Tag Archives: Tommy Knicks

Which Knicks Will Be Back This Season?

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By Tommy Rothman

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The Knicks head into the offseason with only 8 players under contract (not counting the recently retired Jason Kidd). Who will be back? Who will not? We go through every player on the roster.

Under contract

These players will be on the team unless they retire, are traded, or are released. 

Carmelo Anthony: Obviously not going anywhere.

Chances he is on roster: 100%

Mike Woodson: No way he gets fired before the season starts

Chances: 100%

Amar’e Stoudemire: We couldn’t get rid of him even if we wanted to.

Chances: 99%

Iman Shumpert: The team views him as a future star, would only trade him for a current one.

Chances: 95%

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Tyson Chandler: Good player, important to team. Trade value is a bit low, and contract is hard to trade, anyway. Would only be moved in a package for a star.

Chances: 90%

Raymond Felton: Good point guard, good contract. No reason to trade him, barring a surprise package for a big-time player.

Chances: 85%

Marcus Camby: We would probably love to get rid of his contract. But we probably can’t.

Chances: 85%

Steve Novak: Same contract problem as Camby, albeit probably a more useful player. But other teams could take interest as well.

Chances: 80%

James White: Could be a useful trade chip. His unguaranteed $1 million salary makes him an option for a team looking to save that amount of money (and cap space). Not very useful beyond that.

Chances: 40%

Jason Kidd: Already gone, released from his 3-year contract

Chances: 0%

Restricted Free Agents

These players are free agents. However, the Knicks can bring them back by matching any offer the RFA signs with another team, salary cap permitting. The Knicks are over the cap and do not have Bird Rights for either of their two RFA’s, so to match an offer greater than $1 million, the Knicks would have to dip into their $3.1 Midlevel Exception. To keep both of their RFA’s (or even just the second one on this list), it will likely cost them the entirety of their MLE.

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Pablo Prigioni: Knicks can probably only give him $1 million. Might be worth more, but likes New York, and has defined role here. Team may elect to take another point guard in the draft, which could mean the end of Pablo.

Chances: 50%

Chris Copeland: Worth more than Qualifying Offer of $1 million. Knicks can give him up to $3 million using their Midlevel Exception, which would probably prevent them from signing other Free Agents for more than the minimum. He wants  to stay, and it sounds like they want him back. Will probably receive bigger offers elsewhere, and probably more minutes. He reportedly turned down bigger offers last year to come to New York, and will need to do the same again.

Chances: 50%

Unrestricted Free Agents

These players are free agents and can sign with any team. The Knicks do not own the Bird Rights for any of these players, and they are over the cap. Therefore, they can only offer the minimum to Barron and Richardson. Martin will be offered the minimum, and probably a slight raise (around 20%) if they are allowed to use a Non-Bird Exception on him. Smith will be offered the Early-Bird Exception, assuming the Knicks want him back.

J.R Smith: Has clearly stated his desire to remain in New York. If the Knicks want to commit to him, they can give him around 6 million per year. Other teams might give him a bit more, but his unpredictability on and off the court probably keeps him in our price range. If we want him back, he should be back.

Chances: 80%

Kenyon Martin: Eligible for Vet’s minimum. Held out last year for a bigger contract. Didn’t work. He loves New York, will probably take offer of VM.

Chances: 70%

Earl Barron: Actually can be a useful big man, should be cheap. They should keep him. Not sure if they will.

Chances: 50%

Quentin Richardson: Can’t see the organization bringing him back. Not much upside.

Chances: 10%

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Draft Pick

Whoever we draft will be on the team unless we trade them.

Chances: 90%

Who should the Knicks bring back? Who should be sent packing? Let us know what you think in the comments!

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Tommy’s Keys to the Game: Pacers at Knicks, G2, ECSF

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 By Tommy Rothman

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The Knicks face Indiana tonight at the Garden in what is almost a must-win for New York, who dropped the first game of the series. The Knicks have never won a playoff series after losing game 1 at home, so they have an uphill battle in front of them. What do the Knicks need to do in order to even the series?

  • Leave it all on the floor. The Knicks don’t play again until Saturday, meaning they have no excuse to not go hard for 48 minutes tonight. They must play hard throughout the game, no matter the score.
  • Keep Melo on the court. The Knicks actually outscored the Pacers Sunday when Carmelo was on the floor. So why did they lose? Anthony was in foul trouble all game. The Knicks have to back him up on Defense so he can stay out of foul trouble without David West scoring 30. On the offensive end, Melo needs to keep his elbows to himself… when the ref is looking.
  • Keep their composure. The refs will be bad. Joey Crawford is working the game tonight. The Knicks need to play until the whistle, and react to the way the game is being called. If the Knicks are letting them play, be physical. If they are calling it tight, back off.
  • Hit their shots. This seems simplistic, but we cannot win if we shoot as badly as we did Sunday. Melo and JR must show up.
  • Stop Roy Hibbert! Tyson Chandler was terrible Sunday. He needs to defend and box out, and maybe give us something on offense, too.
  • Attack. The Pick&Roll has been great for the Knicks, and Melo is one of the best finishers in the game. Run the P&R, have Melo drive, and post him up on occasion. Force the issue. Don’t be afraid of Roy Hibbert.

If the Knicks do all this, we should be able to even the series before heading to Indiana for games 3 and 4. If not, they will be well on their way to an early vacation.

New York Knicks Memes’ 50 Rules of Being a Knicks Fan

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50 Rules of a Knicks Fan’s Household

By Tommy RothmanImage

 

  1. Thou shalt not bandwagon
  2. Thou shalt not desert thy team
  3. Thou shalt obey all men in the household, because men have balls, and balls don’t lie
  4. Thou shalt watch every game. You get 1 skip a year. Use it well
  5. Am I busy between 7 and 10? Yes. Unless you’re asking because you have an extra ticket.
  6.  Thou shalt Like “New York Knicks Memes”
  7. The game is on ESPN? Cool story. It’s also on MSG
  8. Thou shalt not sing the Friday Night Knicks song, for it is cursed
  9. Oh, you’re a Heat fan? I’m glad to hear that. Now I know not to associate myself with you.
  10. You want to have a conversation? That’s what halftime is for
  11. If Clyde tells a joke, you laugh
  12. Thou shalt know all 15 players on the roster
  13. The words “Isiah” and “Thomas” must be separated by at least 10 negative adjectives if they are to be used in the same sentence
  14. Thou shalt worship Carmelo Anthony as the Basketball Jesus
  15. Thou shalt not use Carmelo Anthony’s name in vain
  16. Thou shalt take 3 to the dome every single time the Knicks hit a 3
  17. Thou shalt do the belt every time Steve Novak hits a 3
  18. If you see a fellow Knicks fan, you must acknowledge them in some way
  19. If a Heat fan is walking towards you, don’t get out of his way. Stand your ground and take a charge
  20. There will be SILENCE when the Basketball Jesus is speaking
  21. Thou shalt not consume Honey Nut Cheerios
  22. Thou shalt not miss any game because of homework, ever! Due tomorrow = Do tomorrow
  23. Thou shalt recognize the flat-top
  24. Thou shalt recognize the goatee
  25. Thou shalt recognize Rasheed’s bald spot
  26. Hating the Nets is not encouraged. It is REQUIRED
  27. Thou shalt have New York Knicks Memes open on thy laptop during the game
  28. All compliments towards LeBron James must be backhanded
  29. Amar’e Stoudemire is the reason we put this team together. Thou shalt respect Amar’e Stoudemire
  30. Tyson Chandler is the heart and soul of this team. Thou shalt not insult Tyson Chandler
  31. Thou shalt cry a manly tear whenever Carmelo does something god-like
  32. Thou shalt scream “ARIBA” every time you steal the inbounds pass when playing NBA 2K
  33. If Steve Novak dunks, you turn off the TV, turn off the lights, wait in your dark bedroom, and hope the apocalypse is quick and painless
  34. Tyson Chandler is better than Brook Lopez. You must view this as a fact.
  35. Remember Allan Houston? Yes, you do.
  36. Thou shalt own a Knicks Jersey
  37. Thou shalt have at least 1 shrine to the Knicks in thy household
  38. Your marriage is just your side affair. Your true love is the Knicks
  39. Thou shalt not compliment Joey Crawford
  40. Thou shalt not boo unless the Knicks are asking for it
  41. Oh, I just woke you up by screaming after a basket? Well, you shouldn’t have fallen asleep during the game
  42. If Mike Woodson smiles, thou shalt take a picture. Pics or it didn’t happen.
  43. Thou shalt worship Flight White’s leaping abilities
  44. Thou shalt rep the #Knickstape
  45. Thou shalt taunt fans of other teams
  46. Thou shalt troll Nets and Heat pages
  47. Do not breathe when you are in the presence of Carmelo. The air belongs to him
  48. Thou shalt learn to live with the bad side of JR Smith
  49. Jason Kidd is the wise one. Thou shalt not insult his age
  50. Thou shalt Purchase “Zeroes” on your iTunes, because Iman Shumpert is featured on it.

Can the Knicks Keep J.R Smith?

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J.R. Smith uses his body to express his electric personality.

                                  

          J.R. Smith is having a career year. Is he playing himself out of New York?

By Tommy Rothman

“No, JR. Stop! Don’t take that shot! What are you doi— YES JR! YES!”

If you are a Knicks fan, you probably say this out loud at least four times a game. New York’s sixth man, J.R Smith, is an enigma. He is extremely talented and is one of the league’s best athletes, but he often has trouble harnessing his abilities and providing solid, consistent production. However, J.R changed something about his game after the All-Star break: he started attacking. Instead of settling for jump shots every time down the floor, Smith began using his quickness and ball-handling skills to get to the rim, resulting in easy baskets and trips to the free-throw line. Smith’s stats took a big jump, and he is now the leading candidate for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. Perhaps not so coincidentally, this is Smith’s contract year. Can the Knicks keep their star sixth man? Let’s look at some of the facts to analyze Smith’s future.

UPDATE: JR Smith declined his player option, making him a free agent. This was expected. Continue reading.

Reasons Smith could leave:

  • Smith is an unrestricted free agent. This means that if he signs a deal with another team, the Knicks have no way to prevent him from going to that team.
  • Smith is being paid 2.8 million dollars this season. The other leading candidates for the Sixth Man award, Jamal Crawford and Kevin Martin, are making 5.2 and 11.6 million dollars, respectively. Shooting guards of similar-to-lesser ability, such as JJ Redick and Kyle Korver,  are being paid in the 5-to-7 million dollar range.
  • The Knicks do not have Smith’s full “Bird Rights”, due to the fact that he has only been with the team for two seasons. This means that the amount of money they can give Smith will be partially restricted by the NBA salary cap, which the Knicks have exceeded by a healthy margin.
  • Despite his acceptance of the sixth man role, Smith wishes to start, and this is more likely to happen on another team.

Reasons Smith could stay:

  • Smith has a healthy relationship with the Knicks. Before coming to New York, he had already played alongside fellow former Nuggets Carmelo Anthony, Raymond Felton, and Kenyon Martin. Smith has a very good relationship with Anthony (New York’s best player), and he seems to have a very good connection with Coach Mike Woodson, who is the first coach to be able to tame and control J.R. 
  • The Knicks have Smith’s “Early Bird Rights”, meaning they can offer him a deal for between 2 and 4 years with a starting salary of 175% of his previous salary or the NBA’s average salary (whichever is greater). This deal would give Smith a starting salary of around 5.5 million dollars with small but notable annual raises.
  • He has taken less money to play with Anthony and the Knicks on two occasions in the past. In February of 2012, he declined the Clippers’ offer and instead took a smaller deal from the Knicks. He re-signed with New York in the summer of 2012, again taking a salary below his market value. This time, the pay cut would not be too significant. The most Smith could make from another team is probably somewhere around 8 million dollars, and even that is uncertain, for reasons I am about to explain.
  • As I said before, Smith is an enigma. He lives “the fast life”, going to clubs and parties every night, roaming the streets, and making rash decisions. He has tweeted several unfortunate photos that have gotten him in trouble in the past. He has also been arrested multiple times and has spent a small amount of time in prison.  His behavioral issues are well-documented, and that may give a team unfamiliar with Smith some serious hesitation about making a large financial commitment to the shooting guard.
  • Smith is also very unpredictable on the court, meaning teams may view his recent hot stretch as unsustainable. This would scare potential suitors off, making it easier for New York to keep him.
  • The Knicks have less to lose by committing to Smith than most other teams do. The Knicks will be over the salary cap for the next few years regardless of what happens with Smith, so it would be advantageous for them to sign him using money that the NBA Salary Cap prohibits them from spending on other teams’ players.
  • There is mutual love between Smith and the Knicks fans. Smith has grown comfortable in New York, and he may not be too eager to leave.
  • Smith has a chance to win in New York. Many of the teams that might offer Smith more money only have money because their team is currently devoid of expensive (read: good) players. If Miami had cap space for Smith, it would be another story. But Smith leaving to play for the lowly Phoenix Suns might not be so likely.
  • Smith has promised to get a Knicks tattoo if New York wins the championship. In my mind, this means that Smith will give zero consideration to leaving if he is popping champagne in late June. This may seem like a silly point to make, but let me ask you this: would you get a team’s logo permanently branded onto your body if you planned on leaving that team 25 days later? I didn’t think so. But expecting the Knicks to win the championship this year would be unfair, so for once, let’s leave JR’s tattoos out of the discussion. UPDATE: The Knicks did NOT win the championship

 

So there you have it. I think Smith will stay, because I believe the reasons for him doing so (outlined above) outweigh the reasons he might leave. Smith turned down the chance to follow the money last year, and his relationships with the Knicks and their fans have grown stronger since then. I don’t think his improvement as a basketball player will change the outcome this time around.

UPDATE: JR Smith had a horrible playoffs in which he played with an injured knee and was almost useless after the first 3 games of round 1. He also reportedly was clubbing every night during the playoffs and running around with Rihanna, underscoring the inconsistency and irresponsibility discussed in this article. Smith hurt his stock in the playoffs, making it more likely the Knicks can keep him… if they want to (which they should).

 

DISCLAIMER: PREDICTING THE ACTIONS OF J.R SMITH IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS IN THE WORLD OF BASKETBALL. TOMMY ROTHMAN AND NEW YORK KNICKS MEMES ARE IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FUTURE ACTIONS OF J.R SMITH. NIETHER TOMMY ROTHMAN NOR NEW YORK KNICKS MEMES CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY FINANCIAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY MISLEADING INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE. 

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Will Smith stay or will he go? Let us know in the comments!