I think we're best rolling with what we got. I like our kids. The only dope we might have that needs guidance is Anthony Randolph."

Cosmic - I submit that all dudes under 23 years old need guidance. What is most important is the desire to listen and learn. If there is a resistance, or self-centered stubborness, or negative behavior that repeats itself and plays out in poor decisions (on or OFF the court) over a period of time - yes, that person is a dope.

The infamous Chris Washburn immediately comes to mind

Whatever beef there was between Don Nelson and Anthony Randolph is in the past. The job of Mike D'Antoni is to assemble the new parts into a lean, mean running machine. The junior varsity gets their chance to audition starting Sunday.

I am willing to defer on the grades, predictions, projected win totals, shiftlines (although that part is fun) and comments by newspaper hacks until the introductions of November... and February, after they have gone through the trust building process of a 5 game in 6 nights West Coast swing.

The Answer Man told me last night:

The Knicks will be entertaining and much more fun to watch as a team... a team.... WITHOUT "he who can't handle Broadway" Who knows?...the first time Felton hits AR on the baseline and Randolph spins, soars over two dudes, changes hands and dunks the Spalding from a spot higher than the box painted on the backboard...the pinwheel roof of The Garden just may lift off it's hinges from the noise. Simultaneously, someone in celebrity row will have a beer spilled in their lap.

Somewhere, (hopefully) Bill Walker is on a nautilus machine.

We also have more emphasis on defense as Walsh has been putting the parts together. I posted this on another thread...

Walsh has been adding defensive players who can also play offense.

Toney Douglas - defensive player of the year - ACC his senior year
Jerome Jordan - 3x defensive team - first string Center in his conference
Amar'e - better defensively than Lee
Anthony Randolph -outstanding blocks and runs the court extremely well. Plays hard at both ends.
Turiaf - 1.4 blocks/game career avg; playing 19 min/game
Felton - 1.4 steals/game career avg.

Felton with a few years in the league should be ready for leadership and solid play.

The NCAA title he won was with a very unlikley group. See the roster:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004-05_North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_men%27s_basketball_team

Ray was the floor leader. The Pedigree of this team is much better than it has been for years.

We ahve to be patient with them. THis is not happening in starphuch manner!

i'd much rather build a team this way and watch it develop.

it's going to take some patience, but we still have cap flexibility to add a major piece sometime over the next year or two and we have the young studs to help us growth from within.

let's go.