WALSH:

"You start looking at well, what are our potential needs? Walsh said. “I think that’s where this went down to in the sense that it was felt that in the immediate future, potentially, that shooting could become a problem for this team. So that was the reason for Anthony Roberson because that’s what he can do.”

D'Antoni:

Mike D’Antoni stated the obvious “Our offense is way ahead of our defense.” The Knicks are averaging 110 points and shooting 47 percent through three preseason games, but opponents are averaging 111 points and 49 percent shooting. “We’re looking pretty good,” D’Antoni said. “The ball is moving, the floor is spaced. Our problem right now is that defensively we got to get a little bit — not a little bit — better, but a lot better. And then learn how to win games.”


OK !

So we Know, Ewing is a very good defender.. Blocks shots. 2 of our biggest needs. (we gave away Balkman for NOTHING he was our leading shotblocker)

So D'antoni (and everyone else who has been watching) thinks our offense has been decent, and its our DEFENSE that needs work. SO why Donnie, why would you try to explain your decision like it was actually a basketball decision??? We have PLENTY of shooters on this team. Nate, Gallo, Craw, Q, Steph, shoot shoot shoot some more. We need ANOTHER shooter? Not a defender who can block shots.

WHERE IS THE LOGIC I SWEAR TO GOD ISIAH IS STILL RUNNING THIS GODAMN TEAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!


Money? So it was money... MONEY?? WAS IT REALLY MONEY?

Lets break that down.

You cut Jerome James.. You pay him over 12 mil to sit home (nobody else will sign him)

You keep Jerome James.. You pay him over 12 mil to sit on the bench.

Result either way = Jerome James gets 12 mil to do nothing.

You are not keeping his contract in order to trade it, because it expires BEFORE 2010.. So any deal you make involving James brings salary BACK and would HURT our chances of getting under the cap in 2010.. So James will not be traded.

So basically, if your James Dolan.. It comes down to how much it would cost to sign Patrick Ewing Jr. to a 1 year deal. 500k? 400k?. So really if you are going by LOGIC.. this is what your telling me.. Either James Dolan wont pay 500k (not likely since he has paid a tun and always has opened his check book).. Or Donnie Walsh is just too stubborn to buy anyone out.

I actually believe its neither of these scenarios. I believe that Donnie Walsh actually thinks Jerome James could possibly contribute and that is what scares me more than anything. From Knicks Knacks:

http://njmg.typepad.com/knickknacks/2008/10/patrick-jr-cut.html

As for James, when asked about the fans' displeasure with him, Walsh tap-danced a bit, saying, "I have no background with Jerome James, except he did not play last year. [two games], so I understand the fans' thinking. he is under contract to us and we honor all our contracts.

"He's in the position that I've had other players in on this team: go out and prove yourself. It'll be up to him to prove it in practice."

This scares me so bad, do you realize what this means? Donnie Walsh has done absolutely NO homework on his current roster. That means the last 3 years or so were absolutely WASTED!!!!! Everything we learned about all these players, the pros, the cons etc etc... Nothing has survived. We had to sit thru season after season of "rebuilding" so that we could EVALUATE what we had.. And its obvious what we have at this point.. To EVERYONE EXCEPT DONNIE WALSH!!!!!!!!! No wonder he didn't extend David Lee, he has no idea what kind of player he is!!!!

The fact that he has given Jerome James a "Clean Slate" is just disgusting. If there is one man in professional sports that does not deserve a "Clean Slate" it is Jerome James... The smallest bit of research would have told Donnie that... Just because he wasn't here when Jerome James showed up to practice hung over 50+ times, and out of shape to every single training camp, doesn't mean it didn't happen.. And doesn't mean it wont happen again.. and again.. and again.

Heres to hoping Donnie does some homework, and heres to losing all hope I had in him as a GM. With one, "meaningless" 15th man roster decision. Which actually should have been the easiest decision he ever had to make.





[Edited by - elite on 28-10-2008 04:54 AM]

[Edited by - elite on 28-10-2008 04:57 AM]

I suspect the Knicks could have sold more than $400k in Pat Ewing Jr. Jerseys.

I'd like getting D'Antoni- but it was almost a no brainer reflex signing similar to Isiah bringing in LB- get the best available coach without regard for fit.

shooting becomes a problem with Marbury potentially not being here through the whole season and with QRich and Gallinari and even Wilson Chandler looking like they might be injury issues every now and then through the season.

Roberson hasn't shown anything yet, but he fits a possible need. EwJr fit a need as well, but obviously one that's not as important to D'Antoni.

I'm upset that Junior is gone, too. But I think fans are overreacting on this one.

Posted by djsunyc:

d'antoni doesn't have time for projects. ewing is a project. but considering that jeffries is the only other player that plays defense in the frontcourt, it also shows that defense is not a priority in the immediate future.

i think D'Antoni hopes that Gallinari and Jefferies will take a lot of the minutes people assume Ewing would have gotten.

Posted by Elite:

Posted by nyk4ever:

Posted by crzymdups:

shooting becomes a problem with Marbury potentially not being here through the whole season and with QRich and Gallinari and even Wilson Chandler looking like they might be injury issues every now and then through the season.

Roberson hasn't shown anything yet, but he fits a possible need. EwJr fit a need as well, but obviously one that's not as important to D'Antoni.

I'm upset that Junior is gone, too. But I think fans are overreacting on this one.

100% right.

I actually think fans are UNDER reacting. This is a bitch slap in the face to all fans, its not just that we cut him.. its how and why we cut him

Dude it's not a bitch slap to anyone. The Knicks cut a player that isn't that good, plain and simple, he's not that good. You can find a player that does what PEJ does by the dozen in the d-league. Ewing Jr. didn't even start for Georgetown, why everyone is making this more than it is is because he has the last name Ewing. As I said in another post, why don't we go out and find every player from the 94 team and see if their children are old enough to be in the NBA right now. If they are lets sign them because they have the last names of Starks, Mason, Oakley, Harper, Davis, etc etc. Nostalgia gets you nowhere. Theres a reason Ewing Jr wasn't drafted and theres a reason he'll be in the d-league this year... he's not that good.

Ewing Jr was drafted by Sac... I disagree that his nam means nothing... I think we saw how energized the Garden got vs. NJ.. it sparked a 20 point comeback with 6 min to go in the 4th.. I think Ewing Jr. is more valuable BECAUSE of his name. People keep saying "if he didnt have ewing on the back of his jersey, you wouldnt care"

EXACTLY! no ****! Thats the whole point, its patrick ewing Jr.. you keep him if he can play!!! and he can. He SHOULD get the nod because he brings INTANGIBLES and KARMA .. Invaluable.

Neither guy would ever see the floor. I heard Willis Reed has a son let's keep him

Posted by King1:

Neither guy would ever see the floor. I heard Willis Reed has a son let's keep him

Hey man, I've been saying the same thing about former knicks childen... might as well call Oakley, Mase and Starks and see if their children want a spot.

Could we sign Chris Childs' child?