pretty good read, nuthin new, just something to read till preseason.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/basketball/nba/10/08/state.knicks/index.html

State of the Knicks
Thomas aggressively maneuvers Knicks to uncertain future
By Kelly Dwyer, Special to SI.com

Strange that a choice of college for a 17-year -ld kid from Chicago's west side some 27 years ago would determine the fate of the 2004-05 New York Knickerbockers.

As Isiah Thomas' Knicks embark on the upcoming season, you can't help but wonder what the Knicks might have looked like if Thomas had gone to UCLA to play point guard for the Bruins. No doubt he would have been met with placard after poster board filled with John Wooden's succinct sayings. Isiah might have even taken the one about never mistaking "activity for achievement" to heart. He still would have won his national title, still would have gotten his two NBA rings and he still would be running the Knicks. But he'd probably be running the team a little differently.

Thomas went to Indiana University instead, and while he probably doesn't define "proactive" as "a means to throw a chair," his tutelage under former coach Bob Knight has made Thomas a little more aggressive than, say, UCLA alum and Denver Nuggets boss Kiki Vandeweghe. Thomas likes to make the big splash. And because he has MSG's blessing, little can get in his way. Since taking the Knicks over last season, Thomas has remade the roster, jettisoned nearly all of former GM Scott Layden's on-court flunkies arond the league and led the Knicks back to the playoffs.

But he's also sustained Layden's unfortunate pattern of throwing huge contracts at players who may not deserve them. This team will pay 20 players more than $104 million this season, and relief isn't in the offing. The Knicks will pay even more next season. In less than a year Thomas has gotten rid of every expiring contract on the rosteand traded for players who are owed staggering amounts of money in the not-too-distant future: Stephon Marbury (will make $22 million in '09), Penny Hardaway ($15.7 million next season), Jerome Williams ($7.7 million in '08) and Jamal Crawford ($10.1 million in '10).

Thomas isn't doing a horrible job. Compared to his flameouts in Toronto and Indiana, he's doing a downright masterful job with the Knicks. But he also had a chance to blow everything up, act patiently, gather draft picks and start over. Instead, he subscribed to the same Knicks philosophy that has denied them an NBA championship for 30 years. The same philosophy that leads to signing people such as Pat Cummings, trading for an over-the-hill Glen Rice or extending the contract of Allan Houston (owed $20.7 in '07) or millions more than most other teams were willing to offer.

The Knicks will make the playoffs again this year and possibly advance to the second round. They'll make good TV money, take in the gate receipts for a few home playoff games and spend exactly twice as much on players as the defending champion Detroit Pistons. The same Pistons that Thomas used to play for, the ones run by his former backcourt mate Joe Dumars, who blew everything up when he took on the job and started over.
While Thomas should be lauded for trying to improve his team, for staying on the phone and putting the Knicks back on the back page of the dailies, this isn't a championship team. It's a flawed and unbalanced squad that has seemingly little room to alter its roster given its unyielding salary-cap situation. But as far as Knick fans are concerned, they're just happy Charlie Ward isn't running the point.
If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere

To the delight of those same fans, hometown hero Marbury is manning the point. Playing for his fourth team, Marbury brought his impressive 20-point, eight-assist career averages to New York last winter and immediately assumed the role of franchise player. Marbury's a tough one to crack, although both Thomas and Coach Lenny Wilkens are trying. Marbury can take over a game at times but often dominates the ball and often relies on his less-than-steady outside touch.

What the Knicks expect from Marbury is unclear. He's at his best as a scoring point guard, but the Knicks have surrounded him with shooters -- Houston and Crawford, for example -- who need the ball to be effective. While "Starbury" is loved in New York, the rest of the league and the scribes who cover the game are unsure of what to think of him. He isn't completely incapable of making his teammates better, but he doesn't have the aura Thomas, Iverson or even Tiny Archibald had. But there are no excuses now. Marbury got what he's always wanted: A spot on the Knicks and a solid team around him. This is the year he defines his legacy.

Even bigger questions surround shooting guard Houston. His knees appear shot, though he is still capable of carrying the scoring load when he's on the floor. But how much he's on the floor is up to him. It's doubtful he'll ever be 100 percent healthy again, so the question is how much pain will he want to put up with? Even with Crawford now in the wings, New York wants -- and needs -- Houston, even with that bloated contract. Career 40 percent 3-point shooters are an all-too-rare commodity these days, and a useful one on a team without a reliable low-post offense. But with those knees, Houston could be shut down at any time.
A roster deep enough to not waste time

This is a deep roster, filled with plenty of name players and disparate talents. That should allow Wilkens employ a quick hook when players decide to take a night off. Nazr Mohammed takes nights off. He boasts a surprising touch around the basket and will score 15 to 18 points if you give him enough looks, but he floats in and out of the action. Behind Mohammed, the Knicks will probably run Vin Baker and Kurt Thomas in the pivot. Baker doesn't bring the largesse that Mohammed struts around with, but he can score and is used to playing as an undersized center.

Starting power forward Kurt Thomas works damn hard, and though his name has repeatedly appeared in trade rumors (even after Thomas gave him a contract extension last season), he is the only constant on the Knicks roster. Thomas doesn't shoot as much as he should, and he'll take himself out of a game with silly fouls, but you know what you're getting, no matter what the situation -- and that means on a lot on this flighty team.
Consistently inconsistent

And speaking of flighty, the consistency the Knicks' third Thomas -- Tim -- brings at the small forward spot will be the difference between a 40- or a 50- win season. If he's healthy, and interested, Thomas can score in a number of ways, although Wilkens would no doubt prefer him to slash to the basket. This Thomas doesn't hold defense in high regard, but the Knicks can afford his lapses as long as he stays focused on the offensive end.

In a sign of how quickly fates can change, Anfernee Hardaway will be Tim Thomas' backup. Penny looked good at the wing last year, making smart passes and using what little quickness he has left. He'll try to do the same this year, assuming his creaky legs hold up.

Free-agent signee Crawford is the wild card for this club. In the long run, Crawford will probably be worth all of the money coming his way. But he's a strange fit on the Knicks. He can crossover with the best of them, but street ball clips aside, he only maneuvers to free himself for a long jumper. If he comes off the bench, Crawford may feel the need to put up points in a hurry, and that could get old real quick. Houston, Crawford, and Marbury all are saying the right things about their respective talents and how much they want to play alongside each other, but you only have one ball and 48 minutes. Wilkens has seen it all, twice, but he's going to have a "situation" on his hands -- soon.

On paper, this looks like a solid team, especially in a horrible division. But the feeling-out process could cost Wilkens' job; Thomas has shown himself to be that impatient a taskmaster. When a company such as Cablevision is still paying $3 million to John Amaechi this season, does anyone think it will have any qualms about letting Thomas dump Wilkens before his contract is up?

There will be chaos, there will be tantrums, and there will be trade demands. The Knicks are back.
The lineup

Center: Nazr Mohammed -- In getting the starting nod on a real team, he could surprise this year.

Power Forward: Kurt Thomas -- Still waiting for his body to fall apart like Elwood Blues' car at the end of The Blues Brothers.

Small Forward: Tim Thomas -- Mr. Fugazy's happy to be out of Milwaukee and taking lobs from Stephon Marbury.

Shooting Guard: Allan Houston -- The Knicks are extremely streaky from behind the arc; they'll need Houston to open things up.

Point Guard: Stephon Marbury -- No excuses any more.

Shandon Anderson -- Missing. Rich, but still missing.

Trevor Ariza -- Could be a player, just not on this loaded roster.

Vin Baker -- Past his prime with little or no hops left. But he can still score inside.

Jamal Crawford -- Got his money and crawled from the wreckage in Chicago, but finds himself smack dab in another position battle.

Anfernee Hardaway -- Gets the job done but can't hold up for more than 25 minutes a game.

Moochie Norris -- He's essentially Travis Best without game.

Michael Sweetney -- The future rock at the power forward slot. Wilkens and Thomas can't wait to give him minutes.

Jerome Williams -- Lots of bluster, but he's of little help to any sane team.

Entertaining yes but I wouldn't call it balanced. Full of contradictions and CYA statements yes, but not balanced.