No Zion Williamson; No Kevin Durant; No Kawhi Leonard
THE OFF-SEASON THAT NEVER WAS
DEFLATION NATION
Daddy Dolan hands the MSG keys in 1999 over to his son, James Dolan. The new boss straightaway declares Latrell Sprewell the enemy. General manager Ernie Grunfeld smartly jumps ship with haste. Incoming general manager Scott Layden foolishly catapults the Knicks into salary cap hell in 2000 by trading legend Patrick Ewing and his expiring contract. And in December 2001 head coach Jeff Van Gundy quits.
So begins the James Dolan Era ...
Since taking over control of the club, New York Knickerbockers amass the worst record in basketball. A charter member of the NBA, from 1946 through 1999/2000 the Knicks post an all-time 2,156 - 2,023 (.516) record. Under Dolan however they achieve a mere 622-920 (.403) record to date with just four winning seasons, five playoff appearances, and just one post-season series victory to speak of. Ten times they lose at least fifty games in a season including the last five in a row.
I don't have the stomach for parsing the innards of this mess. Dissecting the last two decades of egregious futility and organizational decay is enough to make a coroner projectile vomit. But what has become painfully clear to all is the cantankerous and implosive manner in which Dolan runs his operation, making him a leading (if not the leading) reason why premium NBA players seem increasingly disinterested in joining the New York Knicks. The true mistake is in believing players around the league remain blind, deaf, and dumb to New York's front office shenanigans. Low and behold they pay attention. And it comes to pass, again.
Seven different persons have filled the office of general manager under Dolan. That averages out to a new general manager every 2.7 years.
- Scott Layden
- Isiah Thomas
- Donnie Walsh
- Glen Grunwald
- Steve Mills
- Phil Jackson
- Scott Perry
There's no need revisiting the Isiah Thomas Era outside of acknowledging the unmitigated disaster that it was. The league office interceding and pressuring Dolan into parting ways with Thomas speaks for itself. Dolan then retains the league wide respected executive Donnie Walsh, whom he soon tramples under foot in a personal and desperate attempt at securing Carmelo Anthony. After which Steve Mills returns for a second stint with the Knicks. How and why he survives Phil Jackson I'll never know. His continuing employment remains a cosmic mystery to me. Be that as it may, he and Scott Perry together presently serve to form an army of none.
Meanwhile ten different persons have served as head coach prior to David Fizdale's arrival. That averages out to a new coach every one and three-quarter seasons.
- Jeff Van Gundy
- Don Chaney
- Herb Williams
- Lenny Wilkens
- Larry Brown
- Isiah Thomas
- Mike D'Antoni
- Mike Woodson
- Derek Fisher
- Jeff Hornacek
- David Fizdale
In today's NBA fame and fortune can be had anywhere. The bright lights of Broadway or Madison Avenue exposure no longer hold sway. The lure of New York City still exists for as long as it doesn't entail playing for an organization so poorly run as Dolan's Knicks. Free agents previously demonstrated they wanted nothing to do with the Knicks in 2010 (don't @ me with Amar'e Stoudmire). Evidently the same still holds true today.
Outside of being drafted, why would anyone willingly come play for the Knicks? Say what you will about this, that, or the other. Odds are you're probably right. But what remains indisputable is that Knicks Culture is a product of Dolan's machinations. The man spends upwards of one billions dollars to renovate Alien Nation where fans, certain media, and even former players are banned from the arena.
If it weren't for tourists ensuring a full house the organization would otherwise find itself in more dire straits. But for as long as Dolan remains insulated by tourist global warming Madison Square Garden will continue transforming itself into the Mecca of dysfunction.
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