Isiah made some decent moves with the Raptors in the draft. I believe he brought in Damon Stoudemire, Marcus Camby, and a fellow by the name of McGrady As long as Zeke stays in the front office and off the sidelines, the Knicks are better off than before.
Marcus Camby at No. 2 overall was not really a good move. And while he gets credit for McGrady, he also ignored him and threw him to the wolves like the Wizards did with Kwame Brown. McGrady might've turned out completely differently had Isiah remained in charge. And anyways, his role in the collapse of the CBA and his tenure in charge of the Pacers should remove all doubt as to his incompetence.
I agree with JV in terms of the bottom line, though I tend to think it's a small step down. While Layden has received too much blame, I believe Thomas has received too little. I loved watching Zeke play the game, but it has been painful to watch him play executive. I thought he'd stated clearly that he wanted to coach again? The move just makes no sense for Zeke or the Knicks.
He might be the best two guard in the league instead of second best? What's your point McGrady's a superstar, and didn't want to be their because he wanted to be the main guy.
No, this team would be the best team in the East, had McGrady stayed, so its okay to knock him for his coaching job in Indiana, but the fact is, he put together a good team in Toronto.
uhm, I don't think you're following me. See, you can't just draft a high schooler and then expect him to deal with the rigors of an NBA season all by himself - that's a good way to take a super-talented young man, and turn him into a bust. That's what Isiah was going to do in Toronto. When Isiah was run off, the next GM provided the support for McGrady that Isiah wasn't going to. You can't give him credit for Toronto's success, he really had no part in it.
I agree with this statement, Clutch, but I have to wonder why this is the case. I know that the obvious answer is that it is New York, the city that "never sleeps" and stupid crap like that, but other than that, why would anybody that follows the NBA on a routine basis expect the Knicks to be that good? They haven't won a title in 30 years and have always been, I felt, a team that has made some curious moves, at best and now seem to be stuck in a perpetual cycle of mediocrity. I know that it is asking too much, but it would be refreshing to see the teams that are good in the small markets get the press coverage instead of sucky big market teams like the Knicks hording it all. Didn't it take Nellie quite a bit team to exorcise his reputation because of his tenure with New York?? It seemed that I remember he only got the Dallas job because they (the Mavericks mgmt) decided to "take a chance" on him.
That's ridiculous, under Isiah's watch O'neal became one of the best big men in the East, Artest found his niche in the NBA, and Harrington became a decent player. You're just saying what Isiah probably would have done. I'm saying what he did. He has a good track record with young players.
I would say he has improved the team already, I can't stand Marbury, but I just don't see how this team can't win games in the East.
I hope Isiah likes the team he's got because he traded away its future. They need to convert Kurt Thomas into some picks or a young prospect, because their cupboard is bare and their payroll is bloated beyond repair.
What future? They never HAD a future. Because of the mess they are in they would have to be sucking for a long time and that is NEVER the option when butts have to be put in seats at MSG. This team is NEVER going to build via the draft. They are ALWAYS going to pay for talent. With those parameters said....the trade is solid!
3-0 vs. Orlando, Chicago, Seattle, all at home. You think Wilkens was the reason why they beat those teams? Are you honestly trying to defend Isiah still? His true colors came out in the shameful Chaney fiasco, and it was all on Isiah. When he upstaged Chaney in practice, and waited for there to be TV cameras around to do it; that's indefensible. Isiah basically humiliated Don, publicly, for no reason at all, other than his own convenience.
