Knickstape Podcast Episode 9 - The boys are back in town! Jimmy to NY? Knicks bright future

Listen to "Knickstape Episode 9 - We're Back! Knicks future; Jimmy Butler to NY?; NFL Picks" on Spreaker.

The summers over, Knicks training camp is upon us, the NBA is officially back and so is the Knickstape Podcast! Mike and Luke talk Jimmy Butler rumors, the Knicks promising future, the over / under for the 2018-2019 season, give their NFL picks and of course, we end with the Knicks Shitty Player of the Week.

It's Judgement Day in Brooklyn

via CareerRocketeer.com

Take a collective breath Knicks fans. This year’s installment of Knicks basketball has been a disappointment to say the least. Coming off one of the better seasons the franchise has had in quite some time the team has followed that up with an early season performance reminiscent of the Isiah years. It comes as no surprise that there has to be a fall guy when such a disaster occurs. After failing to make Iman Shumpert that guy it looks like Jim Dolan has moved on to head coach Mike Woodson. According to Frank Isola of the Daily News a Knick loss to rival Brooklyn might have Woodson joining his buddy George Karl on the unemployment line. This coming after Dolan pledged his vote of confidence in Woodson, a vote that holds as much weight as a Rex Ryan Super Bowl guarantee.

The replacement for Woodson could be GM in training and former Knick cap buster Allan Houston. It’s no secret that Dolan loves Houston and would have no problem handing Woodson a pink slip and giving Houston his job.

This may be Dolan’s way of motivating Woodson and the team or it might be the truth. Firing Woodson at this point does not make much sense, and will most likely worsen the situation. Woodson coached the team to 54 wins last season with a well-built roster and got the Knicks out of the first round of the playoffs. The fall guys should be Jim Dolan and the front office for putting together a shaky roster, featuring no viable backup for the most important position on the team.

It all comes down to Thursday night in Brooklyn. We’ll see if Woodson’s players got his back. If the Nets embarrass the Knicks expect Houston to be on the bench by halftime. Now is the time for players that have defended their coach to back him up. Carmelo has often praised Woodson and J.R. Smith owes his new contract to him. Now would be the perfect time for them to really show their gratitude. Tomorrow is Judgment Day for Woody. Tomorrow we’ll see if his name will be tossed in the same group as Mike D’Antoni, Larry Brown and Isisah Thomas or with the Jeff Van Gundy or Pat Rileys. He’s been presented with a win or go home proposition from his owner, let’s see how his players respond.

An Open Letter to Coach Woodson

Coach Woodson,

We know these are dark times. We know you are without the anchor of your defense. We know the front office didn’t do much to improve the roster this past offseason. What we don’t know is why you don’t play the young bucks more. You were on the bench when Linsanity happened. What more do you have to lose? You’re the best coach this team has had since Jeff Van Gundy fled for Houston, but you are falling off your game. Your message is not getting through to the team. The effort is just not there. On Thursday you and your team can right some of the wrongs by beating that team from Brooklyn. Here are a couple suggestions for that battle.

As you saw last night and throughout his limited minutes this season, Tim Hardaway Jr. is a baller and not afraid to take that big shot. We get that you and J.R. are tight and that you think highly of him, but facts are facts; he’s coming off an injury and playing like it. We know how shaky J.R. can be and you can lose his attention as fast as you can get it, but he has not shown that he should be getting those crunch time minutes. Hardaway Jr. on the other hand has shown that he should at least get an opportunity to take those minutes. What do you have to lose? You can’t dip any lower than where we are right now.

Another young buck that hasn’t sniffed the court has been rookie Toure' Murry. Murry was impressive in the preseason, but has not been given an opportunity in the regular season. Instead you have opted for Beno Udrih, Pablo Prigioni and Raymond Felton to defend quick guards like John Wall, Damian Lillard and so on. This is eerily similar to Lin in 2011 and Copeland in 2012. Why not see if history repeats itself again? I have little doubt Murry can do as bad as the older guys have been on defense. Murry is a long lanky guard who can actually stay in front of these quick point guards. Again I ask, what do you really have to lose?

Finally let's get back to small ball. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Last year’s team finished with 54 wins; the most since 1995 when Pat Riley and Patrick Ewing still occupied the building. This team is at its best when Melo is at the four, Shump at the three and either Hardaway or J.R. at the two. Without Tyson, Martin can play the five with Amar’e or Bargnani backing him up.

In the end Coach, everyone's suggestions mean nothing. You’re the head coach. On Thursday you face the rival team from Brooklyn. A win against them will help to right this quickly sinking ship. The only thing that is certain is that some type of change needs to be made and you’re the only one in position to do so. It’s time to put all the cards on the table Thursday. We’ll be watching.

Sincerely,

Knickstape

5 Questions Going into the Season - Part 2

Is James Dolan the Problem?

Dolan looking sad and confused...

After a long and somewhat confusing offseason the curtains will soon be raising on the upcoming season for the Knicks. The Knicks were very busy during this offseason with the additions of such names as Metta World Peace and Andrea Bargnani along with Beno Udrih and Tim Hardaway Jr., who look to bolster NY’s bench. However, James Dolan continues to fly by the seat of his pants when it comes to the managing of his front office when he reassigned Steve Mills to the GM/President position.  This seemed to be somewhat of a panic move as Brooklyn stole many of the offseason headlines with their acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. However, it’s tough to blame former GM Glenn Grunwald for seemingly ‘losing’ the offseason to the Nets. The mobility in terms of salary cap limits until they can get out from underneath Amar’e’s behemoth of a contract in the summer of 2015. Patience is a virtue and Dolan needs to start showing patience when it comes to the managing of his front office. The only time we saw Dolan display any type of patience was during the Isaiah years and it is still unclear what kind of spell Isaiah put Dolan under.

There seemed to be patience under Donnie Walsh when the Knicks went all in on trying to lure LeBron three years ago. It is unfortunate that Dolan essentially forced out Walsh, who is now working for the Pacers front office, because again there seems to be little in terms of a long term plan for the Knicks.  The one long term plan that there is for the Knicks is to resign Carmelo Anthony but as Grantland’s Zach Lowe points out;

“if the Knicks sign Anthony to that five-year max deal, they'll have about $41 million committed in salary for 2015-16 once you factor in player options for Smith and Felton, the ballpark cost of New York's 2015 first-round pick, and roster charges for empty spots. That figure does not include cap holds for any of New York's outgoing free agents that summer, a group that includes two valuable players: Chandler and Shumpert. Their holds alone would vault New York over the cap.”

The Knicks are going to be in the playoffs this year no doubt about it. But will they will be able to repeat as a two seed again as Derrick Rose is back, the Pacers continue to improve and the Nets look to make a leap up? The Knicks cannot become the Joe Johnson led Hawks who had decent regular seasons, got mid-level playoff seedings, only to be knocked out in the second round. All us Knick fans are desperate for a championship, however I am beginning to feel that Dolan has no long term plan in mind. Let’s hope Mills attempts to implement a plan – which I believe he will – that has the Knicks set up for long term success, and that championship trophy. 

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….

Knicks 2013-2014 Schedule Released

Official NBA regular season schedules were released last night, and the excitement is already building around the Knicks who lead the NBA with 25 nationally televised games (ESPN/ABC/TNT)!

Unlike last year where all Knick-Nets games were finished in the first half of the season, these fierce rivals will battle it out twice in the first half and twice in April, which are shaping up to be some very pivotal affairs.

Other key games to look out for are our four matchups with the Heat and our January and March faceoffs with the Pacers. All are sure to be must wins. As basketball fans we all have to be excited to see our team face the new look Rockets in November and January, as well as the Thunder on Christmas Day and our four games against Derrick Rose's Bulls. Can't wait for the season to start, its only 83 days away - that's less than three months! Let's go #KNICKSTAPE!!!!

2013-14 New York Knicks Regular Season Schedule
Nationally televised games are noted in BOLD.

October

Wednesday 30.. vs. Milwaukee....... 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 31.. at Chicago............. 8:00 p.m.

November

Sunday 3.. vs. Minnesota....... 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday 5.. vs. Charlotte......... 7:30 p.m.
Friday 8.. at Charlotte........... 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 10.. vs. San Antonio............ noon
Wednesday 13.. at Atlanta............... 8:00 p.m. 
Thursday 14.. vs. Houston........... 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 16.. vs. Atlanta............ 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday 19.. at Detroit............... 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday 20.. vs. Indiana............ 7:00 p.m.
Saturday 23.. at Washington....... 7:00 p.m.
Monday 25.. at Portland........... 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday 27.. at L.A. Clippers.... 10:30 p.m.
Friday 29.. at Denver.............. 9:00 p.m.

December

Sunday 1.. vs. New Orleans... 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 5.. at Brooklyn............ 7:00 p.m.
Friday 6.. vs. Orlando............ 7:30 p.m.
Sunday 8.. vs. Boston..................... noon
Tuesday 10.. at Cleveland........... 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday 11.. vs. Chicago............ 8:00 p.m.
Friday 13.. at Boston............... 7:30 p.m.
Saturday 14.. vs. Atlanta............ 7:30 p.m.
Monday 16.. vs. Washington.... 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday 18.. at Milwaukee.......... 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 21 vs. Memphis.................. noon
Monday 23 at Orlando.............. 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday 25.. vs. Oklahoma City 2:30 p.m.
Friday 27.. vs. Toronto............ 7:30 p.m.
Saturday 28.. at Toronto............. 7:00 p.m.

January

Thursday 2.. at San Antonio....... 8:30 p.m.
Friday 3.. at Houston............ 8:00 p.m.
Sunday 5.. at Dallas................. 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday 7.. vs. Detroit............. 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 9.. vs. Miami............... 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 11.. at Philadelphia....... 7:30 p.m.
Monday 13.. vs. Phoenix........... 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday 14.. at Charlotte........... 7:00 p.m.
Thursday 16.. at Indiana.............. 7:00 p.m. 
Friday 17.. vs. L.A. Clippers.... 7:00 p.m. 
Monday 20.. vs. Brooklyn.......... 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday 22.. vs. Philadelphia.... 7:30 p.m.
Friday. 24.. vs. Charlotte......... 7:30 p.m.
Sunday 26.. vs. L.A. Lakers...... 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday 28.. vs. Boston............. 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 30.. vs. Cleveland........ 8:00 p.m.

February

Saturday 1.. vs. Miami............... 8:30 p.m.
Monday 3.. at Milwaukee.......... 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday 5.. vs. Portland.......... 7:30 p.m.
Friday 7.. vs. Denver............. 7:30 p.m.
Sunday 9.. at Oklahoma City... 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday 12.. vs. Sacramento.... 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday 18.. at Memphis........... 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday 19.. at New Orleans...... 8:00 p.m.
Friday 21.. at Orlando.............. 7:00 p.m.
Saturday 22.. at Atlanta............... 7:30 p.m.
Monday 24.. vs. Dallas............... 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 27.. at Miami................. 8:00 p.m. 
Friday 28.. vs. Golden State... 8:00 p.m.

March

Sunday 2.. at Chicago............. 1:00 p.m.
Monday 3.. at Detroit............... 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday 5.. at Minnesota.......... 8:00 p.m.
Friday 7.. vs. Utah................. 7:30 p.m.
Saturday 8.. at Cleveland........... 7:30 p.m.
Monday 10.. vs. Philadelphia.... 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday 12.. at Boston............... 7:30 p.m.
Saturday 15.. vs. Milwaukee............... noon
Wednesday 19.. vs. Indiana............ 8:00 p.m.
Friday 21.. at Philadelphia....... 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 23.. vs. Cleveland........ 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday 25.. at L.A. Lakers....... 10:30 p.m.
Wednesday 26.. at Sacramento..... 10:00 p.m.
Friday 28.. at Phoenix........... 10:00 p.m.
Sunday 30.. at Golden State..... 9:00 p.m.
Monday 31.. at Utah.................. 9:00 p.m.

April

Wednesday 2.. vs. Brooklyn.......... 7:00 p.m.
Friday 4.. vs. Washington.... 7:30 p.m.
Sunday 6.. at Miami................. 1:00 p.m.
Friday 11.. at Toronto............. 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 13.. vs. Chicago............ 1:00 p.m. 
Tuesday 15.. at Brooklyn............ 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday 16.. vs. Toronto............ 8:00 p.m.