Written by Steven Ruiz at FTW.com
It’s time to blow it up. No more half-measures for the Knicks. No more aging vets who no longer more than big names. No more stop gaps. This franchise needs to build from the ground up. This franchise needs Sam Hinkie and his Process.
The former 76ers general manager who was jettisoned from Philadelphia as his master plan was finally starting to take shape is exactly what the Knicks need right now. They need Hinkie and they need patience. The lack of the latter has done this franchise in for two decades now.
New York has gone through numerous general managers and coaches over that time. The only constant has been owner James Dolan and a Get Rich Quick approach to roster construction.
The lure of New York and the Garden and the Knicks mystique (stop laughing) isn’t what it used to be. Not in the age of social media, where our sports stars are not hurting for exposure. Dolan and whomever he appoints as his next GM needs to realize this. Big name free agents won’t flock to New York for a chance to play at MSG or to enhance their brand. The Knicks aren’t going to go out and land a superstar in free agency. Not with the reputation for dysfunction the franchise has earned over the last 20 years.
The Knicks are years away from contention, and they’ll need a visionary who understands that shortcuts won’t cut it. It appeared as if Phil Jackson, who mutually agreed to part ways with the Knicks on Wednesday, was that visionary. During his first few seasons in charge, he traded away vets like Tyson Chandler and J.R. Smith for picks and younger players. He drafted a player the team could build around in Kristaps Porzingis. The Knicks were rebuilding. Finally.
Then last offseason happened, and things started to unravel for Jackson. He traded for a 28-year-old Derrick Rose and his 50-year-old knees. He gave a washed-up Joakim Noah a $72 million contract. Then Jackson inked Carmelo Anthony, whose days as a bona fide superstar were over, a five-year, $125 million contract that included a no-trade clause. The Knicks had built their version of the Super Team, just five years too late.
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