The Knicks are an Embarrassment
The saga of the New York Knicks just continues to get weirder by the day. I saw a few weeks back that Derrick Rose, who called this specific Knicks team a "super team", disappeared from the team for a few days in the middle of the year and claimed he wanted a max contract, now is injured once again and is now saying that he wants to go to a team in title contention. Money suddenly doesn't matter to him. Then, Joakim Noah got suspended for drugs, and to add to his shame of a contract and downward spiral of his current career, has rotator cuff problems and needs surgery. He will be out 4-6 months. The Knicks are nearly at rock bottom.
When I did not think things could get any worse, or more weird, the Knicks decided to pick up the last 2 years of Phil Jackson's contract. That is such a horrible, terrible idea. What has done besides say nothing and do nothing but bad things for the team he once played for? He has been an absolute train wreck as the player personnel guy, and the Knicks have only gotten worse and worse with him at the helm. The only good thing he has done, which was draft Kristaps Porzingis, he belittled the kid and said he wouldn't be able to make it in the league. He also was the guy that brought in Rose and Noah, and gave Carmelo a max contract, instead of trading him.
Then, it just keeps getting worse from here everyone, sorry Knicks fans, during Jackson's end of season exit interview with Carmelo Anthony, he said that he does not see a future where this team can win with him being the focal point. That is fine, and I even agree with it. But he made this public knowledge. He said it at a press conference for all reporters and fans to see. He made it known to the world that he wants to get rid of Carmelo Anthony. This was the problem. The sentiment is correct, but the delivery, a total disaster. This is going to drive the price way, way down on Carmelo. His price wasn't that high to begin with, I wouldn't trade anything except a second round pick for him, but now it is even lower. All 29 other teams know that the Knicks want to offload him, so they can low ball the hell out of them. I remember that the Clippers seemed to be the surest team at the last trade deadline to get him, and they offered nothing of true value. I think they were willing to part with JJ Redick, Austin Rivers and some second round picks. That is not a king's ransom by any means. I remember hearing that the Cavs would be willing to trade for Carmelo Anthony straight up for Kevin Love. Now, I feel like they wouldn't trade Iman Shumpert for Carmelo. The Bulls were in the mix for him, but now they would not have to offer anyone, Rajon Rondo included, worth any value to get him.
This is all on Phil Jackson. He made a very stupid decision in making this well known that Anthony was available. This was the latest in a long line of idiotic decisions from the once great coach.
To make things even more stupid, after the exit interview Carmelo goes on Instagram, because why would anyone anymore talk face to face about their problems anymore, to complain about Phil Jackson and the Knicks front office. I get it. The front office is a nightmare, but talk to them in person. Everyone who follows you on Instagram, for the most part, is a fan of yours, so of course they are going to agree with you. I agree that you need to get out of that situation, but you put yourself in your current situation. You demanded the trade while on the Nuggets, causing the Knicks to give up any kind of chance in the near future, and then you signed the max deal, with a no trade clause, when you had the chance to sign with a contender a few years back. Air your anger out, but don't do it on social media. That makes you look like a spoiled child. I hate that social media is where current athletes go to gripe about their situations. It is embarrassing. But, we are talking about the Knicks.
Finally, it was reported that Kristaps Porzingis skipped his exit interview because he is "frustrated with the direction of the team". Again, I agree with him, but this is a childish way to go about handling your business. Do the exit interview. It is part of your job. You are a professional, and anyone in a profession needs to do an exit interview. Just skipping it is like when a kid says they will do one thing, but just decide they don't want to anymore, but they don't tell anyone. Porzingis could have easily talked about his frustration in the exit interview, but he chose not to go. He chose to continue to let the Knicks run this franchise as dysfunctional as they have been for over a decade now. He is the guy they should be building around, and with this action, I'm sure young guys coming in the league to play for the Knicks will think it is okay for them to skip exit interviews if they are frustrated too.
Look, the Knicks are a mess. I waited until today because I thought some more stuff may happen. Nothing else has happened yet, but give it time. This team is a disaster, and until they rid themselves of Rose, Noah, Anthony, Phil Jackson and James Dolan, they will continue to stink on and off the court. Also, Porzingis needs to grow the hell up and act like a professional, especially if he is the future and the guy they will build around. The Knicks are a joke, and that makes the NBA not as fun as it could be. The Lakers may be bad, but I kind of feel like the Knicks are in a worse spot, as we speak. It will not get better until Jackson is gone.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He thinks the only thing that can help the Knicks now is Whoopi Goldberg as coach and / or Lil Bow Wow hitting the floor.
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