 second rounder.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Zach randolph and Nate Robinson to Miami for Jason Williams Mark Blount and a 2010 top 5 protected pick and a 2007 second rounder.

How about this move:

Zach to the Nets, for Jamal Magloire, Jason Collins and Marcus Williams.

Magloire expires this summer and Collins expires next summer. Getting Marcus Williams gives us a young pg to take over the reigns and gives us an opportunity to look to solidify another much needed position in this up comming draft. As much as I would like to get Derrick Rose, its a long shot even with a lotto pick (see Boston and Oden). We could use the pick on a 2guard (Gordon, Mayo) or a legit SF (Greene, Beasley) etc......

[Edited by - bigbeast on 29-12-2007 7:01 PM]

great stuff once again from briggs, laying it all out there.

gotta agree with you, the knicks really have nothing. i like lee, even curry -- though talented -- he just has a pathetic mental strength (if you want to call it strength). guy sits on the bench like a baby and doesn't care.

i love balkman, think collins is worthwhile. isiah hasn't played these guys b/c that'd be a concession that he's giving up

This is a good analysis Briggs. I think Isiah Thomas should explain to the New York fans that Curry was a dominant post player all last season, and that he started out this season really well, and that he is a work in progress, and that big men with his skills are extremely rare.

You know, just as you described he should do with Bynum if he were to have played here.

As you described would have happened with Bynum, the exceedingly fair and balanced, and never mean-spirited NYC fan base will take that into account, and thoughtfully stop booing Curry because of the cogent points that you have brought up.

oohah

I'm sorry, any analysis in favor of Curry is based upon his offense. When there is no mention of his turnover rate, the analysis is incomplete. How anyone can advocate holding onto a guy who needs mental prodding despite a $60 million contract is beyond me as well.

Having said that, I want to dump Randolph (and as many of these other bums as possible) too.

How about this movie: Zach and Curry to Siberia for a polar bear?

great post briggs. This is definately more reasonable then the burn everything and start over approach. I have been down on curry, but as you said, not ready to quit on a 25 year old center with skills...

I am curious as to why chandler and morris don't play, especially when isiah sold us on both guys, and the fact that we are terrible with a 8-21 record..

I think your changes are reasonable, guys like Q and marbury need to be gone, Q because he is shot, marbury because he is a mess.

Zach, I don't like the idea of him being here, would love to move him also...

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by tkf:

great post briggs. This is definately more reasonable then the burn everything and start over approach. I have been down on curry, but as you said, not ready to quit on a 25 year old center with skills...

I am curious as to why chandler and morris don't play, especially when isiah sold us on both guys, and the fact that we are terrible with a 8-21 record..

I think your changes are reasonable, guys like Q and marbury need to be gone, Q because he is shot, marbury because he is a mess.

Zach, I don't like the idea of him being here, would love to move him also...

Remember in the other thread how you said announcers from other teams and analyst around the NBA have positive things to say about Lee? Well those same individuals say you can't build around Curry. Shouldn't Curry be the reason players around him get richer deals, possibly make the All-Star team, win post season awards, possibly make All-NBA teams, have career years, play in the post-season instead of getting traded, getting benched, getting bought out? Look we've already given up the farm for Curry and now we have to redress the roster for an unmotivated, One-Way, Lazy player. We also have to hope he gets in shape for the first time in his career. If you look at Curry's career he's had several reasons to be motivated to prove people wrong

-Drafted out of High School
-Top 5 Lottery Pick
-Played For Losing Teams
-S & T by the team that drafted him
-Plays a position in which he could be the Most Dominant
-The team that traded for him gave up their farm
-Plays For A Coach/GM who's Job in jeopardy supposedly on a daily basis
-$60mil
-Plays For the New York Knicks at MSG biggest market in the sport
-Win
-Love Of The Game
-Blessed with talents

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 01-01-2008 10:34 PM]

very good points, but we can speak with our hearts, and then speak reality.. In our hearts we want to cut the curry experiment and move on... In reality, with Isiah still running this ship into the ground, we know moving curry is not going to happen, we know playing the young guys and trying to build a foundation the right way with Isiah trying to save his job, is not going to happen... It is sad, but true, so at this point briggs option may not be what we want, but it is the most realistic... with Isiah and dummy dolan running this mess..