Hoopswolrd.com : NBA RUMOR MILL - Are The Knicks Better?
NBA RUMOR MILL - Are The Knicks Better?
By Steve "BskBALL" Kyler for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jan 10, 2004, 10:35
ARE THE KNICKS BETTER OR WORSE?
If you look at the recent mega deal the Knicks triggered, landing Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway, in exchange for Howard “They Paid Too Much” Eisley, Maciej “The Hyped Me Too Much” Lampe, and Antonio “My Knee Still Hurts” McDyess and a handful of draft picks and draft rights- you’d think the Knicks would be better. True… New Knicks President Isiah Thomas has gotten the credit for the deal, a deal who’s foundation was laid by Scott Layden, and simply finished off by Zeke. The deal brought in a home town hero in Stephon Marbury, but has he truly made any team he was on better? Were the Suns that much better because of Marbury, or was it because he had an impressive supporting cast with the likes of Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire? Steph’s first two games as a Knick were uneventful, averaging 7 points a game, substantially off from the 20.8 points he dropped as a Sun. So the trade has not paid immediate dividends - has the hiring of Isiah Thomas done wonders to improve the 14-23 Knicks? Well, rumor has it Isiah got into with a heckling fan during Stephon’s home debut. So emotionally and physically upset both he and the fan had to be restrained… not a good start for your President to be going after the paying fans, especially those that paid enough to be within ear shot of the President standing in the tunnel. Knick fans wanted change, and unfortunately, they are going to get it. Marbury is a nice player, but is he a team guy that gets you to the finals? The Nets didn’t think so and dealt him; the Suns didn’t think so and dealt him again. Zeke couldn’t do much for the Raptors and they fired him, the Pacers too thought so much of Isiah they fired him too, so now the Knicks have two guys in power positions that most clubs didn’t want. Zeke did a great job turning the Continental Basketball Association around, they had to file for bankruptcy and break the league up, and they are still trying to pick up the pieces. Now rumor has it Zeke is after Darius “No Jumper” Miles, and making overtures at Marcus Camby and Rasheed Wallace, and about to fire Don Chaney. Rockets assistant Patrick Ewing started talking about head coaching after his recent visit to the Garden… Please tell me Zeke isn’t hiring Patrick to skipper a team of Marbury, Houston, Miles, and Wallace anchored by Mutombo in the paint? If Knick fans thought Scott Layden ran the club into the ground, if Isiah is allowed to make some of these deals he’s considering, things could get a lot worse, before they get better for the Knicks.
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