Go and ask your neighbor for a few dollars to get lunch or to borrow his car for the day, and he’ll probably let you have a sandwich and a free ride on him. Ask the lady at work if you can borrow her computer to send out an email, and your kids will know what time you’re coming home.
But try asking for your neighbor’s car and your coworker’s computer, and you’ll likely get a completely different response. Asking for a free Lexus is essentially what New York fans are asking of Scott Layden, to turn the Knicks organization into a championship contender.
So far, the bear free agent market has produced the signings of Scott Williams and Jerome James, two players that the Knicks had targeted in the offseason. Layden has for once been frugal with his money not choosing to dole out big bucks to super-duds.
Fans have heard deals that will land them young stars Andre Miller, Baron Davis and Jason Terry in the papers, but most have little or no base to them. The Knicks have few desirable contracts on their roster, and don’t have any young talent that the Cavs, Hornets, or Hawks would want in return.
Latrell Sprewell’s name has been shopped around the NBA several times to no success and it’s a no-brainer to figure out why. Sprewell is set to make $11 million next season, and for a 32-year old that relies more on his athleticism than anything else, it’s bad policy to take on a player like that in return for a guy like Miller, who will be an all-star for years to come. Sprewell on the other hand has seen his best days pass.
Every year since Patrick Ewing has been traded, the Knicks have made a large free agent signing or a blockbuster trade that has left the Knicks one step away from being a complete team. This summer obviously has been no different with the going of Marcus Camby and the coming of Antonio McDyess. And this summer will be no different from the rest when the Knicks don’t get that missing piece. The roster will be another set of mismatched and small players.
Forgot the rumors you’ve heard about Davis. Scratch any idea of Terry in a Knick uniform. It isn’t happening. Not now, not until the Knicks have young talent worth looking at. The idea of getting Miller is almost as preposterous as Chris Webber landing in New York. A lot of talk and fluff, but no action.
Maybe the reason why fans haven’t received the answer they’ve been looking for is because they aren’t asking the right questions. Will Keon Clark sign with New York? Probably not. Michael Doleac? Perhaps. Nick Van Exel? Plenty of teams have to offer more than the likes of Kurt Thomas and Charlie Ward. What’s more likely is that this will be another free agent market that will say ‘No’ to the Knicks, like they have for the past 5 years.
Wesley Cheng is a writer for NYKBasketball.com.
