Saw a couple of interesting things on SI.com’s NBA Truth and Rumors page regarding the New York Knicks. Obviously most of it has to do with new head coach Mike D’Antoni and changes around the organization that could result from his hiring. Here they are:
in one week, at the NBA Draft Lottery, the new Knicks coach will find out if he has someone whom he privately believes also can run his breakneck attack to perfection – University of Memphis point guard Derrick Rose. Mark D’Antoni has told confidants he believes Rose could be the next Steve Nash. While D’Antoni pines for Rose, he also can try to get Nash to New York if he really wants. Nash can opt out of his contract after next season and force Phoenix into a sign-and-trade with the Knicks.
In the playoffs, Mark D’Antoni became completely unraveled by the Suns‘ failure to beat the Spurs. He’d been sarcastic toward opposing coaches for some time and had been condescending to anybody within the organization who disagreed with his philosophy. But in the San Antonio series, he advised fickle fans who were on the ledge to jump. And he got testy with those in the media who questioned his refusal to order fouling at the end of regulation and OT in Game 1. However, the biggest shock was his aversion to make offseason defensive and practice adjustments strongly required by owner Robert Sarver and team president Steve Kerr.
One of the first plays Mike D’Antoni is expected to draw up as the Knicks‘ new coach is for Stephon Marbury to run up the Garden floor … and out the door back to Phoenix to rejoin the Suns. Once D’Antoni is formally named to succeed Isiah Thomas, he is expected to try to make a push for two of his favorite Suns – forward Boris Diaw and guard Leandro Barbosa, who reportedly have fallen out of favor with Suns management. According to a person close to D’Antoni, one of his first moves would be to get the Knicks to offer Marbury and his expiring $22 million contract as a central part of the deal.
Filed under: NBA - Knicks, Writer - Bill Slattery
If it were up to me (which of course holds no bearing whatsoever) I would hope to take Rose rather than try and get Nash. I feel like Nash is a beyond his prime, and I don’t know how I feel about D’Antoni bringing in a bunch of ex-Suns.
That being said, I think I would be behind the suggested Marbury deal, primarily because it would mean getting rid of Marbury. He is still a talented player, but there is just too much drama that comes with him, and he is one of the big memories of the Isaiah Thomas era, and I think it would be good for the team to try to distance itself from these last few years.