Sir Charles in Charge
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Laughing Is Over, The New York Knicks Aren’t A Joke Anymore

By Alexandre Bellat

Dec 6, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek reacts in the game against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek reacts in the game against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Trust the Process, the current motto of the Philadelphia 76ers was popularized thanks to Joel Embiid’s tweets promising NBA debut. But the team that embodies this adage are the Sixers’ old companions of misfortune, the New York Knicks

It’s no news for New York Knicks fans that the golden era is long gone. Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy’s reins are far behind. During the 1990 to 2000 period, Knicks fans witnessed some of the most memorable playoff campaigns the franchise ever played, they even got pretty close to getting a ring in 1993 and 1999; which would have been their first since 1973.

So close yet so far.

What followed next were disappointing years marked by injuries, losses and poor managerial decisions. The cherry on top of those troubled times in the Big Apple was, probably, the Isiah Thomas’ era as General Manager and coach that occured between 2003 and 2008. During that period, the Knicks tried to pile up as many talents as they could every summer and make any trade they thought necessary to finally get a hand on the Larry O’Brien trophy.

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In fact, what happened was more additions of huge contracts, urgency trades for the biggest name available, with no regard to the team’s chemistry nor its salary cap. Nobody, from the local phenomenon of Stephon Marbury to high school superstar Eddy Curry nor Steve Francis, became that franchise player that everybody was hoping would bring back a title in New York.

In February 2011, the Knicks, who had signed Amar’e Stoudemire during the summer, acquired Carmelo Anthony after months of rumors. It cost them a lot of talented youngsters to land a player of Melo’s caliber, but they finally got what they wanted, a star to build a team around and a franchise player to make the fans in the Mecca of basketball dream again.

The New York Knicks ultimately clinched a playoff berth after a six-year drought. They reached the Eastern Semifinals the next season thanks to the addition of title-owner Tyson Chandler. Everything seemed to be going smoothly at that point, but at the end of the 2013-2014 season, New York did not reach the postseason and was caught up by its old demons.

The complementarity between Melo and Stoud was questioned and doubts arose. 2014 starts with a new coach, Derek Fisher, and a new President of Basketball Operations, Phil Jackson, who comes out of retirement to help out the team he won a title with.

The two men knew each other and were determined to make the Knicks a great franchise again. But the rest of 2014 was pure agony. Carmelo Anthony gets injured early in the season, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert are traded to the Cavs for Lou Amundson, New York has to make-do with Shane Larkin, Lance Thomas and Langston Galloway, and, no, they are not characters from Highlander.

The Knicks eventually end the season at the bottom of the league with their worst team record to this date. It was history, continuing to repeat itself.

The following year was not any better, but at least Melo was back and new draftee Kristaps Porzingis didn’t wait to make himself a name in Big Apple. Derek Fisher was replaced by his assistant a year and a half after being in charge of the team, but we didn’t really see a difference and they finished the season with the third worst record in the East.

But it was obvious that the front office had something in mind with the 2016 free agency coming. Suddenly, they got themselves a starting point guard in Derrick Rose (via trade), a defensive grind with Joakim Noah, exterior defense in Courtney Lee and a more than satisfying and flashy sixth man with Brandon Jennings.

Fans did not wait long to start talking about the playoffs again, but, as good looking as this free agency was for NYC, it is still too early to start talking about that. Of course, the Knicks could be in the fight for a playoff spot, they’re currently are 12-10 and ranked sixth in the East, but they also need to stay healthy all season long.

However, a playoff appearance should not be the most important reason to rejoice. Simply taking a look back at the last few years, the Knicks were, simply put, painful to watch. This season, they set a good base for a well-balanced roster and exciting games are finally beginning to be played at MSG – in which the Knicks are 9-4 at home.

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    • The New York Knicks have been urged by fans for over 10 years to finally become title contenders again, but they weren’t being helped in any way by their front office who was continuously rushing its decisions without a long-term vision.

    These are just a couple of memorable dysfunctional trades made between 2002 and 2005 by the Knicks: traded Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson and a first round pick for Antonio McDyess (2002), sent Latrell Sprewell to Minnesota for Keith Van Horn (2003), sent McDyess and two first-round picks to Phoenix for Marbury and Penny Hardaway (2004), and, last but not least, in 2005 a first-round pick was sent along with two second-rounders and the right to swap first-rounders for Eddy Curry – those first-round picks turned out to be LaMarcus Aldridge and Joakim Noah.

    We could go on and on, talking about the failed implementation of Steve Francis, Jalen Rose, the sacrilegious trade of Patrick Ewing, but you got it. The Knicks had been a mess for many years and it took long enough for them to recover from it.

    What if the time was now for the Knicks to forecast a future with a bit of stability? They have with them a good coach in Jeff Hornacek to bring identity to the team and a modern 7-footer in Porzingis who will be a constant threat and the future face of the franchise, once they have figured out where he is the most dangerous and how to make the best use of him.

    They also have with them a talented point guard who can play at his vintage level, in Derrick Rose, and let’s not forget about Carmelo Anthony who has proven many times this season (already) that he can still be clutch.

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    Also, they have a fan base that never left. Even though the last couple of seasons were quite terrible, the Knicks had the fourth best attendance in the NBA(!).

    With the potential in another huge free agency class creeping around the corner next summer, let’s wait and see what other tricks the New York Knicks have up their sleeve. Trust the process.

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