nixluva wrote:The Knicks have enough talent to compete in the East. More importantly we now have the coaching this team needed to keep improving and to be more effective in the playoffs. The Raptors are not head and shoulders better than the Knicks and neither are the Nets. So why shouldn't the Knicks have a shot to win the Atlantic?
Kyle Lowry
DeMar DeRozan
Jonas Valančiūnas
Greivis Vásquez
Bruno Caboclo
Terrence Ross
James Johnson
Amir Johnson
Lucas Nogueira
Patrick Patterson
Greg Stiemsma
Jordan Hamilton
Will Cherry
Landry Fields
Tyler Hansbrough
Nando de Colo
Chuck Hayes
Julyan Stone
Jonas V is one of the top young center prospects in the NBA. His defense won't wow anyone, but he's got all the talent in the world on offense. The Knicks, even most of the league, have nothing close to the Lowry/DeRozan combo. That's a backcourt in it's prime. Vasquez is a capable third guard. Amir Johnson is one of the best value contracts in the league. Ross is a young high upside swingman who still has developmental room.
6'4 aging Chuck Hayes, essentially their 5th big, is a better big man defender right now over ANYONE on the Knicks frontline.
Hansborough, Hayes and Landry Fields are all expirings, the Raptors will have about 20 million in freed up cap space next offseason plus high upside rookie Caboclo ( Knicks have nothing to match his athleticism package, whether he pans out, will be hard to say)
Plus they own the Knicks 2016 first rounder.
They have Ujiri, who is considered one of the best young GMs in the game. And they aren't paying him 60 million to know he won't be there in five years. Aside from Melo, every single one of the Raptors starters would be starting over the Knicks starters if there was a choice. ( please do not argue that the Knicks, outside of Melo, have something superior to Lowry, DeRozan, Jonas V and Amir Johnson.)
If the Knicks win the Atlantic, it will be because it's a slap fight, not because the Knicks are chewing up strong teams in their wake.
Boston and Philly are cashing it in. They will surrender wins to get a better draft position. Even still, both teams still have superior front court talent compared to the Knicks. The Nets are old, I can hear Brook Lopez and Kevin Garnett breaking something right now. And have questionable depth after their aging core.
Yes, the Knicks can, in THEORY, take the Atlantic. If the Raptors get hit with major injuries, Lopez and Garnett fall apart as expected and having 40 percent of the division be willing to offer up 3rd string talent to openly tank for the future.
The Knicks winning the Atlantic that way ( which would be the only way) is like bragging about banging four depressed couch surfing chicks from the Jenny Craig clinic next door, with the applicable Cheeto dust all over them, to your job. FOUR OF THEM! FOUR 2's COULD BE SEEN AS ONE 8 BY SOME!
The Knicks, even with Melo, have the least amount of overall talent in the Atlantic. And they have the bleakest future. ( At least the Nets can make the playoffs consistently with that aging unit)