Knickstape Podcast Episode 6 - Another Terrible Lost Knicks Season, Live reactions to a Mets collapse (lots of screaming and cursing)

Listen to "Knickstape Podcast Episode 6 - Knicks Season in Mourning, Live Reaction to Mets Collapse" on Spreaker.

Mike & Luke are back with another edition of the Knickstape Podcast. We mourn the end to another terrible Knicks season, preview the NBA Playoffs, James Harden doesn't like eating in front of people...and he goes on blind dates. We also talk some baseball and Luke reacts live to a terrible Mets loss to the Nationals

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….

First Knickstape Poll Ever, Take Part

What are you thinking??

Who's Been the Knicks Playoff MVP Thus Far:?

• Melo #Tape7
• Shump #Tape21
• Felton #Tape2
• Prigioni #Tape9
• The Whole #Knickstape

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Decisions, Decisions...