Draft Frye at 8, Basden at 30, Salim Stoudamire w/ 2nd rounder.

Goals Accomplished: Athletic 7-footer who can block shots, a perimeter defender, and a great shooter.

Offseason: Sign Stephen Hunter, full MLE.
Goals Accomplished: Anyone watch the Spurs/Suns game tonight? Hunter played Duncan aggressively. He can D up any big in the east, is young, and will also block shots, helping the Knicks porous perimeter D.

Trade Deadline: Trade Tim Thomas and Spurs 1st rounder for Ron Artest and Austin Croshere
Goals Accomplished: Indy struggles next year early, and wants cap space and the pick. In no time, they can sign 1-2 players and bring in 2 rooks who fit their system. The Knicks get another great perimeter defender.

Team at Midseason:
Guards: Marbury, Crawford, Basden, Stoudamire
SF: Artest, Ariza
PF: KT, Malik Rose, JYD, Sweetney
C: Hunter, Frye
IL: Houston, Crosher, Rose
BUYOUT: Penny

Knicks have a potent backcourt, with Marbury and Crawford providing the swishing and dishing and Stoudamire dialing up from long distance. Basden, Artest, and Ariza form a capable perimeter defensive unit. The power forwards are all tenacious defenders who do the little things, and they have 2 athletic 7-footers who can block shots.

[Edited by - bigsm00th on 05/29/2005 03:06:53]

Posted by BigSm00th:

Draft Frye at 8, Basden at 30, Salim Stoudamire w/ 2nd rounder.

Goals Accomplished: Athletic 7-footer who can block shots, a perimeter defender, and a great shooter.

Offseason: Sign Stephen Hunter, full MLE.
Goals Accomplished: Anyone watch the Spurs/Suns game tonight? Hunter played Duncan aggressively. He can D up any big in the east, is young, and will also block shots, helping the Knicks porous perimeter D.

Trade Deadline: Trade Tim Thomas and Spurs 1st rounder for Ron Artest and Austin Croshere
Goals Accomplished: Indy struggles next year early, and wants cap space and the pick. In no time, they can sign 1-2 players and bring in 2 rooks who fit their system. The Knicks get another great perimeter defender.

Team at Midseason:
Guards: Marbury, Crawford, Basden, Stoudamire
SF: Artest, Ariza
PF: KT, Malik Rose, JYD, Sweetney
C: Hunter, Frye
IL: Houston, Crosher, Rose
BUYOUT: Penny

Knicks have a potent backcourt, with Marbury and Crawford providing the swishing and dishing and Stoudamire dialing up from long distance. Basden, Artest, and Ariza form a capable perimeter defensive unit. The power forwards are all tenacious defenders who do the little things, and they have 2 athletic 7-footers who can block shots.

[Edited by - bigsm00th on 05/29/2005 03:06:53]

That's how you build a team right there. Look, defense wins in this leauge. The teams that overachieve are the ones that play great defense because they win the close games. The teams that win the championship every year are the ones that play defense. SA, Det, and Miami look so good right now. People will bring up the Suns and yes they had a great year. And although their system was an offensive system, they played good defense and got stops when necessary. Marion, and Amare are two of the top defenders in the league and Q and Joe Johnson helps them tremendously guarding the perimeter. We don't have one single person that could be considered an above average defender with the possible exception of Ariza. This is why we always underachieve. The Suns gave up alot of points, just like UNC this year in cball, because of their style. They are still a good defensive team but as shown in this series just not up to the level of the Spurs quite yet. I think the Suns were 13th in opponent FG% and even this stat is a little skewed because their up and down style gives up a bunch of layups.

Well done Big Smooth (although I'd sub Daniel Ewing for Badsden).