NBA Trade Rumors: New York Knicks Need to Trade Amar’e Stoudemire
One of the biggest NBA rumors this year is the fact that the New York Knicks might be looking to trade forward Amar’e Stoudemire. Stoudemire, along with Carmelo Anthony, makes this Knicks team look good on paper, but on the court look dismal. So it is no surprise that the Knicks are looking to get rid of one of the problems in order to get a solution.
When New York acquired Stoudemire in 2010, Knicks Nation was happy to be getting a superstar in The Garden. For only the cheap price of about $100 million through five years, the Knicks were able to solidify a possible franchise man.
What a mistake that turned out to be.
For the first part of the 2010-2011 season, the Knicks were a decent team, but nowhere near where most fans felt they should be.
With a record of 26-25 in the first half of the season, the Knicks were averaging 106.5 points per game all while giving up an average of 106.2 points a game (29th in the league). With a poor defensive game, Stoudemire and the Knicks were failing to impress in the Big Apple.
Now, Stoudemire did contribute his 22.1 points per game in the first half, so it’s hard to blame the rough start all on him.
But then Carmelo Anthony happened.
When the Knicks traded for Anthony, fans were overcome with glee—Anthony, a New York native, coming home and using his scoring ability to lead the Knicks to the championship.
Boy, were they wrong.
After finally getting Anthony in the second half of the season, the New York took a nose dive. Their efficiency rating, which was 118.6 (3rd in the league), dropped to 114.1 (ninth in the league). And not only did their efficiency rating drop, but so did their points per game (106.5 down to 104.7), assists (21.4 down to 20) and rebounding ( 40.8 down to 39) per game. All after Anthony became a Knick.
And not only did the team stats drop, but Stoudemire himself felt the shock wave of Anthony landing in New York. Both his efficiency rating and points per game dropped significantly after the arrival of Melo. He started the first half of the season averaging 26.1 points, which dropped to 20.5 in the second half with Anthony. And his efficiency rating, which was 26.2 before the All-Star break, sank to 22.3 for the second half of the season.
Some argued it would take some time for the team to gel. Fair enough.
Let’s take a look at the Knicks this year.
For starters, their efficiency rating has dropped from 114.1 to a lowly 101.3 (21st in the league). Additionally, Stoudemire is now averaging only 17.6 points per game and has even a lower efficiency rating of 16.3, which puts him as the 61st best player in the NBA according to efficiency after being the fourth best in 2010-2011.
Something is up. To me, it looks like Stoudemire and the Knicks stopped playing well with the arrival of Anthony.
To make my point, they are now 22-28 since receiving Anthony on Feb. 21.
Something has to be done,not only to make the Knicks better, but the help Stoudemire’s stats go back up. And the only way that this seems possible is that the Knicks trade him away.
On the court, Stoudemire and Anthony just don’t complement each other. They both are scoring forwards with redundant roles. Additionally, with the Knicks lacking a proper point guard to facilitate the actions on the court, Anthony is usually the one that ends up with the ball in his hands trying to direct the offense.
And we all know how much he loves to pass the ball, with his 4.4 assists per game.
So the Knicks’ only hope is to make a trade, probably involving Stoudemire, where they get a good point guard in return.
John Finger of ESPNPhiladelphia reported a rumor saying the 76ers were looking at Stoudemire. And while that probably won’t happen, it would definitely shape up to be an interesting trade considering all the guard talent that the 76ers posses. And ESPN’s Chad Ford reported that “the Knicks were shopping Amare hard.”
The sad fact is, the Knicks are not doing well with Anthony and Stoudemire on the court together. And with the recent spike in interest of Stoudemire, it seems like it is now or never for the Knicks to trade him away to get a point guard compatible with Anthony’s play style, and to put Stoudemire on a team where he has more freedom to show off his scoring talent.
And if they do that, the Knicks—and Amar’e Stoudemire—would be taking a step forward after recently taking two steps back.
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Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: New Jersey Nets Can Learn from New York Knicks
When trying to acquire a superstar the likes of Dwight Howard, the New Jersey Nets already have a template in place to go from. It’s a template the New York Knicks wish they had during the 2010-11 season.
That template is summed up in one word: wait!
The Knicks were so anxious to acquire Carmelo Anthony last season, they shipped their entire roster to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a few auxiliary pieces, led by Chauncey Billups. Problem was, they had to gut their entire roster to bring over one player.
And what problem is haunting the Knicks this season? You guessed it: depth.
This season, the Nets find themselves in a similar situation: They have the opportunity to acquire a superstar in Howard, but most likely, they will have to gut their roster of its major pieces to do so.
New Jersey will likely center a deal around Brook Lopez, and out of desperation, MarShon Brooks could be a throw-in, along with anything else the Orlando Magic see fit to ask for. They will almost certainly play on the desperation of the Nets, and who can blame them?
Long story short, the Nets will end up gutting their entire roster of its talent much like the Knicks did, leaving little to no depth as a whole in the process.
Instead, if Howard is really serious about Deron Williams and the Nets being his preferred destination, then New Jersey is better off waiting for the big man until the offseason, when they can sign him as a free agent.
Don’t forget, Howard has a ton of pull going for himself as long as he says he won’t sign an extension with any team but New Jersey. In that case, no team will gut their own roster just to acquire the best center in the league as a rental.
The only question is, can New Jersey afford to take such a chance? My initial thought would be no, and like the Knicks’ dilemma of a year ago, they simply can’t take the chance of having D12 change his mind about the Nets being his preferred team because he is in a rush to get out of Orlando.
And rest assured, the Magic will make a deal as long as there is one to be made just so they don’t walk away with nothing.
On the flip side of all this, New Jersey could wait and hope that Howard is true to his reported word about the Nets being his No. 1 choice, and in which case, the Nets will be looking quite impressive going into next season, and more importantly, their new arena in Brooklyn.
They would be able to hold onto Brooks and Lopez, forming a lineup along with D-Will and D12. That would be one of the most dangerous, explosive lineups in the entire NBA, and the Nets would be instant NBA Finals contenders.
As great a scenario as that is, it’s doubtful that it’ll actually happen. New Jersey will be itching to get Howard to New Jersey to secure their dream pairing for the move next season.
Although they’d have a very good team with D12 and D-Will together this season, taking the chance of waiting and eventually signing him as a free agent would give them a great team. That move would give risky a new meaning.
Talk about patience being a virtue. For the Nets, patience could be the difference between a competitive team and an NBA Finals team in the 2012-13 season.
It remains to be seen if New Jersey will want to play that game of “chicken,” but don’t expect them to. Howard will be a Net come March, and such a trade will make the explosion from a block of C4 look like a lit match in comparison.
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Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks: 5 Quick Thoughts on Bulls’ 105-102 Win
The Chicago Bulls held off the New York Knicks Thursday night, defeating them 105-102 at Madison Square Garden in thrilling fashion. Both teams traded buckets in the fourth quarter behind their respective superstars, Derrick Rose and Amar’e Stoudemire. However, Carmelo Anthony missed a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired, sealing the 105-102 win for the Bulls.
Rose led the Bulls with 32 points and 13 assists, marking the fourth time in five games that he has scored over 30 points. Kyle Korver also continued his recent hot streak, adding 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Carlos Boozer added 16 points and nine rebounds.
Despite key injuries to starters Luol Deng and Richard Hamilton, the Bulls held off a great night from Amar’e Stoudemire (34 points and 11 rebounds). Carmelo Anthony added 26 points on 10-of-26 shooting but was completely shut down by Bulls rookie Jimmy Butler in the fourth quarter.
The Bulls led 55-44 at halftime and let the Knicks climb back into the game by being outscored 31-22 in the third. However, Rose put the Bulls on his back, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter to hold off the Knicks.
Here are five quick thoughts following the Bulls’ 105-102 win in New York.
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Chauncey Billups’ Great Value Exemplified Through New York Knicks’ Struggles
Chauncey Billups is a seasoned NBA veteran who has seen everything on the basketball court. He has high basketball IQ and can facilitate offenses to great extents.
He was an afterthought in the Carmelo Anthony trade last season. His name wasn’t mentioned much, but it turns out he brought plenty of value to the team. The New York Knicks made the playoffs and Billups had some clutch moments throughout the short time he was there.
He also played some defense and was possibly the only Knick that showed at least some signs of defensive capability.
Billups now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s an integral part of their offense, providing a veteran presence for a young team looking to contend in the Western Conference.
He’s averaging 15.4 points this season along with 4.1 assists per game. His numbers are a bit down from last season in his 21-game stint with New York, but you don’t think the Knicks can use his output now that they’re in the bottom of the Eastern Conference?
Billups might have been the most valuable player in the Carmelo, deal and it’s showing right now. He’s scoring double digits for the Clippers and they’re currently in first place in the Pacific Division. Meanwhile in the Big Apple, the Knicks look like the team we saw struggle earlier this decade.
Point is, Billups was a major reason why this team succeeded. He would provide a defensive jolt, averaging a steal per game and scored almost 17 points per game last season. He was an elder statesman for the Knicks as well. Imagine how badly the Knicks could use a nice pump-up speech during their losing trends.
The Knicks have lost eight of their last 10 games. They have young players like Iman Shumpert, Toney Douglas and Landry Fields trying to lead a team playing in the media capital of the world. Perhaps they are too young and can’t handle the heat from the microscope of the media.
There is no doubt that Chauncey Billups would do a better job in that situation. He’s played in the league for a long time and there isn’t one thing he hasn’t seen both on and off the court.
The Knicks’ biggest mistake was not bringing back Chauncey. They should’ve done whatever they could have to keep the veteran on the squad. Their struggles are a reflection upon Billups’ value.
Finally, just look at the Denver Nuggets. They’re still in the top four in the Western Conference without Carmelo. They seem to be doing just fine.
It’s because Melo doesn’t bring any sort of value, other than scoring, to a team. He’s a pure scorer. He doesn’t do anything else, and when you have a guy like that leading a team like he is in New York, it becomes a problem.
The Knicks can’t play a lick of defense and it seems like Melo is trying to single-handedly win every game.
Also, is Anthony being fazed by the New York media? He played in the mountains of Colorado where there was no microscopic pressure. He had never dealt with it. Now that his team is struggling in New York, he might be listening to the critics, and it’s showing in his game and the way the Knicks are playing.
Teams can’t win championships or make the playoffs by being one-dimensional. The Knicks are just that right now. So when they lost Billups, they lost a huge asset to the team, and they must be kicking themselves in the leg because of their mistake.
Meanwhile, Billups is on a more talented team in Los Angeles and is on a quest for another ring. Good for him.
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Knicks Rumors: New York Foolish to Consider Firing Mike D’Antoni Now
The New York Knicks are playing terrible basketball and they have nobody to blame but themselves.
Not only are they playing terrible basketball, but they’re in a nearly uncorrectable situation with nobody to blame but themselves.
The Knicks have few tradable pieces, no guard play and a sitting duck coach in over his head.
Mike D’Antoni has himself a team with injury issues and two superstar scorers who cannot seem to work together for the life of them.
The Knicks gambled on Baron Davis being healthy sooner rather than later and believed him to be the veteran point guard presence they desperately need.
Now, 21 games into the season, the Knicks haven’t been able to get Davis on the court and they’ve won only eight games all season.
According to a Knicks blog post from ESPN New York, there is even a report that D’Antoni could be fired if the Knicks lose their next two games:
One report in “The Daily” stated that D’Antoni would be fired by owner James Dolan on Sunday if the Knicks lost to Chicago and Boston so the Knicks could avoid a media firestorm with the Giants in the Super Bowl.
However, ESPN New York adds, “But the popular belief is that D’Antoni will get a chance to coach a healthy Baron Davis.”
If and when Davis will be healthy is one of the mysteries surrounding this team, but that isn’t even the concern they should have. They’re not sure how Davis will fit in with this basketball team, if he’s capable of staying healthy, if he can even still play the game at an elite level.
The Knicks don’t need any more mediocre-to-poor guard play on their team.
But the one thing they cannot afford to do is blow it all up by bringing in a new coach. For starters, there isn’t anybody that is going to be willing to take on this mess of a team as they are right now.
D’Antoni isn’t the problem to start with. Although he doesn’t preach defense, there isn’t anything a new coach can do if the players don’t want to respond or execute.
There is no quick fix for this team; they’ve invested too much into the roster they’ve put together.
Until the Knicks have the correct coach for this team or the team they put together in the future, they need to keep D’Antoni on the bench.
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Pistons vs. Knicks: New York Looks to Avoid Embarrassment at MSG Against Detroit
In their last home stand, the New York Knicks lost four straight games. They now return home for tonight’s game against the Detroit Pistons and Thursday’s game against MVP Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls.
The last time the New York Knicks played the Detroit Pistons, New York won easily, 103-80. That win came in the middle of a four-game winning streak when all was good in New York.
It should not be too much to ask for a win against the Pistons, but the way things are going, it is.
Now, they are playing on the same level as the 4-18 Pistons.
The Knicks enter the game with only three more wins than Detroit, sitting at 7-13.
This is the battle of two teams who cannot get anything going at this point in the season. Both teams have lost nine out of 10 games.
After tonight, one of these teams will be in a deeper hole, while the other will try to turn their season around.
For the Knicks, they might also be fighting to keep Mike D’Antoni as their head coach. There has been speculation that his time in New York is running out if the Knicks do not turn it around soon.
A loss at the Garden against the lifeless Detroit Pistons might seal the deal.
The electricity at MSG on Christmas Day will all be forgotten with a loss tonight. That same joyous electricity will be turned into utter displeasure with a loss tonight.
The Garden might shower the Knicks with boos even with a less-than-dominant win against Detroit. There is a negative vibe from the Knicks and they better blow out Detroit tonight if they want to avoid a depressing atmosphere at MSG.
They will also have to avoid looking past Detroit with the Bulls coming into town Thursday night.
It looks as though the Knicks will be without Carmelo Anthony again, so they are going to have to find another way to win.
Believe it or not, this is a must-win game for the New York Knicks.
For more on Mike D’Antoni, visit here.
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Dwight Howard Trade Rumors: Why the New York Knicks Need Howard
According to multiple reports, the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic have discussed a possible trade scenario that would bring Dwight Howard to the Big Apple. The Knicks, who have lost nine of their last 10 games, seem to be nearing desperation this season—and a deal for Howard could be the antidote to send this team to the promised land in the near future.
The Magic need to make a quick decision on Howard. He will likely hit the free-agent market in the offseason and the Orlando organization does not want to lose him in a similar matter to how they lost Shaquille O’Neal.
Meanwhile, the Knicks organization went through a long and difficult process in order to acquire a “Big Three.” Now that the Knicks have two superstars on the roster a big-time move is not what some fans may want—but it is the right move if they want to win a championship.
New York would likely have to part ways with Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire in order to court Howard.
However, if the Knicks did pull the trigger and trade for Howard, it would give the team the most notable big man since Patrick Ewing and would give them the best defensive stopper in the NBA.
On the flip side, the Knicks would have a glaring weakness at the power forward position with the likes of Josh Harrellson, Jared Jeffries, Jerome Jordan and Steve Novak to man the position.
Realistically, even if the Knicks do get Howard I can’t see them winning a NBA title this season. During this offseason, it would be the Knicks’ No. 1 priority to lure a proven point guard to play alongside Howard and Carmelo Anthony.
Raymond Felton, Ramon Sessions, Deron Williams or Monta Ellis could fit the role nicely if any of these players became available.
New York would be best served by getting Howard and giving fans a reason to think its the 1990s all over again.
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New York Knicks: What Is a Great Deal Without a Great Point Guard?
The inconsistency the Knicks’ point guards have brought to the table is beyond any fan’s belief. The stars don’t get the ball without having to play one-on-one isolation against another defender.
The Knicks made two crucial signings to get rid of two top point guards. Everyone continues to debate that the Carmelo Anthony deal was good for the Knicks, and that the signing of Tyson Chandler was better then keeping Chauncey Billups.
But looking back, was it really worth it?
Back track to the beginning of last year when Amar’e Stoudemire joined the New York Knicks in an attempt to bring the Knicks back. They were back and Amar’e was going strong with his team and the other quality players on the Knicks. The chemistry was flowing and Stoudemire was playing his best anyone had ever seen—even better then when he was with Nash.
At that time, he had Raymond Felton dishing out the assists with Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari maturing into solid players. In addition, Landry Fields was playing like the gem of his 2010 draft class.
The Knicks were doing everything right until the Carmelo Anthony deal.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and say that bringing Carmelo Anthony to New York was a bad move, because he has won the Knicks many close games and is really a solid superstar. Losing Felton hurt Amar’e.
Moreover, Carmelo hurt Amar’e.
Pick and rolls are no where to be found with the Knicks, and that was Stoudemire’s game. If if the pick and roll suddenly didn’t work, Felton would be able to find Stoudemire for a jump shot every time. It’s safe to say their chemistry was fantastic.
But having Chauncey Billups wasn’t the end of the world for the Knicks when the deal actually took place. However, Billups is probably more of a shoot-first player, like the rest of the Knicks guards that are healthy right now.
He was a veteran point guard that knew how to get the ball in his star’s hands if he needed to, but wasn’t near as good as Felton actually was in his half-season with the Knicks.
However, when the Knicks decided that they wanted Tyson Chandler to join the Knicks, they waived Billups. The Knicks decided to rely on Toney Douglas, who it has turned out was not ready to walk into Billups’ shoe.
The Knicks were left with a Big Three of two dominant forwards and a massive big man to go along with it. But they had no solid guards that have a pass-first instinct.
And when you have no legitimate point guard to get the ball in the hands of your stars, those stars will not matter. Anthony and Stoudemire are just as good offensively as Kris Humphries when the Knicks don’t give their stars the ball without isolation.
In the end, these deals didn’t work out in the Knicks favor (for now); instead, it has worked out for the Nuggets and Clippers, as both of those teams are over .500 and most definitely will make the playoffs.
It is quite obvious that James Dolan, owner of the Knicks, pushed for these acquisitions and not Mike D’Antoni, the coach.
The signing of Baron Davis was smart, but when is he going to come back?
Baron Davis can definitely help the Knicks, but the Knicks knew better then to sign Mike Bibby for the time that Davis was going to be out. There were other veteran pass first guards available over Mike Bibby, who has been beyond ineffective. Earl Watson would have been the better choice there.
Even I was fooled that the Knicks were a legitimate contender at the start of the season. I think all teams finally realize how important it is to have a pass-first point guard on their team.
Reports are saying the Knicks are looking to bring in Kenyon Martin after his stint in China. Another power forward? If it means trade, then trade for a point guard that can actually make the Big Three successful and turn this season around. We need a point guard Knicks!!
So, what is a great deal without a great point guard?
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New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks Have Same Record, Different Outlook
I was startled to discover a hard fact for New York Knicks‘ fans to swallow and that is that they and the New Jersey Nets are both sporting the same record, 7-13.
When the season began, there was no doubt in anybody’s mind which team was better between the two. While it seemed one team had all its ducks in a row, the other was (and still is) desperate to make a huge trade for the best center in the NBA.
About one-third of the way into the season, the Knicks have been an utter disaster. They’ve sported a losing record since acquiring Carmelo Anthony last year and have been pitiful offensively so far this season. By far, they are the biggest disappointment in the NBA this year.
Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire can’t seem to co-exist and head coach Mike D’Antoni is feeling his seat getting hotter by the day. The Knicks find themselves being booed off the Madison Square Garden floor on a nightly basis.
On the other hand, the New Jersey Nets have been a pretty pleasant surprise so far. Sure their record doesn’t look so great, but it’s still the same as New York’s. And they might not have the level of talent the Knicks do, but the effort on both sides of the ball is showing that Avery Johnson can get the most out of a bad team.
Johnson has also done a good job getting his team’s mind off the distractions and keeping it on basketball. All the Deron Williams trade rumors are enough to throw a team off, but add Kris Humphries’ daily media circus and you have a reason for concern.
Yet, not only have both Williams and Humphries played well through the mess created by either themselves or the media, the team as a whole has played through the distractions quite well. Even rookie MarShon Brooks has shown flashes of brilliance on the floor and is proving to be the steal of the 2012 draft class.
New Jersey’s playoff hopes stand a fighting chance if they can continue to play at this pace through the All-Star break. They have a real shot to land Dwight Howard and will do so at all costs.
A major difference between these two teams exists that can’t be overlooked.
While the Nets’ lackluster play at 7-13 isn’t great, it’s still a good start for a team that has zero expectations this year. And because of the lack of expectations put on this New Jersey roster, positives can still be found with a poor record.
Meanwhile, the Knicks’ 7-13 record has a much different outlook. It’s a huge disappointment for a team that was instantly slated to be a top-five team in the Eastern Conference. Now, New York will be lucky to make the playoffs.
It just goes to show you that expectations mean nothing and record means everything. If we had just skipped the regular season and based the playoffs on what team’s looked like on paper, the Knicks would be in and the Nets would be out.
But at this point say what you want about each team’s starting five and what they look like on paper, on January 29th, one is no better than the other. After two straight wins for the Nets, it’s New Jersey moving in a positive direction while the Knicks are moving in a negative one.
One thing’s for certain: the Knicks’ horrid start to this season is helping the Nets look better than your average 7-13 team and I’m sure New Jersey doesn’t mind that one bit.
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Knicks Rumors: New York Must Do Everything Possible to Bring in Phil Jackson
The New York Knicks will play the Miami Heat on the road Friday night without star forward Carmelo Anthony, and another loss for the team might force management to think harder about making a coaching change this season or in the summer.
Head coach Mike D’Antoni is an overrated coach, always has been. Before arriving in New York, his Phoenix Suns teams played very well but always were eliminated in the playoffs because they could not play the defense necessary to beat great opponents deep in the postseason.
D’Antoni has never been a good defensive coach, and he certainly hasn’t been one in New York. The Knicks are 19th in rebounding, 20th in opponents’ field-goal percentage and, despite all their offensive talent, they rank just 15th in points per game.
The Knicks won’t win an NBA title with D’Antoni at the helm, and there is one person who would be perfect for the job, former Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson.
Whether Dolan makes an in-season coaching change—something he historically has opposed—or waits until after the shortened season, it is clear who the logical candidate would be to take over at MSG. Some telling comments from former Lakers coach Phil Jackson to the New York Times recently caught the eyes of several rival executives and coaching industry sources who are convinced of two things: Jackson, 66, has the itch to return, and the Knicks might be the only job that would lure him back.
Later in the article:
“The feeling is, all Dolan would have to do is ask, and Phil would say yes,” a person connected to the former Lakers coach told me this week.
If Dolan wants Jackson to come back, and he’s willing to coach again, you have to believe D’Antoni would be immediately let go. The opportunity to bring in a head coach with unbelievable experience and knowledge is not something that can be passed on.
Jackson has dealt with many stars in his coaching career, some with massive egos like Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. He can handle the intense pressure of winning in a large market and enjoyed great success with the Knicks as a player back in the 1970s.
It’s no secret Jackson was fond of his time in New York.
While insisting, “I have no desire to coach,” Jackson said in the next breath, “You never say never, right?” He acknowledged, “Without a doubt, New York is special. Why wouldn’t it be? When I was there, it was one of the greatest times to be in New York. I mean, the Mets, Jets and Knicks won championships all in one year.”
Jackson would improve the Knicks at both ends of the floor. His triangle offense is complicated, but with an elite scorer in Carmelo Anthony and two quality big men in Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, running the triangle would work in New York.
The tiring schedule the NBA is playing through this year thanks to the shortened season would not be good for Jackson’s health, but when the league is back to normal next season, Jackson might think about returning to basketball.
Jackson is a voice that the players will listen to and respect, and his ability to win with star players in large markets is a skill few coaches have.
The Knicks are in a win-now scenario and cannot afford to have their championship window close too soon because the coach is unable to get the most out of his players.
D’Antoni is a good coach, but he isn’t a championship-caliber coach. If Phil Jackson is willing to come back to New York and coach next season, Dolan would be incredibly foolish not to offer him the job.
Nicholas Goss is an NBA Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report, follow him on Twitter.
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