Shaq was set to be an unrestricted FA and the trade would have been ok if Shaq would have resigned. Shaq in subsequent years kind of insinuates it was about going to LA. Be silly to say otherwise and things turned out well for him there.
Checketts became team president and hired Earnie in 1992 thru the end of 1999.
Layden traded Ewing the next year. Patrick has two massive years on contract and at age 37 was not looking pretty. His trade value was not very high. Ewing wanted out and did not want to be in NY anymore.
Hayden's record going into his last year was over .500. Replaced mid year he over all fell two games under. Not saying Layden was good, but Isiah was bloody awful in the aftermath. Layden provided the cap space and expiring contracts (it was a thing back then) for Isiah to leverage up in still what I think is one of the most underrated disasters in modern pro sports history!
As for Shaq, if we could have swung a trade and kept him long term under Don Nelson perhaps a lot of history would have been different.
"What has Nellie ever won?" A lot of games!! #2 all time on the NBA list. Like many he never had the rosters to go all the way but Earnie had his vision and Nellie was the right coach. Ewing wanted his money and the ball. No too say he proved to be over the hill, he still had a few good years left, but a good franchise would have evolved. Dolan felt he needed his star attraction. In Chris Herrings book there was no solid rumor to Shaq being a knick. There was mention. Like I said, Shag wanted Hollywood then. Orlando got ****ed and Free agency rules changed in the aftermath. Could we have convinced Shaq otherwise if given the opportunity? Orlando with Penny and Ewing would have been good window to a chip? Maybe? Remember, Ewing was set to be a FA also.
JVG did a good job and held his own vs. Miami. The underachieving 1999 team was when he and Earnie butted heads and one had to go.
11/2/2024 10:04 AM
