In the Garden of Uncertainty

Fading away: Just like the hightop, gone is the Knicks brass' confidence in Iman Shumpert.

How much can one honestly say about the reeling, bizarre New York Knicks organisation? The traveling sideshow that is the Knicks took yet another wild spin into trademark insanity Wednesday, with the news that J.R. Smith will start in place of Pablo Prigioni in Atlanta, the swirling rumours of Mike Woodson and the front office's dissatisfaction with Iman Shumpert, and subsequent trade whispers. Firstly, Smith. The cartoon-esque saga that has been his last six months - whether it was his playoff meltdown and elbow to Jason Terry, his odd contract negotiations that changed in length and dollars (significantly), his not-so-subtly masked offseason knee surgery, his five game suspension for a violation of the league's anti-drugs policy, the unbalanced addition of his sibling (Chris Smith) to the roster, or his awful return game which saw him net 5pts on 1-9 shooting in a 31pt home loss - rolled on uninterrupted again today, as he steps in to start just his second game in 117 showings for the Knicks. Smith, ever the controversial figure, seemingly has the support of Mike Woodson, and will confirm what had apparently been brewing in the summer months by starting tonight's road game against the Hawks. Shumpert retains his position, for now, as it is the efficient Pablo Prigioni - who, by contrast, does not have the enduring adoration of Woodson - set to step aside. Of course, never mind the fact that across eight games in April of last season the Felton-Prigioni-Shumpert-Anthony four man unit managed a net rating of 18.8 and a true shooting percentage of 63.8%. Moreover, since being inserted as a regular starter on March 18, Prigioni assisted the Knicks on a 16-1 stretch over the month of March and April, including 13 straight victories. The decision to tinker the lineup prior to Wednesday's matchup represents the fourth experimented starting unit in only eight total games. In other words (even with Tyson Chandler's untimely injury), the word 'stability' has not been synonymous with the 2013-14 Knickerbockers thus far.

Timing and justification notwithstanding, J.R. Smith will seek to recapture the level of play that earned him the honour of being the NBA's premier bench performer, as the 2012-13 Sixth Man of the Year. In his 'contract year', Smith registered 18.1 points per contest whilst connecting twice from downtown per game, frequently amassing starter-quantity minutes (33.5mpg). His 5.5 long range hoists per game, however, were second only to league-leading scorer Carmelo Anthony, who attempted six per outing. After a smoking opening to his team's first round series, Smith crumbled in the wake of his league-imposed suspension, only managing 33.1% field goal shooting and 16.1 points per 36mins. Clearly, the majority of Smith's NBA successes have surfaced in a role where he is asked to deliver sharp, immediate offensive spark and can be withdrawn with little consequence, rather than as a proverbial second banana. The reliability of J.R. Smith as a #2 offensive option remains in serious doubt, and if that is underlining the thinking of his placement in the starting five, then the Knicks' officials may be startled by the outcomes. Apparently, the re-emergence of Smith from injury and suspension, the drafting of the walking trebuchet Tim Hardaway Jr. in the first round, and the inking of wily guard Beno Udrih to complement the roster's guard depth have deemed perimeter defender and chief young asset Iman Shumpert expendable. 

Frank Isola of the NY Daily News reports that New York have put the feelers out and tested the waters in relation to Iman Shumpert's trade currency, engaging in preliminary discussions with Denver. The news is not altogether surprising, yet it stands as indicative of the organisation's hasty, remarkably shortsighted strategising. As a result of age, contractual status/salary cap hit, injury, and team roles, Shumpert is undoubtedly the sole asset of any substantial worth in the trade market that the Knicks can lay claim to. Isola notes that the front office, absorbing the blows of Chandler's extended absence, is attempting to conjure a solution to its barren front court situation. Shumpert, attached to a rookie-scale deal, comes at the very modest price of $1.7M for this season and $2.7M next, only serving to heighten his value in trade conversations. If the reports are even vaguely true, and New York is gauging the possibilities of a Shumpert-big man exchange - Isola mentions Denver's Kenneth Faried as a candidate - one ominous truth appears to be eluding the team's officials. In (hypothetically) disposing of Iman Shumpert, the Knicks will have a grand total of zero quality, NBA-capable wing defenders under the age of 34, leaving an already-dire defensive circumstance to be hammered by a weakened, shallow rotation. The unquestionably positive defensive influence of the third-year man was made clear for all to witness and appreciate in the 2013 Playoffs, with his on/off-court differentials a reminder of this. In twelve postseason matchups, the Knicks' net rating with Shumpert on the floor was 7.6, while when he headed to the bench, it was a mere -3.3. Realisitcally, New York will have great difficulty discovering that level of defensive efficiency in any bigs available in Shumpert-centred discussions, nor will they be able to plug in above-average, short-term replacements from the free agent pool in the aftermath of any possible trade. 

Amidst all of this chaos and disorganisation, one thing becomes clearer as each game passes - the Knicks are tightly lodged with a small-ball, floor-spacing, undersized roster, sewn to a coach who is, fundamentally, an advocate of slow-it-down, front court focused, post up play. Woodson, in the face of all forms of cheery outcomes for his 'Prigionian' (new word) lineups, will do anything to escape the unwanted condition of a guard-heavy roster, almost to the point of sheer stubbornness. Having said that, with Chandler sidelined, the Knicks' coach is inherently handicapped and will be left to continue to start Andrea Bargnani - owner of an underwhelming -16.6 on/off-court differential - at centre. 

The storylines of Smith, Shumpert, and Woodson himself, are not likely to dissipate any time soon. Frank Isola of the Daily News seems determined with his take that Shumpert will be discarded via trade, sooner or later, and if Chandler's stint in a suit and knee brace is extended in the slightest, expect the Knicks to reshuffle their collection of bigs. 

Primo Pasta? Andrea Bargnani Will Not Start on Opening Night for the Knicks

Changing roles: Bargnani started in the preseason, but could come off the bench for New York on Opening Night.

Look away, Knicks fans, Andrea Bargnani appears to be entering the season in a haze of uncertainty. Having started all seven of New York's exhibition games (in which the Knicks managed a 2-5 record), reports have emerged that the floor-spacing big man may open the season as a bench contributor. The 7"0 Italian battled recurring shooting woes through the course of the preseason, including a final outing against Charlotte that saw him finish 2-10 from the field with 7pts, in 27 minutes of playing time. Bargnani arrived at Madison Square Garden in July as part of a trade with Toronto that sent Marcus Camby, Quentin Richardson (both since waived), Steve Novak, and a slew of future draft picks to the Raptors. The executed trade, it is worth noting, was engineered by the then-leading man of the Knicks' front office - Glen Grunwald - who has since been fired. Regardless of reasoning, the fact that the organisation dismissed its President and General Manager (Grunwald held both positions) only 10 weeks after the roster shakeup does not serve as a glowing reflection upon the departing executive. Grunwald exits having assembled a Knicks cast that gathered the team's highest win total (54) since the '96-97 season, and achieved its first playoff series victory in 13 years.

Trialling training camp invitees and experimenting with rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. and recent acquisitions Beno Udrih and Metta World Peace, the Knicks wielded a number of different, eclectic lineups in the foggy irrelevance of October basketball. Unsurprisingly, this produced varying, sometimes eyebrow-raising results, including a 30pt rout at the hands of Boston in Manchester, New Hampshire. Frequently, Bargnani was slotted alongside Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, asked to provide added scoring punch, stretch the opposition defense, and remain a 3rd or 4th option on offense. The former #1 overall pick holds a reputation of a sharpshooting seven-footer, despite failing the reach the 37% mark on 3pt field goal attempts since 2009. He appeared in only 35 games for Toronto last season, constantly fighting injury and struggling to stay on the floor. This offseason, the Italian missed five weeks with a bout of pneumonia, and managed nagging back complaints in training camp. Meanwhile, Bargnani lofted an unhealthy average of 3.5 treys per contest last year, now joining a team that set the NBA record for the number of long-range attempts (2,371) throughout a regular season. 

He is a player whom intense scrutiny seems to inevitably follow, if for nothing else but his high-draft expectation and annual $11M salary. Bargnani wrapped up his preseason with numbers of 24 of 63 from the field (38%), and having misfired on 12 of his 15 three-point launches. The Knicks headed toward 2013-14 knowing that three players were assured of starting roles - Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Raymond Felton. In the preseason, Bargnani started in lineups with this trio, occasionally with Pablo Prigioni, and at times with the defensive-minded Iman Shumpert. The team's most successful stretch in 2012-13 occurred when Pablo Prigioni was inserted as a starting staple, assisting the Knicks on an historic 12 game win streak in March-April. A confidence player, and one not shy about expressing his opinion on team situations, New York's newfound #77 looks set to have the comfort of his starting role usurped. New York will open their season tonight by hosting Milwaukee, and it appears head coach Mike Woodson will roll out a lineup substituting the Italian for the active hands of either Prigioni, or Metta World Peace. 

With fellow pricy big man Amar'e Stoudemire suffering persistent knee issues, veteran Kenyon Martin unlikely to feature in back-to-back games, and guard J.R. Smith sidelined for the first five games due to a violation of the league's drugs policy, much of the Knicks' early season success will be dependent on the productivity and contributions of Bargnani. New York will hope (pray?) that the somewhat sudden reshuffle does not throw the foreign product further off course, as the franchise looks to build upon its Atlantic Division crown from a season ago.

Knicks Night - Preseason Edition: MSG is transformed, but are the New York Knicks?

As is the nature of the NBA's exhibition schedule, the Knicks returned home to New York for the first time to conclude their involvement in preseason silliness. Much has been written and publicised about Madison Square Garden's $1 billion transformation, and the closing game of the preseason - with New York hosting the Charlotte Bobcats - stood as the Knickerbockers' first opportunity to showcase their reformed lineup before the home crowd. Despite fluctuations to the rotation, Mike Woodson stuck with Iman Shumpert in the backcourt, with his top-heavy frontline trio now firmly entrenched as starting staples, while in a contrast, Charlotte put forth an opening five short of household names, predominantly due to pricy offseason acquisition Al Jefferson's persistent ankle troubles. The Knicks also entered the contest having (likely) finalised their 15-man opening night roster, with sporadic preseason participants Ike Diogu, Josh Powell, Chris Douglas-Roberts, and the partially-guaranteed deals of Jeremy Tyler and CJ Leslie being the casualties of cutting season.

Thus far, New York's exhibition outings had produced mixed results, but have nonetheless afforded a chance for lineup experimentation and a window of time to judge those surviving on basic training camp agreements. Of great importance to the Knicks (unusual to say in a preseason context) was the fact that Amar'e Stoudemire and J.R. Smith, who is confronting a 5-game suspension for testing positive to marijuana, were able to hit the hardwood for the first time and log necessary minutes. Kenyon Martin also made a brief appearance, totalling eight minutes.

Good spacing, ball movement and steady defense were the themes of the opening 24 minutes for the Knicks, although controversial offseason addition Andrea Bargnani struggled to shake his shooting slump, and could not find his range from beyond the arc. Even with Bismack Biyombo's bizarre ability to appear to be in all places at all times and his registering of 20 total rebounds, the reliably pesky paws of Pablo Prigioni led the second unit, and with quick hands of Metta World Peace, allowed the home team to get out on the break and capitalise in transition.

Bobcats journeyman Josh McRoberts, a seemingly unlikely candidate, showed a sweet shooting stroke and canned three from the outside, yet this could not disguise Charlotte's concession of 7 of 11 deep balls on the opposing end. Stability on both ends allowed the Knicks to carry a 55-42 advantage to half time. Given the relative insignificance of the outcome, Carmelo Anthony could not have expected to have been on the floor in the final minutes, but this resulted after the two teams became submerged in a porous display of offense, steadily exchanging bricks with no regard for the viewing audience or Madison Square Garden crowd. Charlotte failed to add to their first half total until the 6:07 mark of the third, as the two teams inexplicably combined for 21 consecutive offline field goal attempts. If such a thing is a possible with October basketball, the third quarter play (or lack thereof) of Mike Woodson's men drew the frustration of an otherwise-buzzing crowd, as the Bobcats' drought-breaking basket instigated a 15-2 spurt, and sliced the Knicks handy lead. Ironically, New York closed the quarter on a stereotypically insane halfcourt heave that was splashed in by none other than J.R. Smith.

The Bobcats remained active on the defensive end in the 4th quarter, with swingman Jeffery Taylor finding a feast of fast break options. This, among other things, was just one of the reasons why the confusion and exasperation of those observing did not subside. It was a case of continued offensive apathy and ineptitude for the home squad, exposing a number of flaws and areas that need to be addressed, not least a 37% field goal percentage. Carmelo Anthony could not hit his tightly contested 16 foot, fading jumpshot to (not to the chagrin of those in attendance) send the game to overtime, thanks primarily to the close checking of Jeffery Taylor. Anthony finished with 13pts and 7 rebounds on a measily 4-17 FG shooting, narrowly 'besting' his Italian stallion companion, Bargnani, who converted just 2 of his 10 tries. Preseason contest notwithstanding, the Bobcats depart Manhattan with an admirable 85-83 victory, a completed 5-3 record in the preseason, and a key cog still to return, while the Knicks (with the roster now set) will hope that their search for answers ends in June, rather than October.

Stoudemire's play was encouraging and efficient, and *if* injuries can be avoided (or at least minimised), he will remain a relevant NBA player and a contributor to this team. The team itself, however, enters the season overshadowed by injuries, a noteworthy suspension, and a myriad of doubts about its ability to put an above-average defense out on the floor. The acquisition of Bargnani is destined for season-long scrutiny, and is an irrefutable factor in the Knicks' quest to defy ESPN's SCHOENE simulator's forecast of a 37-45 regular season record.

FINAL - New York 83-85 Charlotte