Jonny Flynn is better than what he's shown on the Rockets. If the Rockets dealt him to the Knicks to take off the lottery protection. Would anyone on this board take that risk?
This is how I feel too... there is too much talent on the Knicks, in my opinion, for them to not right the ship, and the competition in the East is so ridiculously weak that they would have to completely meltdown to not make the playoffs (still... Go Bucks). I feel burned after last year because the Knicks looked TERRIBLE out of the gate... then Stoudemire caught fire, they got it together and our draft pick "flip" went to pot. Once a team clicks and players get comfortable with their teammates and how they can be effective together, things change... I think that will happen in New York. If it doesn't soon, D'Antoni will be canned and someone else will figure it out... soon. Because there is too much pressure there to avoid a losing season with the team not having their draft pick this summer (assuming it's not top 5) and the Nets moving into their backyard (with a Deron & Dwight pairing there still possible).
They had one good stretch with the old crew + Amare but they traded away that core to Denver and they never once have had a good stretch of basketball since then. This is why I feel they will never be more than a .500 team.
IF BDiddy doesn't rally that team when he gets healthy, THEN they're gonna have to trade one of their Big 3 just to be competitive enough to make the playoffs.
I have noticed a lot of "lets hope X player on the knicks gets injured, then they are done" on this thread, and to be honest as rockets fans we should understand that being a fan and having a key player injured is rough. In addition, that player is a human being, and we shouldn't hope injury on anybody. Injuries stifle careers and seeing we had TMAC and Yao, arguably top 3 players at their respective positions go down the tubes due to injury should all make us realize how awful injuries can be. Lets just keep it classy and hope the knicks do well, and hope the rockets do better, even if we have a vested interest in the knicks faltering this season. Its just not good karma, and we already have plenty of bad luck in this franchise. Keep it classy Houston.
New York is perfect example of why you aren't necessarily better with one superstar over a collection of quality players. Carmelo Anthony, Renaldo Balkman, Chauncey Billups, and Shelden Williams for Danilo Gallinari (starting small forward) Wilson Chandler (starting shooting guard) Raymond Felton (starting point guard) Timofey Mozgov (back up center) 2012 2nd Round (draft pick) 2013 2nd Round (draft pick) 2014 1st Round (draft pick) The Knicks are really going to be kicking themselves, if the Nuggets go deep into playoffs, or even reach the NBA Finals for them this year. All of those feats are very plausible, especially if Denver can pass OKC for the best record in the West. The Knicks may not even make the playoffs. Say if the Carmelo deal doesn't happen . . . this is the Knicks possible starting lineup for 2012. C - Tyson Chandler PF - Amare Stoudemire SF - Danilo Gallinari SG - Wilson Chandler PG - Raymond Felton Iman Shumpert Landry Fields Toney Douglas Josh Harrellson Timofey Mozgov (or Ronny Turiaf) Michael Bibby Bill Walker Renaldo Balkman Steve Novak You cannot tell me that didn't see this, as in acquiring a superstar is going to significantly decrease depth unless it is a free agent acquisition.
I think many of us who have been Rockets fans for any period of time tend to have a "Buddhist" perspective. Seriously....LOL.. There is an ebb and flow to an NBA season. And within that, $hit happens...like the Yao and Tracy injuries. You deal with it. If a team like the Knicks is being constructed on the fly via free agency ..there are downside risks including depth issues. So be it. It's Morey's right to short the Knicks....and our right to hope for what's best for this franchise. In this day and age of reload and superfriends, teams must be reminded that there is a price to pay for short sighted/desperate moves...It's the percentages/ odds kicking in. So while I can appreciate your concerns for all things living, injuries are a part of sports..... and WE, as HOUSTON ROCKETS FANS, have a bet down. Like I said earlier... Karma is on our side considering Herr Stern will likely crank out the makeup call at the lottery.....should the Knicks miss the playoffs.
Key words in your statement.... "Rockets Fans" as in not "Knicks Fans". No one is wanting a player to have an injury that puts him in a wheel chair but if he has one that keeps him off the floor for a while and helps the Knicks into to the lottery then great! And as Rockets fans don't ever ask us to have sympathy for a team stricken with injuries after what we have endured.
As I told Clutch earlier this week, with all that happened last year with the Rockets not getting the benefit of the pick swap, the Rockets actually finished last season with a BETTER record than the Knicks. Had the Memphis Grizzlies just lost 3 more games last season (with nothing different happening to the Rockets or Knicks), then the Rockets would have made the playoffs AND swapped their pick in the #18-20 range for the Knicks' #17 pick. If not for the terrible 0-5 start last year due to the Yao and Brooks injuries/poor play, perhaps that pick swap moves the Rockes up to #17 from a pick in the early 20s. Instead, the Rockets missed the playoffs, got the #14 pick, and didn't have the need to swap picks with New York despite having the better record. Bottom line: While it is not great that the pick swap could not be fully utilized, it was still a valuable asset that the Rockets squandered by getting off to a poor start to last season. On a related note, I believe the Knicks' record was WORSE last season after the Melo trade, so the rough start for New York may just be a product of what they are: a subpar basketball team.
The issue with the Knicks is that last year before the trade, they had an identity. It was Amare's team and he was playing MVP caliber basketball and every other player knew their role. However, once they got Melo, Amare for whatever dumb reason has deferred to him instead of saying this is my team and continuing to play like he did. On top of that, I get the feeling that Melo just does not listen to most of his teammates and coaches. I think Billups was one of the few players he respected and could keep in check, but without him Melo has gone back to all about him. Since he is not a good leader by himself, that team has no compass and no one knows their role and what do to. Amare is the only one who step up and fix this situation. He did it last year before Melo came on board, and he needs to take back that place as primo leader. It is the only way this team will succeed. Also, I just do not see any of the available coaches stepping in and fixing this mess, because that coach would have to be someone Melo would respect and listen to. Can't think of a coach who fits that description.
