Derailed: How the Knicks are the NBA's Version of NJ Transit
NJ Transit customers crammed waiting for a train in Penn Station
It is a well-known fact that New Jersey Transit is the absolute worst, they are total incompetent as it seems like they experience weekly shutdowns at Penn Station, snarling the entire rail system into a never ending series of delays. The dark rail tunnels and cramped nature of Penn Station creates a dungeon like experience, as lack of seating create a sea of humanity with most experiencing stress and discomfort. The whole operation is giant fiasco, leaving some to wonder how can anything function like this?
Penn Station entrance at the foot of Madison Square Garden
Some six stories above Penn Station plays one of the NBA’s charter franchises, the New York Knickerbockers, who have become just as big of mess. If you are not a fan of the New York Basketball, then the Knicks for you put the fun in dysfunctional, but for the league as a whole having a premiere franchise suffer so long is not good for its overall health. One thing that protects the Knicks somewhat is their arena, as Madison Square Garden is a tourist attraction. Billed as “The World’s Most Famous Arena” the Garden with its central location will never be empty as non-Knicks fans will always buy up tickets just to see the opposing team or a NBA game. The success of the Knicks at the box office, has not helped, as they have been a mess since the turn of the century.
The 90’s were a golden age for the Knicks, despite not actually winning a NBA Championship as they were in contention every season, reaching the NBA Finals twice, including 1994 when they lost a seven-game heart breaker to the Houston Rockets. Between 1992-2000 the Knicks won at least one series every postseason, and gave Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls dynasty some of their toughest fights, including the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals when Charles Smith was unable to score under the basket in Game 5, which ended up being the swing game of the series. It’s not hard to imagine a bounce here and a bonce there and the Knicks having beaten the Bulls. That era of excellence came to an end in 2001 when they lost a series to the Toronto Raptors, a year later the Knicks missed the playoffs altogether and have only won one series in four playoff appearances since.
Larry Johnson, Latrell Sprewell, New York Knicks executive chairman James Dolan and Bernard King at Madison Square Garden in a attempted PR move by the Knicks after the Oakley incident. Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
The Knicks breakdown came just as CEO James Dolan took control of the team. Often too hands on Dolan has been more interested in landing marquee names and quick fixes rather than do the actual work at fixing what is wrong with the Knicks. He handed the reigns to Isiah Thomas in 2003, a legend on the floor, Thomas was a disaster in the front office. A series of bad trades, poor drafting and bad signings left the Knicks devoid of hope. Making matter worse Thomas was involved in a sexual harassment law suit that would cost the team $11.5 million. Despite the troubling allegations involving a former Garden employee, James Dolan stood by Isiah Thomas until fans were on the revenge of a revolt.
Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks
After Isiah Thomas, the Knicks appeared to be on the road to recovery with the hiring of Donnie Walsh, however, after failing to lure LeBron James to New York, James Dolan jumped in and made the trade to get Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. Walsh wanted to take a more patient approach, knowing Melo’s desire to depart Denver and felt the Knicks gave up too much in the trade. A short time later Donnie Walsh resigned the Knicks again were going in the wrong direction.
New York Knicks President Phil Jackson
The latest incarnation of the Knicks, has seen all of James Dolan’s bad habits come together in one giant clusterfuck. Phil Jackson a former Knicks hardnosed player from their two title teams and an 11-time NBA Championship coach was named team president in 2014. Since than it has been nothing short of a disaster. The Knicks had their worst season ever in his first season, posting a record of 17-65, at the same time the Knicks resigned Carmelo Anthony to one of the worst contracts in the NBA, giving him a no trade clause that has made trading him impossible. Jackson, who has had health issues and can no longer coach named Derek Fisher to lead the team on the floor. However, Fisher was clearly not ready to lead a team having retired only a few months earlier.
This past season, the Knicks for the fourth straight year missed the playoffs, posting a record of 31-51. The record on its face as bad as it was, is not the worst part. The Knicks in 2017 went past being a bad basketball team to being a bad soap opera. From ex-players to current players it seemed every day more news came out to embarrass the Knicks. It all started when Phil Jackson alienated Carmelo Anthony in an interview, criticizing his lack of passing. It was followed by Derek Rose going AWOL, and former fan favorite Charles Oakley being dragged out of the Garden like a United Passenger. Joakim Noah another bad signing was suspended for using an illegal substance, as a state of confusion hung over the team as Jackson tried to force Coach Jeff Hornacek to use the triangle offense.
Now as the NBA Playoffs are underway, the Knicks begin focusing on the future. It is almost certain the Knicks, will try to trade Carmelo Anthony, who this week split with his wife after it was revealed he got a stripper pregnant. However, with $54 million left on his contract and a no trade clause in the way, dealing Melo might be nearly impossible. Making matters worse is players talking among themselves at the Phil Jackson’s comments, this certainly will scare any big name free agent away, and James Dolan always thinking big stars are key agreed to keep Phil on another two years. Things are so bad that the one bright spot Kristaps Porzingis did not show up at a recent team meeting, stating frustration at the state of the Knicks. A state that includes Jackson, running practice and the players not knowing who is in charge. The fact that Phil Jackson remains team President shows the truth that nobody is in charge.
The Knicks will not be fixed anytime soon, and in two years when Jackson’s five-year deal expires along with Carmelo Anthony’s contract the Knicks could be the worst team in the NBA. They need to start and get there now. There are now quick fixes, and to get the Knicks back on track they need to blow up the entire team and even trade Porzingis if necessary. Don’t worry about this year’s free agency class, get a real basketball mind in the Garden and tell James Dolan to not interfere. The Knicks need to tank for a few seasons and build up some talent through the draft and when players like Karl-Anthony Towns are ready to become free agents, make the move. It is going to take at least two years to clean up the mess created by Phil Jackson and two more years to develop players. If the Knicks play their cards right they may be a playoff contender by 2022. The longer they wait to fire Phil Jackson the longer that date will be and the harder to clean the mess. Who knows by then maybe New Jersey Transit trains will run on time.
Frank Fleming is the creator of SportsEcyclopedia.com