10 Reasons Why 2017 New York Knicks Are Trash
Sitting at the All-Star break, the New York Knicks (23-34) are far from the super team that Derrick Rose felt like in the offseason.
In fact, the team is just as bad, if not worse than last year’s squad that notched a 32-50 record.
Kristaps Porzingis provided a bright moment by winning the 2017 Taco Bell Skills Challenge.
But aside from this shining moment, the 2017 New York Knicks season is already trashed, and here are 10 reasons why.
1. The Team Chemistry Is Awful
We’ve seen this many times before, in many sports. A franchise signs several big names in the offseason, only to watch their team turn to mush. And the reason why: a lack of chemistry.
This year’s Knicks group is no different because they lack cohesion on both defense and offense. It’s still unclear whether Derrick Rose or Brandon Jennings running the show is better; whether Joakim Noah, Willy Hernangomez, or Kyle O’Quinn is the answer at center; what the optimal lineup is around Carmelo Anthony and Porzingis; and how Jeff Hornacek can best implement his hybrid Triangle Offense.
2. Anthony and Phil Jackson Have a Passive-Aggressive Relationship
It’s clear that Team President Phil Jackson wants Anthony to waive his no-trade clause so they can bring in more young talent to surround Porzingis with. Anthony said he would do so for a select few teams, but nothing’s happened yet.
The situation has only been made worse by the passive-aggressive relationship between the two. Jackson’s mind games may have worked while he was coaching the Chicago Bulls and LA Lakers to championships, but they haven’t translated well as team president.
3. Rose and Porzingis Haven’t Played Well Together
The New York Post recently ran a column, detailing the lack of harmony between Rose and Porzingis’ games. One NBA source told the Post, “I don’t think Derrick is helping Porzingis’s growth, with his head down going to the basket, not really looking for him.”
An MVP in 2011, Rose has seen his play tail off after multiple knee injuries, meaning he’s not the star he once was. And if he can’t shoulder the offensive burden himself, he needs to look for Porzingis more, as Jennings does.
4. The Triangle Offense Needs to Go
Created by assistant coach Tex Winter, the Triangle Offense helped power Jackson’s teams to 11 championships in LA and Chicago. But what was once a great system seems to be stifling New York more than anything since Jackson’s arrival in 2014.
Here’s one excerpt from the Post: “According to one player, the Knicks played the triangle exceptionally well in gaining a 17-point lead on Oklahoma City in the second quarter. But when the Thunder started taking away some of those actions, the Knicks couldn’t counteract. Hence, Hornacek deviated at halftime to more of their standard “early offense.” The club just hasn’t mastered the triangles’s nuances.”
5. Fans Have Turned on the Team
Since late January, fans have been booing the Knicks, specifically Anthony, during blowout losses. We know that New York fans are tough, but it’s certainly not helping a team that’s already struggling.
6. James Dolan Still Owns the Knicks
Since taking over the New York Knicks in the late 1990s, owner James Dolan’s reign has mostly been unfruitful.
Aside from an overachieving squad that was beaten by San Antonio in the 1999 NBA Finals, and a unit that made the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks have never advanced past the conference semis in Dolan’s tenure. Even worse, they’ve only made the playoffs 4 out of the past 16 seasons.
Many fans blame Dolan, and it’s hard to deny this when looking at the results. Primed to miss the postseason for the fourth-straight year, many want the team to change ownership.
7. The Charles Oakley Drama Hangs Over New York
As we and numerous other news outlets have recently discussed, Charles Oakley was thrown out of a Knicks game following a scuffle with security. And no, this wasn’t just Oakley going berserk, but rather aided by Madison Square Garden security scrutinizing the retired forward’s every move.
Oakley obviously isn’t innocent in this matter either. But the fact that a team owner would engage in such a petty feud with a former player over negative comments is ridiculous. And it’s just another distraction for a team that needs to focus more than ever.
8. Injuries Have Ravaged Joakim Noah
Signed to a 4-year, $72-million deal in the offseason, New York hoped that Noah could revive his former elite defensive play and rebounding. The result has been a mediocre 5.0 points and 0.8 blocks in 22 minutes per game.
Noah has averaged 8.7 rebounds per game, but his efforts are so inconsistent that the team is currently grooming the rookie Hernangomez in hopes that he can man the position.
9. New York Has Too Many Centers
Porzingis, Noah, O’Quinn, and Hernangomez are all best suited to play the 5. This creates a Philadelphia 76ers-sized problem for New York, as they try to use Porzingis and O’Quinn at power forward, which just isn’t working.
They’re keeping Porzingis as long as they can because he’s a rare talent. They likely can’t get rid of Noah due to his contract. They want Hernangomez because he’s developing into a strong player. O’Quinn is a bargain at $3.9 million for what he provides off the bench.
That said, what can the team do about their abundance of centers, other than move O’Quinn or Hernangomez, neither of which figures to help New York much?
10. This Is a Rebuilding Team that’s Trying to Win Now
In New York, you don’t get much of a chance to rebuild due to fan pressure. But this is exactly what New York needs to do, given that they haven’t won since 2013.
The team has young talent in Porzingis and Hernangomez that they can build around. Jackson just needs to find trade partners for Anthony and other veterans that can bring in more young players.
