Sir Charles in Charge
Fansided

Phil Jackson’s Failed Experiment In The Big Apple

By Jack Pontin

Jan 15, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) dribbles the ball up court against Toronto Raptors in the first half at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) dribbles the ball up court against Toronto Raptors in the first half at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 6, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) reacts after fouling out of the game during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. New York won 116-111. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 6, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) reacts after fouling out of the game during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. New York won 116-111. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

How It Can Be Fixed 

When remembering the 2017 season as a whole, fans will consider it a failure for the New York Knicks experiment, as they should. However, there are moves that the front office could make to cut some of their losses in the offseason.

Derrick Rose is on a one-year contract, but he should not be re-signed. A declining point guard with a limited skill set and history of injuries, Rose should be signed as a rotational guard on a contending team. New York is set to begin a rebuild around Porzingis in the near future, and Rose simply does not fit into that.

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Joakim Noah’s 4-year, $72 million contract is looking like one of the worst moves of the offseason. With the salary cap set to rise each of the next few years, $18 million of dead money will not mean entrapment for a franchise, but it will be an obstacle when signing free agents down the line.

There will almost certainly be no trade suitors willing to take on Noah’s contract, but the Knicks should look elsewhere for a starting center. Kristaps is rumored to begin receiving more playing time at the 5.

Carmelo Anthony should be traded. Anthony’s ugly contract will likely turn teams off when considering a deal for the superstar, but the Knickerbockers may be willing to take a trade for less than market value in order to part ways with their unhappy cornerstone.

Matt Moore, from CBS Sports, wrote a column on possible Melo trades. It is time for a new age in Knick basketball, and the trading of Anthony will be the first step in the right direction.

Lastly, it will be essential that New York develops their next draft pick in the same way that they are currently with Zingis. The Knicks will most likely be picking in the lottery yet again in the 2017 draft, and the depth of this year’s class could mean the coming of the next superstar to the Big Apple.

After a catastrophe of an offseason in which the New York Knicks’ front office attempted to piece together a core of declining veterans, it is time to cut the losses and take a step in the rebuilding direction. As much as Phil Jackson and his associates would rather keep the team competitive with an accelerated retooling, a championship in New York is long overdue.

Must Read: 2016-17 NBA Mid-Season Awards

The people don’t want a team that slides into the 6 seed before losing in 5 games in the first round, but rather 1 seeds and a team that can play with the best of the best while competing for an NBA Championship year in and year out.

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