5 Knickstape Questions going into the season - Part 1

Training camp has begun and everyone in New York City can feel the NBA in the air as the 2013-2014 season quickly approaches. This year is definitely shaping up to be a great one for both the Knicks, and I hate to admit it but the Nets as well, as both squads will benefit from each other’s revamped rosters. Finally, a city that was deprived of good basketball for most of the millennium, will see what is shaping up to be one of the most heated cross-town rivalries Gotham has ever been apart of.

With that, today begins a new blogging year for Knickstape and it’s going to be a good one. Over the next couple of weeks as we approach the home opener vs. the Bucks we’ll try to answer the burning questions that are most likely on all of our Knick fan minds. Let’s get to the first one…it’s quiet smokey.

JR’s 3-year deal. A guaranteed mess? 
Time will tell, but so far the 3-year $17.95 million extension the 27-year old signed over the summer isn’t looking so sweet. Swish has already endured off-season knee surgery and Stern threw 5 game suspension at him for violating the league’s substance abuse policy after a third positive drug test…Do you think he at least tried the medical marijuana defense?? Maybe it was helping his knee heal quicker?? Anyway, they say there is no hope in dope, which was a sentiment that Coach Woody Johnson reiterated to JR early this week when he told the 6th man of the year “to grow up”. Fortunately, Woody has his ear and according to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, Swish apologized to all of his teammates, coaches and even Dolan – Dolan, that CRAZY Dolan – and promised to shape up.

I think, and hope for the sake of all of us, that JR realizes the positive impact he can have on this team and has learned from his past mistakes. When he’s on, he is on and could be the X factor that brings us back to the Eastern Conference Finals and maybe even further. I’m envisioning a lot of #JRING occuring this year….