The Knicks Fix

In one active and expensive summer, the Celtics jumped right out of the black hole that has engulfed the franchise for most of the post-Bird era. The acquisition of Kevin Garnett, coupled with the Ray Allen trade from draft night and added to the hopes of a healthy (and inspired) Paul Pierce have made the C's a serious contender for the East, right there with Miami, Detroit and Cleveland.

But the tremors will be felt the most in the Atlantic Division, no doubt. And the Knicks playoff drive just got that much harder.

Look, say what you want about the ages of Garnett and Allen, but these guys are still star-quality players who can lift a franchise. My questions with Boston revolve around the PG position (I like Rondo, but not as a full-time starter). In fact, I think Doc Rivers could do a better job just by his smarts alone. I'll tell you what, Steve Blake would have looked awesome with that group.

I also wonder how they'll run the offense with Pierce, who is used to getting the ball on just about every trip down the floor and putting up 40 shots a game. Allen isn't a selfish player, but we know his best asset is his perimeter jumper, not his perimeter defense.

Garnett is the best big the Celtics have had since McHale. He demands the ball, but that demand seems to decrease as the game goes on. His defense will be a major improvement for them and, no doubt, the Celtics will be able to do a lot of runnin-and-gunnin.

OK, so what does this mean for the Knicks? Head-to-head it'll be a great matchup, but the Celtics still don't have someone to go with Eddy Curry. KG is long and athletic, but Curry is much stronger. Plus, KG also has to contend with Zach Randolph. The departures of Al Jefferson (who I, like many, see as an up-and-comer) and Ryan Gomes (an under-rated player) will hurt the depth in the front court.

The bigger issue right now if you're a Knicks fan is that the Celtics have become another bona fide team to compete with for a playoff spot. Eight teams get in, so look at the eight that got in this year and try to find the one you believe will drop out in order for the Knicks (and Celtics) to get in. Is it Orlando? Washington? New Jersey?

The Atlantic won't be a joke this year, that's for sure.

Some of you may want to see a response by the Knicks, but I wouldn't get crazy. Ron Artest is still a possibility, but I wouldn't panic and give up David Lee for him just to answer the Celtics.

You could, however, start pining for Kobe Bryant right about now. With KG out of the equation, the Lakers have few options to give Kobe a sidekick. You know that story now comes back to the forefront.

If anything, at least you know the Celtics will be capped out for a while now that they signed KG to a three-year extension. So that's one less team that could get him.

And it could be worse....you could be a Sixers fan. I don't care what their second-half record was (can you chalk it up to teams not taking them seriously?). Philly has a lot to prove and didn't do that much to improve their starting five to be considered a contender.

You want me to toss out a team I think could be on the decline? The Nets. VC got his money. J-Kidd isn't getting any younger and RJ still doesn't have a role. Kristic is coming off major knee surgery and they drafted a drug-troubled kid who was kicked off his college team.

By the way, you think Danny Ainge made sure to move Wally Szczerbiak as a way to make Boston a little more appealing of a destination for KG? Just a thought.

Lemme hear your thoughts on the KG Effect in the East.

I'm tanner, more rested and slightly fatter after a five-day break with my family. Three of those days I spent away from anything internet. I barely read the newspaper.

And I come home to this?

I love Star Wars. Naturally, considering my last name, Han Solo is my favorite character. I consider one of his classic lines as I step off the plane at Long Island-MacArthur Airport and pick up a copy of Newsday:

Luke? A Jedi? I'm out of it for a little while and everybody gets delusions of grandeur.

Yes, I know, it's not really relevant. But it came to mind.

And so vacation time is cut short. Kevin Garnett is apparently going Green. The Tim Donaghy story has come to a grinding halt now that the FBI no longer needs the media to help them smoke out any more accomplices. And Eddy Curry just went through something that every husband and father fears the most: the helplessness of being robbed at gunpoint in your own home.

When the news first broke, someone sent me an email suggesting Eddy had finally met Zach Randolph.

Yes, flag on the play. That's definitely a flag. That's a five-minute major. Now I'm mixing my sports metaphors. (In mid-summer form, I am).

I'll get to KG and the new Celtic dynasty. Curry's situation demands immediate attention:

Curry is one of many Knicks who chooses not to remain in New York during the offseason. He is an Illinois native and he and his wife Patrice moved into their $6 million home (I obtained the photo from our sister-paper, the Chicago Tribune) there in Burr Ridge two years ago. They call it their dream home. It's on a cul-de-sac in a private area. As you can see from the photo, it's a beautiful house, but certainly not secluded. In fact, one report I read said Curry has more cars than he can fit in the driveway, so often there are cars parked in the street. His neighbors don't complain. In fact, one report I read quoted a few that spoke highly of him and his family.

According to the Tribune, Burr Ridge is known to have been the hometown of several well-known sports celebrities, such as Bo Jackson, Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura and Blackhawks legend Stan Mikita.

Right now, it seems Curry and his family are content with keeping their permanent residence in Burr Ridge. But I wonder if he'd consider moving his family to Westchester when he starts the season in October.

I had been trying to hook up with Eddy all month to do a story with him. He requested some privacy for the offseason. I don't take it personal, Eddy's a family man. But I was hoping to hook up with him in Chicago around this time in July to do a little feature on the big fella's offseason. Now it seems clear there's no chance of that happening.

Isiah Thomas is away and not available for comment about Curry's situation. You have to believe there was great concern and then great relief once the news broke.

Eddy, of course, is not talking and I don't blame him. He has told the Knicks the situation was traumatizing. Bulls guard Ben Gordon told the Chicago CBS affiliate that he checked on Eddy after the incident.

"He's doing all right. I asked him if he's okay, said he was and obviously authorities are handling the rest. Like I said before, the main thing is that nobody got hurt," Gordon said.

I know what some of you may be thinking: the dude is 6-11 and nearly 300 pounds. How come he didn't he go all Blade on these thugs for ransacking his crib? How could he allow himself - not to mention his family, his wife - to be tied up by these punks?

Bro, let me tell ya, 300 pounds of flesh ain't bullet-proof. Curry did the right thing by not engaging, not trying to be a hero. Curry was protecting his family. He does little good for them while being peppered with hot lead into his torso.

The thieves got away with what is being reported as $10,000 in cash and jewelry. Material stuff. The jewelry is likely insured. The cash? It's a lot to you and me, but not to a man who is making $8.9 million this season with about $31 million left on his contract after that.

It takes a smart man to recognize that situation and play it cool.

I've put in the calls for updates and a copy of the police report, which is public information. I'll update the situation as I learn more, but, as you know, the police in the area believe there is a link between the Curry home invasion and the Antoine Walker hold-up in nearby River North.

Again, the good news is, no one got hurt.

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Can I get back to you all on the KG thing tomorrow? I don't want to discuss it until the deal is done and we know who is coming and who is going.

The biggest question I have is: who will be the PG? You are definitely going to need a floor general with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and KG all on floor at the same time.

It's got to make you a little furious to see former teammates Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale work out a trade of this magnitude. Clearly Glen Taylor wanted KG out of the West, otherwise the Lakers would have had a bigger shot at getting KG and pacifying Kobe.

For the Knicks, it's certainly not great news.

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Tidbits:

- David Lee has been asked to join a select team that will go to Las Vegas in two weeks to scrimmage against Team USA basketball team. The good news about that is it suggests that David is 100 percent ready to go. My concern is that he could re-injure his leg before the season. I'd rather see him rest, but the experience of going against that level of competition is awesome for him at this stage of his career.

- The moratorium on trading Dan Dickau and Fred Jones has expired, but it's not like you can expect either to be shipped out anytime soon. Isiah will hang on to those tradeable assets for as long as he can to see what he can make happen. Ron Artest is very much still out there and, man, it's hard not to notice how much he's trying to clean up his public image these days. Though I did read one publication called him "flaky" after he was kind enough to take time out of playing with his kids at a hotel pool just to talk with this publication "exclusively." I guess when you don't need someone anymore, it's easy to take shots at them. I wonder, however, if when this "flaky" Artest becomes a Knick, will he remember this?

- If any of you have a daughter out there (like I do..she's 6 going on 16), Billy Ray Cyrus' song, "Ready, Set, Don't Go" is a must-download. I've already got it banked in the "Homesick" playlist on my MP3 player, along with "Home" by Daughtry and, of course, Eminem's "When I'm Gone."

More tomorrow...let everyone know I'm back like the mohawk haircut.

Poor Ken Berger. Dude's typing his fingers to the bone. Working the sports betting circuit, looking for informants. Insiders. Sources. He did a wonderfully in-depth interview with Ron Artest, straight from Kenya, last week. Then sat down with the suddenly ebullient Stephon Marbury for another story. Now he's trying to work the Tim Donaghy story.

And I'm headed out on a family vacation.

Ken loves me right now. I can feel it in his snarky emails.

Like most of you, I had to check if Donaghy had any red flag moments while officiating a Knicks game this season. The only one that stands out was the Feb. 26 game against the Miami Heat. The Knicks won 99-93 at the Garden. Pat Riley was livid with the free throw differential. The Knicks took 39 FTs. The Heat?

Eight.

Donaghy worked that game with Derrick Stafford and Gary Zielinski, so it's impossible to pinpoint how much of an impact he had on the free-throw disparity. But it's hard not to notice. The Knicks had 13 free throws in the fourth quarter to just 2 for the Heat. One of the free throws was a technical foul for defensive three seconds, but the other 12 were straight from foul calls.

Earlier in the game, both Riley and assistant coach Ron Rothstein were whistled for techs. Eddy Curry had one tech on him, as well. Again, you'd have to check the tape from the game to see who called the techs.

The games that immediately came to mind when the news broke about Donaghy were the loss to the Boston Celtics on Nov. 18, when the teams combined for 113 free throws, including 63 by the Celtics, and the Feb. 23 win over Milwaukee, in which Andrew Bogut was called for a debatable foul against Channing Frye with eight-tenths of a second left in regulation. Frye hit both free throws to win it.

Referee Courtney Kirkland made the Bogut call. Donaghy didn't work that game. And the crew that worked the Celtics-Knick free throw parade was Joe DeRosa, Joe Forte and Leroy Richardson.

I don't need to climb up on my stage and speak sanctimoniously about the whole situation with Donaghy and the NBA. A few years ago I was in Ken's shoes, battling with all of the other newshounds on the Rick Tocchet story. Remember how it immediately turned into a brushfire, with Wayne Gretzky pulled into the national controversy. The quest was to find out if any current players were betting and if they were, were they betting on hockey games? There was a great deal of conclusion-jumping and speculation and conjecture on how this would be the demise of the NHL. But soon enough things died down once it was discovered it was an isolated incident and didn't involve betting on hockey.

I think this is a far worse situation for the NBA mainly because the allegations are that the culprit did, indeed, bet on basketball. Possibly games he was reffing.

How do we ever trust the officials again? You have to trust the system, trust that most of these men are on the up-and-up. But it only adds fuel to those arguments that the refs -- or one in particular -- have it out for one team over another. The old catcall that asks the ref if he has money on the game isn't so far-fetched.

I'm idealistic enough to believe Donaghy is an isolated incident.

* *

Got an email from a reader, David Badner, about the Quentin Richardson surgery and what kind of recovery we can expect him to have. David says he is scheduled to undergo the microdiskectomy procedure this week.

"What multiple doctors have told me is that most athletes who get this operation go back to playing as they were before the pain began," David wrote. "If that is true, then we can look forward to a healthy Q-Rich for the entire year. If not, then I hope I have better luck with my surgery."

Hope so too, David.

* *

Quick shouts:

MAK, welcome to the blog and sorry you missed our deadline. Deadlines are big in my business so you understand why I can't make an exception for ya. But we'll do this again before training camp so you'll get your chance.

As for BARF calling me on giving props to the NBA2K7 vid game instead of EA Sports, you should know that I have EA Sports on my resume. One of my first jobs out of college (no, I didn't go the silver spoon route from college to the newspaper biz....my route was a bit more like John Starks' path to the NBA) was with Electronic Arts. It was hardly a job worth writing about, but it was an awesome experience and for a while there I was getting free games and playing the latest stuff, from Madden to NHL to NBA Live. So I got EA Sports in my blood baby. I just reffed NBA2K7 because it looks cool in type.

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OK, I'm checking out for a little while here to focus on family. In fact, before I go, I'll share this with you all:

Monday is the one year anniversary of my father's passing. His death was a shock to my family and had me reeling for a long time. You never get over it, really. Of the many people who shared heartfelt thoughts at that time, the most poignant was from a friend who lost his Dad a few years prior. He told me, "It doesn't get better, it just gets a little easier."

Sometimes things work in mysterious ways. My Dad was the one who pushed me to basketball when I was a kid (I told this story in my first blog). I was 12 and loved playing hockey, but I had a growth spurt (I was like 6'2" in eighth grade) and he enrolled me in a basketball camp and told me I should try this out. I didn't have a great career. In fact, it was mostly a great deal of work for minimal success. But it did help me pay for college. Without it, I don't know how I would have managed it.

Two days after he died, I got a call from my editor at Newsday telling me he wanted me to take over the Knicks beat. Dad was apparently at it again.

Sometimes you may feel you're the only one
Cos all the things you thought were safe, now they're gone
But you won't be alone, I'll be here to carry you along
Watching you 'til all your work is done

If you look behind you, I will be there.

-- Phil Collins, Father to Son

The response to our first mail call was overwhelming. I think I developed carpal-tunnel syndrome and I plan on suing.

Enjoy.

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Henry wrote:

Alan,
Is there something Marburry could be doing to cure his tendinitis? Maybe some pool training or a personal trainer. I'm sure traveling around the country selling his shoes will not benefit the Knicks next year. Also do you think the Artest talk will pick up again once Dickua and jones contracts become available to trade?

Alan’s reply:
There really isn’t a “cure” for tendonitis other than rest. His style of play puts a lot of stress on his legs and knees and after 10 years, tendonitis is to be expected. Stephon said on his recent blog that he is working out despite the tour. I remember asking people last year during his tour what he was doing to work out while traveling. One person who traveled with him said he did a lot of shooting and basketball drills.
As for the Artest stuff, I can see things heating up later in the summer. I don’t think either team is in any hurry and you’re correct to consider the rule that prohibits the Knicks from trading either Dan Dickau or Freddy Jones within 30 days after acquiring them. However, I have reason to think Jones will be a Knick. Isiah has history with him and his defensive ability will help in the Knicks backcourt.

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cossucks wrote:

Great call Alan. Its obvious to most people that Marc Berman crossed that line a long time ago. Why doesnt anyone call him on it?

Alan’s reply:
There are plenty of things that go on in the press room that will never get printed. I make my little comments to vent, I guess. It’s not all beers and cheers on the road in this business. All I’m saying is sometimes you hear about people who are good guys who really are selfish and deceitful and then there are others who you’re told to avoid because they are said to be arrogant and negative and you find they are true professionals and passionate reporters who pass on the Kool-Aid.

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Eli wrote:
Great Blog Alan, I really enjoy reading it whenever you post.
I have a couple of questions that I have been wondering about, maybe you could shed some light
This was especially highlighted around the NBA draft- newspaper writers and internet writers(chad ford,chris sheridan, etc...) constantly quote their "inside sources" when revealing trade rumors. Who are these inside sources, are there really GM's and higher ups who reveal these trades to people such as chad ford? For some reason that doesnt sounds right. If they do really do this, why would that be? Is it because they want to see the public's opinion? Any insight that you have would be greatly appreciated.
While covering the knicks I am sure that you have your favorite and least favorite players- who do you find to be the most genuine and down to earth knicks and who do you find to be the most aloof and arrogant? Jamal Crawford and Eddy Curry strike me as real nice guys, I'm wondering if how these guys seem on the court is how they are off of it.
How has the feedback been regarding the knicks draft around the business? From a fan's point of view, Chandler looks like a real quality basketball player, dare I say he reminds be of a Ron Artest type player with his physique and defensive abilities. Nichols looks like a great shooter, kind of like Steve Smith.

Thanks, i look forward to your answers in the mailbag

Alan’s reply:
Thanks for the kind words Eli. Everyone in this business has their “inside sources”. It’s something you’re always trying to develop and cultivate. Sometimes it can be a coach, an assistant coach, a scout, a GM, sometimes a team president. Sometimes it’s even a team owner. Most people rely on agents, too. Agents are always listening for trade buzz, especially if it involved or affects a player they represent.
These kinds of things get out for various reasons. You’re correct to assume that sometimes a GM might float a trade idea to a reporter to see how it gets played. Sometimes a team will allow a rumor to perpetuate (see: Artest and the Knicks or Kevin Garnett to Boston) with the hopes it can turn fiction into a reality.
Hey, this is pro sports. It’s entertainment. We’re not giving up national secrets. This stuff is all the game-within-the-game. It’s what makes it competitive.
And yeah, Jamal and Eddy are genuine guys. I like dealing with them. I’m cool with just about the whole team, really. Everyone has their good days and bad days during a long season.
It’s too early to really gauge how the Knicks did at the draft, but as I’ve written, I think Isiah did a great job grabbing Demetris Nichols from the Blazers. This kid is a natural shooter. Chandler has a good foundation and, with the right coaching and attitude, he can be a good NBA player. I think people around the league expect the Knicks to be a playoff contender next season.

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david wrote:
Alan, your blogs and articles are the best writing about the Knicks, period.

If you were to predict (and I know this is just a guess), how do you think the Knicks will get down to the 15 man roster limit?

Alan’s reply:
Thanks David. I think Isiah would love to make a 3-for-1 trade (i.e.: Artest). But if there’s nothing out there to be done, I can see him making a harder decision at the end of training camp. It’ll be an interesting camp if it comes to that. Talk about competition! Jerome James had better get on his Total Gym this summer. There will be a lot of pressure on Nichols to make a strong case for the roster, or he might be asked to play in a minor league such as the ABA or CBA, or go to Europe for a better paycheck. You know Nichols would prefer being a 15th man on the Knicks to any other option. Like I said, it’s gonna be very interesting. I just wish the Knicks let us watch practice because it would be fun to watch.
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Kenneth said:
Alan, if the Knicks roster stayed the same what do you think will be the starting lineup and what would be the order of the substitutions coming off the bench?
I know the roster can't stay the same and they need to get down to 15 players but when they do I mean

Alan’s reply:
Right now, here’s what I have penciled in:
PG Marbury
SG Crawford
SF Richardson
PF Randolph
C Curry
Key Reserves: Guards: Robinson, Collins, Jones, Forwards: Balkman, Lee, Jeffries, Center: Rose
Deep Bench: Chandler, Nichols, Morris

To me, that’s the team. Good, energetic bench and the kids there as well to learn and experience the NBA without pressure.

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Aazaz said:
Stephon's recent behavior is very consistent with a manic phase of bipolar disorder. Elated or irritable mood, excessive spending sprees, distractability, heightened interest in new activities and people, grandoise delusions of exceptional talent, making grand plans for the future, delusions of exceptional mental and physical fitness, psychomotor acceleration and increased sense of well-being, and so on. Good for him, I suppose, as long as he doesn't get too depressed when this all settles down for him.

Alan’s reply:
Whatever they prescribed for him, I want some too baby.
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Steady said:
Alan,
Dave H is going to be someone's next HC--what a JOB he did this summer! For how many years is he signed up?
Do you foresee OUR Knicks team with 2 IDs? What do you think about a scenario where the Orange side starts out and plays East Coast-half court ball, walking it up and going right to left and left to right on post-ups with occasional treys and mid-range jumpers from QR, RA, or SM? On the Blue side, they could bring simple mayhem--the all energy team with DL and RB in for the hustle and N8 or MC running the point.

BTW, I'm not sure that SM was comparing his impact of going over to Italy similar to DB's recent. I think it can be interpreted favorably as an example provided to show a star athlete from one country going to another as an ambassador for the sport or to expand his marketability and reach (impact). We all know that SM is human and like all of us, with foibles. Pointing out this perspective is similar to those who critize him for saying that he thinks he's the best PG in the game.
KFL

Alan’s reply:
I never had a chance to talk much with Dave Hanners (the Knicks keep a lot of their people away from the media and frown on chit-chatting…very paranoid culture over there at the Garden) but when I got to talk with him at the summer league and watch him work, I agree. He’s a Larry Brown guy who came in last season, so I think he’s got about three years left. Not sure he’s part of Isiah’s inner-circle, tho, but I only say that because Dave is an LB guy. Phil Ford, another LB guy, was encouraged to look elsewhere and took a job with Charlotte.
You’re right about the two identities that the Knicks can have this season with the lineup. Thanks for your opinion about Stephon.

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Darren wrote:
Alan:
Why were we not in the running for defensive-minded SFs Desmond Mason or James Posey? Q will be hurt when we'll be fighting for playoff position and it is my belief that we will suffer the same defensive breakdowns in crunchtime situations that felled us last year. Either could have been had in a 2 for 1 sign-and-trade. What gives?

Alan’s reply:
You make a fair point, Darren, though I don’t know if I’m a huge fan of Posey and I don’t know if Mason is better than what you have on the bench in Balkman (especially after this summer) and even in Jeffries (he’s better defensively than we saw most of last season). But I think the defensive-minded SF you’re asking about would be Artest, if Isiah can make it happen. As for Q and his back, this surgery is supposed to have cleared up the problem that had been plaguing him. So maybe he will be healthy come playoff time. Now, will the Knicks be in the playoffs come playoff time? That’s the bigger question.

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Don wrote:
Alan,
What happens if Isiah is found guilty of sexual harassment? Does Dolan cut him loose, and if he does, would Herb get the opportunity to run the team, or do they go outside of the organization (I'd like to see Kiki get the GM position, even though Grunwald could take over.)?

Alan’s reply:
Great question, Don. I wonder how this will play out. It starts in September, a month before camp opens. One thing to keep in mind, Dolan is also a defendant in the suit, so if Isiah is found guilty Dolan might have sympathy. I think you can turn the team over to Herb if it’s in mid-season, but there is too much here to get into for a hypothetical situation. Remember, Jeff Van Gundy is a free agent!

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Sunil wrote:
Darren,
Why would we sign desmond mason for the midlevel when we have two guys who do what eh does for rookie pay. (very cheap rookie pay)
Alan,
Who polices the press ?
There don't seem to be any repurcussions for misleading or outright false reporting ?

Alan’s reply:
Sunil, I would say you as readers police the press. You decide what paper you want to read in the morning and what paper you avoid. What reporters you put your faith in.
In this business, if you’re a phony, it shows like a cold sore, homie.

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jys22 wrote:
Right, that comparison is irrelevant and a bit out of the blue to me. Anyway, at least Steph's acknowledging that his days in the NBA might be over. Kudos!
Next thing you know, steph will probably say how much he loves harry potter...LOL

Alan’s reply:
OK, call me a spoiler, but I got an advanced copy of Deathly Hallows and in it Harry Potter wears Starburys.

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Adam L wrote:
Assuming that our roster doesn't change other than shedding the final 2 players, would you rather see Q at the 2 or 3? Would your opinion change depending on personnel? Seems to me Q is an ideal 2 offensively, but may have trouble guarding the 2's on defense. I'd like to see him start at the SG alongside Balkman, and hav Jamal and Lee off the bench together, but I recognize that probably won't happen. Why amd I right or wrong in wanting that?

Alan’s reply:
You go ahead and want what you want. It’s July, man. Plug it into your NBA2K7 and see what it does for ya. I think Q is the 3, however. I think Jamal is your starting 2. He and Q know how to feed the post very well, which will be important. Let’s not get too carried away with Balkman. Dude needs to show me he can hit a consistent J before I started talking about starting him. He’s instant energy off the bench. Perfect place for him.

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stopmikelupica wrote:
Alan,
I slightly disagree with you on the Beckham/Marbury thing - as a soccer fan, I think they are quite similar. Beckham you can definitely argue is way higher profile celebrity in the UK (and the world) than Marbury. If that was your point, then I agree with you. But in terms of actual talent, Beckham was an All-Star level player for a while, but was also tremendously overhyped and overrated, because of the British media. His rep benefitted from playing in the UK, which has been starved for a soccer savior since the 50's, and marrying an equally big name. Skill wise, he probably is similar to Marbury, and the transition down to American soccer is very similar to the transition to Italian basketball, which is probably Marbury's point.

3. How do you see the Atlantic Division shaping up this year, with all the moves the Celtics, Raptors Knicks and Nets have made?

Alan’s reply:
Man you put a lot of thought into the Marbury-Beckham thing! It’s a theory, I guess. As for your questions:
1. I read as much as I can that is Knicks-related. I’m not in the business of promoting other websites, especially competitors of Newsday, but it’s safe to say I’ve seen and read just about every Knicks-related blog and website out there. Especially in my first year, I felt it was important to gather up as much info and perspective as I could.
2. I don’t see Morris having a big impact early in the season, especially with Zach Randolph on the team. Zach will eat up a lot of minutes and then there’s David Lee, who also will get minutes at the 3-4-and-5 spots.
3. I think the Celtics improved and, if they can just stay healthy, should be better. I was surprised the Sixers didn’t do much to improve. I don’t know if their improved second-half means anything, so it’s hard to judge them this season. Toronto, to me, is a team on the rise. I love what Bryan Colangelo is doing there. The Nets are going to remain tough and it’ll be between them and Toronto for the division, with the Knicks right on their heels.
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Trane wrote:
There has been a lot of debate on these blogs over Isiah’s record and job-performance. In general, he appears to have a very favorable approval rating among the regulars who frequent the various blogs. Some have been more critical. My questions are:

2. Where are you on a possible trade for Ron Artest? Is it feasible? Do you consider it a good idea? How far would you be willing to go (who would you be willing to trade) to make it happen?

Alan’s reply:
You are right, Trane, the opinions on Isiah are mostly at extremes. Some people are fiercely loyal to him, no matter what. They feel media criticism of him is based on racism. I love getting those emails. I think Isiah is a good coach. He’s in his element there. He knows how to reach players. Motivate. Create the us-vs.-them mentality. He also does a good job late in the draft in finding useful players. But trades? Signings? Disastrous.
Regarding Artest, I think it’s both feasible and a good idea. As I wrote in a blog last week, if you’re the Knicks, you go for it. Artest does bring a lot to the table, as long as his off-the-court stuff doesn’t become a distraction. I think this is the right time in his career to bring him to New York. I would not trade David Lee for him, however. With the overabundance of guards on the team, I think you can make one expendable.

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Rob wrote:

Gilbert's blog is on NBA.com.

Alan’s reply:
My bad, Rob. I said ESPN.com. Extra sprints for me after practice.

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Scott Kurant wrote:
Marbury should do the knicks a favor and opt out of his contract now and play in italy this year. As a person he seems like a good guy, but as a player he has never been on a winning team. So far in his career the Nets got better when he was traded to the Suns, and the Suns got better when they traded him to the knicks. His answer to the question as to whether he will make Zack Randolph a better player tells it all about him. His answer was that Randolph is going to make himself a better player. Jason Kidd would answer, absolutely yes.

Alan’s reply:
Stephon tried last season to defer to Curry, but while his game definitely transformed for a while there, his personality will always be that of a guy who believes he should be the man. You can’t change the tiger’s stripes.

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MODI wrote:
Those who say Marc Berman "crossed a line" in journalism are dead wrong. It is other journalists who DON'T report Marbury's off-court behavior that have crossed the line. It is those journalists who report on the slightest infraction with the law who have "crossed the line." Perhaps this lesson should be taught in journalism school. How come we rarely hear journalists "professionalism" being taken to task for covering off-court incidents with zeal.

Alan’s reply:
You are depressingly misguided, Modi. Our job is to cover the Knicks and their players. But we’re not here to idol worship nor are we to trade objectivity for access. You should be wary of any media outlet that gets too cozy with an athlete or a team. You have to wonder if their relationship with the player or team compromises their ability to tell you the whole truth.
We all covered his foray into the Starbury brand with the proper amount of attention. We’ve all given him credit for his genuine intentions. As for your comment that we cross the line for reporting “the slightest infraction with the law,” are you suggesting we just ignore when a pro athlete breaks the law? Whoever you are, you need to seriously reconsider your argument my friend.

--

Director wrote:
Allan,
Great Blog, great work keep it up.
I don't think it's Zach and Curry with the problem of playing together. I think it's going to be them two versus the guards. Marbury has his sights on maintaining that 20pts and 8 assist career average, Nate does not even know how to pass the ball to a big on the post, Craw never seen a shot he didn't like a Q wants this to be his breakout year.
Now you have Curry and Zach who are useless on the offense because they don't set pics and they will rarely see the ball on the block. We all know they are useless defensively.
Zach and Marbury will go at it and it's team turmoil all over again.
Your thoughts on this potential Guards vs Bigs conflict due to lack of leadership.

Alan’s reply:
Thanks. I think you’re making a rash assumption of Q’s intentions. I think you also underestimate Crawford’s development as a player last season. He showed a lot more ability to pass and set up Eddy before his injury. And, yeah, he can fill it up.
I wouldn’t be so confident in the Curry-Zach thing until we see it on the court. Randolph has a reputation for dogging it during a play that is not called for him. Will he make good, hard cuts to the high post or set a good screen, even though the ball is going to Eddy? Or will he glaze over?
I don’t see Marbury fighting for the ball. I think he’s accepted the idea that the offense will run through the post. Steph will have the chance to get his points off that, but for the most part he showed last season he can exist in an offense that doesn’t revolve around him.

--

BARF wrote:
Hey Alan. Cool idea with this mailbag thing.
Here's what I got so far.
How successful do you think Q's back surgery was? Do players come back from that? What do you expect, a recovered Q or an early retirement waiting to happen?
[It is my opinion that he is the single biggest key to the Knicks success next year. He and he alone assuming contributions from everyone else remain similar to last year]
The popular topic is the E-Z Pass connection. Personally, I don't see much mystery there. We know what we have with those players and we know what we lack. On offense, the key will be spacing, unselfishness and a willingness to follow every shot for a rebound. On defense, how do you think the duo will be successful?
They are both wide bodies and can occupy enough space to defend the post adequately. Are there enough dominant post players at the Center and PF position where we should be worried?
We still will have trouble with quick footed penetrators because of the lack of shot blocking and help defenders. Is there a defense the Knicks could run that would take the pressure off from Curry and Zach?
You think Marbury has more than 2 years left on those knees? You think he'd give up on the idea of playing in Italy to re-sign for an MLE? Or will he pull a Beckham- sign for an absurd amount of cash money and take his deteriorating body to a place that knows no better and just wants the publicity?
You think MSG's media policy will lighten up when the team starts winning or when the reporter's learn to kiss more butt?
I am from the camp that believes acquiring Artest would put us into the elite category. How far do you think the Knicks will go WITHOUT Artest?

Alan’s reply:
I already gave you my take on the Eddy-Zach thing. It’s a matter of teamwork and will Zach buy-in. Will he make hard cuts when the play is for Eddy? Will they learn how to pass out of the post when they are doubled? It’s not going to happen overnight. This might take a half-year or so to figure out.
You are dead-on about the quick-footed penetrating guards. Neither of the bigs are quick or have defensive reflexes. That’s going to be a big weakness and I see teams like Toronto shredding the Knicks with drive-and-kick attacks. It’s just a matter of hitting those open shots.
Stephon knows his body and knows how it works in the NBA. I don’t see him accepting a backup situation en route to retirement. So the Italy thing isn’t that out of the realm of possibility.
The MSG media policy is something I debate with them on a daily basis. And since I’m not in the business of kissing butt, I guess I’ll lose out on the objectivity-for-access trade-off.
I think without Artest the Knicks should be a playoff team. With him, they could contend for the East, however I have to add an asterisk to that comment because I don’t know what you’d lose off the roster to get him.

--

Lives In New Jersey, Loves New York wrote:
Alan, I enjoy your blog and I have been promoting it to a bunch of my friends. Your are balanced and thoughtful in expressing your view and sharing your observations. Good stuff.
I am interested in your take on the status of Sports Journalism in New York. I find it quite interesting that you believe Berman has crossed the line, especially since the need for content has long blurred any line between Journalism and news.
I suggest that your old school view is absolutely no longer reflected in New York sports reporting which is far more opinionated, personality driven drivel.

With that said, I pose the following questions to you:
1. How do you feel about the state of sports journalism today?
2. Where did you go to journalism school?
3. How do you feel about the abilities (and work prooduct) of your fellow New York Knick beat writers particularly, Frank Isola, Howard Beck, Mike Lupica, and Peter Vescey?
4. What writers inspired or encouraged you to write sports journalism?
5. Where do you think sports journalism in New York is headed and will we, the fans, ever be able to regain faith in journalists or rely on journalist to enhance our enjoyment of the sporting experience?

Alan’s reply:
Thanks for promoting the blog, LINJLNY, the check’s in the mail. As for my so-called “old school view,” it’s just how I was taught by some mentors here at Newsday. And I’ve learned along the way how you can be used and put in situations where you are expected to “play the game.” You make mistakes and you learn from them and know what not to do. Some people just allow themselves to be used and have their credibility trampled for what might be the minor scoop of the day. But what does it get you tomorrow?
Anyway:
1. I’m not someone who’s been around long enough to give a critique of the business of sports journalism today. But let’s just say I agree with some of the things you said.
2. I have a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Long Island University-C.W. Post.
3. I don’t know Lupica or Vescey on a personal level, so I have no right to comment on their work other than to say I grew up reading both of them. Howard Beck is a pro’s pro who I enjoyed sitting next to at every home game. We had a blast. He also has put in a lot of time covering the NBA and knows a great deal that he was kind enough to share. Isola is like a big brother to me. He went out of his way to show me the ropes this year and introduced me around to the many people he knows in the NBA, from coaches to GMs to players. Frank takes a lot of heat from some fans because he is critical, but trust me when I say there is no one on the beat with more passion for the Knicks than he. We don’t agree on everything – he never hesitates to get on me about things I write – but we both have a strong sense of what the Knicks are supposed to be. And being happy after a 33-win season is not it.
4. Lupica used to write for Newsday and I grew up reading him. I admired a lot of the Newsday hall of famers, such as Steve Jacobsen and Joe Gergen and Jan Hubbard. Helene Elliot and Pat Calabria. Steve Marcus is someone I consider my mentor in the business. Can’t say I was a fan of Jayson Blair.
5. I think sports journalism has changed dramatically with the arrival of ESPN and the internet. It used to be the sports pages were the only place to get behind the scenes of your favorite team. I still believe beat writers are your closest connection to the team. Perhaps the blogs will humanize it again, like in the old days, when a writer would tell you the game story as a story instead of just stringing inane quotes together.

--

Well, that’s it for this edition of the Blog Mailbag. We’ll try it again later in August. As for now, I’ve got some major construction going on at my house – long story – in the coming weeks. I’ll have to live out of my laptop for a while and steal a wireless signal from one of my neighbors until things at my place are back to normal. Peace!

I told you guys you should check out that Marbury blog!

Wow.

Italy?

David Beckham?

Knee tendinitis?

Too much input. I had a lengthy blog on this situation this afternoon and lost it when we lost power in my neighborhood. You can just imagine how happy I was to lose all of that material.

Maybe it's better it never made it to the web. I'm sure the Knicks are wishing Marbury's blog never got there, either.

I keep waiting for Porky Pig to burst through the screen.

"A-th, A-th, A-th, That's all, Folks!"

Gilbert Arenas has a blog on ESPN.com. It has it's moments, too, that are a bit looney. But we've gotten to know Gilbert as a funny personality. Stephon's recent behavior doesn't come off as funny. He seems uncommonly giddy, which is all good. His sneaker is making a difference in the industry. I wish Kevin Durant took his offer instead of the $50-plus mil that Nike tossed him. But Durant probably never knew what it was like to not be able to afford good sneakers. Or maybe he doesn't remember.

I'm totally with Stephon and his movement. Totally. I'm just not as with it as some others, who trade objectivity for access. Who promote instead of report.

There's a line I learned not to cross when I majored in journalism in college.

And go ahead and counter-attack a few stories about the future of the point guard spot (written by yours truly and veteran Frank Isola of the Daily News) by suggesting you would consider playing in Italy after your contract ends. I'm actually pleased to read that Steph sees the reality of his future with the Knicks. That he admits his body has taken a pounding after a decade in the NBA. Some guys just refuse to accept it. Stephon's lucidity is refreshing.

But to compare yourself going to Italy to Beckham coming to America?

Yeah, that's when ya lost me.

* * *

Other than Steph's blog adventures and the Magical Starbury Tour, the Knicks have appeared to have shut it down for the summer. Not much going on other than what we've been discussing all along. And the Ron Artest stuff that my man Ken Berger had the other day was great stuff. Clearly, he's also still open to becoming a Knick and I'm still open to thinking it could happen.

But I figure this might be a good time in the summer to do a Mailbag-kind-of-thing. I used to enjoy doing those when I covered the Islanders. So here's your chance. Post questions to the blog from now until tomorrow night and I'll post a blog answering them in the old Mailbag format.

Talk to ya then.

OK right off the jump I have to admit I didn't watch the entire game tonight of the Knicks' NBA Summer League finale, which they won, 116-108, over the Denver Nuggets. After a long day of working around my house -- yes, some sportwriters actually use their hands for more than just typing! -- I plopped on the couch and flipped between the second half of the Knicks game and the NASCAR race at Chicagoland (big Tony Stewart fan, so I was pleased).

I know some of you are gonna kill me for that! But NASCAR is cool. Especially in High-Def.

Anyway, on to matters at hand, word is Nate Robinson was named the MVP of the 10-day league, which technically doesn't crown a champion, but you can say the Knicks and Dallas Mavericks, both at 5-0, finished on top. They didn't face each other during the week, so unless you want to calculate their strength of schedule, I'd leave it at a co-championship.

For the record, Nate finished with 19.6 points and 6 assists per game in the five-game set.

I know you guys think I'm tough on Nate, but I just expect more out of him with all of that physical ability he has in that little body. I don't want to hear that he's only 23. He's going into his third year. Nate should be better than just about anyone in that league. The good news is, he was better that pretty much all of them.

He capped off his week witth a 24-point performance in the win over Denver. He was 6 of 12 from the floor and hit 3 of 6 from downtown. He was also 9 of 9 from the line. Excellent day of shooting, which, we all know, is his strength.

Now for my criticism - go ahead and groan. Gnash your teeth for all I care! Dude had just 2 assists! Two! Compare that to 3 turnovers, not to mention six fouls. I'll give him credit for the 5 boards.

It's not as if Nate didn't have anyone to set up. My man Demetris Nichols -- I am all over this kid's potential -- dropped 23 points on 9 of 16 with two treys. He's a scorer, plain and simple. Needs to work on his body a bit (what rookie doesn't?) but he's got the mentality. Great pick-up by Isiah Thomas and his group.

Nichols averaged 15.6 points and shot 52.6 percent from the floor. And these weren't layups, dude. Most of his stuff came from 15-to-25 feet. Some even off the dribble with a hand in his grill.

My favorite line from D-Nick after I chatted with him following the first summer league game was when I asked him how he felt he did.

“It feels good, but I could have done better," he said. "I have high expectations for myself. I’m not satisfied yet.”

He also told me he thinks he'd be a "great fit" on the Knicks. "Other defenses will have to worry about Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph," Nichols said, "and I’ll be wide open.”

It was good to see him have a strong week after the disappointment of being a second-round pick. Nichols led the Big East in scoring, which is an eye-popper on any resume. He's been coached by Jim Boeheim, who knows a little something about basketball. And he's had some big games at the Garden as a collegian, so he knows the rims there already.

His challenge will be if he can elbow his way past a few veterans and onto the NBA roster.

"I’m just here to play hard and do the things I do," he said. "But I think I have a pretty good shot at it.”

Excellent choice in words: shot.

As for the other rookie who seems to not get nearly enough love on this blog, Wilson Chandler also had a solid game in his summer league finale with 15 points and 10 rebs along with 3 blocked shots. For the summer league, Wilson averaged 13.4 points and shot 50.9 percent. Overall a very good showing.

What I mean by "raw" in describing the kid is that he has a lot of natural instincts and natural physical ability. But he so young and still has a lot of fine tuning and, more importantly, learning, to do before he comes close to showing his potential.

Some guys show a lot of P but go too long without reaching it. Remember how in love with John Wallace we all were? OK, apples and oranges. Moving on.

I know it's been suggested that Isiah might try to tuck one or both of these rookies in Europe or on a U.S.-based minor league (ABA, CBA) for a season, but let's be honest, both have proven they can play. Why would you send them away when you could have them spend a year learning your system, learning about life in the NBA and getting their feet wet in real NBA action? Sure, most of the first half they might spend as towel wavers in full warmups, or perhaps even on the inactive list. But it's the experience that matters early on -- the bright lights, the crowds and the travel -- before the basketball part kicks in. Who knows, by April, D-Knick (nice) could be a Trent Tucker-type sent in for spot-up duty. Or Chandler could be part of an athletic second unit that turns the Knicks power game attack suddenly into a transition attack (N8, Jones, Chandler, D-Lee and..um..here's where Mikki Moore would have fit nicely).

Bottom line, the performance of both rookies in this summer league has forced Isiah to consider his options. And, right now, the best option is to have them on the roster.

Damn, someone remind me to email David Stern about my D-League idea. It's ridiculous that it costs a team a roster spot. The NBA needs a minor league system.

P.S. - just wanted to shout all you posters who are giving cred to this blog. I appreciate your input and I love that we can debate and disagree on a rational and intelligent level. Let's leave the garbage elsewhere. This is a place for Knicks fans to talk about the Knicks and for one Knicks beat writer to share what he knows from his perspective inside the media.

What is Renaldo Balkman? I was watching the game last night -- the wife had her grandmother, mother and aunt over, I politely retired to the TV room after dessert -- and found myself chuckling several times when the play involved him. I kept thinking of Nate Robinson's comment to me about his own play: "My out-of-control is my control."

Not even Nate defines that statement as well as Balkman.

His line in the Knicks' 91-87 win over Golden State (which played without sensational rookie Marco Belinelli, who left for Italy after four summer league games) was filled with numbers: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocked shots. He also had a flagrant foul on Jerry Dupree, who made a lot of noise a few minutes earlier after he flushed one on rookie Wilson Chandler off the break. On his next attempt, Dupree was caught from behind by Taz and hit the floor hard.

During the free throw attempts, a few Warriors players quietly let Balkman know they weren't happy with the hit. Balkman showed little expression, carried on a conversation with Josh Powell, and even slapped him five. But as you watched the conversation, you could see Balkman showed little remorse and even less of an indication that he wouldn't do it again.

As a Knicks fan, you have to appreciate that part of Renaldo's game. As you guys have posted, we know Balkman has put a lot of time already this summer at IMG working on the skill side of his game, mainly shooting. He has looked a lot better from the free throw line this summer (he hit 9 of 12 against Golden State and is shooting 70 percent in four games compared to this season, when he shot 56.7 percent from the line).

It's hard to imagine he'll ever really have the kind of game you can count on every game. Balkman is a situational player. He thrives in the transition game and, no disrespect intended, the sloppy games, which we tend to see in summer league. Last night the Knicks committed 23 turnovers and Golden State had 28. Plenty of messes on the floor for Balkman to hustle to.

He's also learning quickly how to use his energy and tenacity to make someone's game look real ugly. Isiah Thomas once labeled him a "push man," which meant Balkman has the ability to get the ball and push it up the floor. After watching one situation last night in which he made a steal, went behind his back, almost lost the ball but regained it and exploded to the hoop to draw a foul . . . let's hope he develops better recognition for giving it up to a guard more often than not!

Watching him, however, it's hard not to see in his game the elements of two very successful NBA players: Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest.

I know, I know.

* * *

- Chandler had his best game in the summer league last night. He had 17 points and shot 7 for 12 from the floor and showed a lot of his trademark athleticism. He's very raw, however. Unlike Balkman, who had so much of his crazy athleticism and tenacity to earn him some tick as a rookie, I can't see Chandler getting to the scorer's table in prime time that often.

- N8 the Gr8 continues to put up gaudy numbers (23 points, 7 assists, 2 steals and, for a 5-9 guy this stat is eye-catching: 2 blocked shots). Most impressively, I think was that in a game of over 50 turnovers, Nate had just 4 in 37 minutes of play. But don't let me fool you into thinking I'm among the converted. As I've said many times over the past week, he's playing against inferior competition.

- Stephon Marbury's Tour de Kicks is underway once again and the good news is he's moved it earlier in the summer. Last year, he barnstormed to promote his low-cost, high-quality shoe (I know someone whose son wears it to basketball camp and they are quite pleased, so much so the whole family is practically outfitted in Starbury gear) only weeks before training camp. The Knicks have been supportive of Marbury's admirable efforts off the court, but I've heard they weren't too pleased with his scheduling last year.

Word is he's guest-blogging for one of my colleagues this summer. I encourage you to check it out.

- The extra $20-or-so mil Mo Williams is taking from the Bucks ($52 million total) has to be worth playing on a marginally average team while the Miami Heat probably would have contended for another title with him at the mid-level. Money is always the root, but, at 24 years old, would you for a second consider taking a chance on a three-year deal for about $18 million for a shot at a title and then try to cash-in on free agency after that? I won't even try to compare living in South Florida to Milwaukee from November until April, let alone playing with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal to Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut.

- Free agent Mikki Moore signed with the Sacramento Kings, who reached an agreement with the 7-0 PF/C. You guys know I've been a big fan of him as a key role player who can hit a mid-range shot (he led the league in FG%) and be an interior presence on defense. The Kings got him for the mid-level exception. I know Zach Randolph is here, but I'd have given that to him if I were the Knicks and cut Jerome James loose. Perhaps Moore wanted to go out west or to a team where he felt he had a chance to start and get big minutes, I don't exactly know the truth to that, but he would have fit a major need for the Knicks. It doesn't appear that they showed much interest.

If anything, at least he no longer plays for the Nets, who replaced Moore with another big body in Jamaal Magloire. Moore had strong games against the Knicks this past season. But in Magloire, the Nets get another project for Jason Kidd to turn into a productive player. We'll see.

- The summer league ends tonight (Sunday) with a finale against the Denver Nuggets. The Knicks can tie the Dallas Mavericks for the best record at 5-0.

As Homer would say, "Woo-hoo!"

Break up the Knicks. After last night's win over Sacramento, they are 3-0 in Summer League.

If only they gave out trophies.

A few thoughts now that I'm back home from Vegas (had no choice, I blew my expense account in a poker game at the Playboy Casino...man, those girls are good!) and watching the summer league on TV like most of you (yes, I'm that psychotic about my beat):

- Nate Robinson's statistical performance has been impressive. He had 10 assists in the win over Sacramento last night, which suggests he's really getting the hang of the pass-first mentality. But a closer look suggests that he's still looking for his offense (he had 21 points) while paying more attention to where his outlets are. And the fact that the Knicks shot the ball so well through most of the first three quarters (Demetris Nichols, y'all) also helped his numbers. I keep paying close attention to his assists-to-turnovers, the true sign of a point guard in control of an offense. In the first two games, he had 11 assists to 10 turnovers, not good. But last night he was much more efficient, with 10 assists against only four turnovers.

You also got a good idea from listening to MSG Network's mic'd up segment with coach Dave Hanners how much coaching is being done with Nate this summer. Hanners was in Nate's ear regularly, pointing out what he needs to see in the offense and offering encouragement with the criticism. I was quite impressed with Hanners, actually. But you know those Carolina guys....it's in their blood.

- I saw one of my colleagues took on Eddy Curry, Jared Jeffries and Jerome James for not being in Vegas for the veteran workout. I only agree with one of the three. In fact, I was the one who asked Isiah Thomas about Jerome and the fact that he's not there. Isiah tried to spin it as if to suggest Jerome might have things at home that keep him from spending a few days in Vegas with his teammates. Funny, those issues didn't come up during the all-star break, when James was in Vegas (as a tourist, of course).

I checked on Curry and I know he's been working out. He has a pretty elaborate home gym that the Knicks helped him set up and he regularly checks in with strength coach Greg Brittenham, who designed an offseason regimen specifically for him. Curry has also worked with renown fitness guru Tim Grover of Attack Athletics in Chicago. Grover has worked with many NBA players, including Michael Jordan. Quentin Richardson, who also lives in Chicago during the offseason, said Curry is working hard. "He'll be ready," Q said. Anyone listening to the broadcast last night heard Mark Aguirre say he's gone to Chicago to work out with Eddy and said "he's farther along than he was last year."

I will give Curry the respect that I trust he's taking his career serious enough to put in the offseason work. He promised his wife an anniversary trip. The guy is gone all season long, so I think it's fair to give his wife precedence in the summer. My wife would have preferred that I didn't have to go to Vegas, either!

I also respect Jeffries as a pro -- yes, I take shots at his shooting inability, but I never would say the guy is a bum -- and believe that he's also doing everything he should be doing. It's not like he'll become a better shooter by spending four days in Vegas.

Now Jerome...

I think this should be it for him. Twice he's showed up at camp not in top physical condition after the Knicks gave him an ill-advised five-year contract. To me, this is it. With no room on the roster for unusable bodies with hefty contracts, if James arrives in Charleston this October once again not in peak form -- in fact, if I'm Isiah, I'd like to see him in the best shape of his life, to show me he cares -- I'd cut him. Buy him out and send him on his way.

It's mind-boggling that anyone who gets that much money to play basketball for a living can't keep himself in top physical shape. Of the many NBA coaches and GMs and media types I met over the five days I was in Vegas, every single one shook their head when the topic of Jerome James came up. As one former player said, "Is it that hard?"

- It's interesting that Isiah has looked into what it would take to acquire some of the point guards on the market, such as Mo Williams and Steve Blake. I know you guys probably thought I was nuts in suggesting they draft Taurean Green, but now you see what I was getting at. Stephon Marbury's Knicks career will be over sometime during the 2008-09 season, if not right after it, when his contract expires. His game doesn't fit the latest Knick gameplan, which is a power game. Thomas is realizing he needs a pass-first guard, a drive-and-kick guy and a distributor. The offense will funnel into the paint with Curry and Zach Randolph and no longer be dictated by what the guards do on the perimeter. I know Marbury is trying to conform his game, but I do think the Knicks are wisely putting serious thought into who will be Marbury's successor.

- I don't believe the Ron Artest stuff is totally a dead issue. In fact, Geoff Petrie's defiant stance could be mere posturing. But I don't want to reward ignorance with ignorance.

- Jon, your idea about sending the young players to the NBDL is a good one, but unfortunately, the NBA charges you a roster spot for players you send to the DL. I think it's a stupid rule, because teams should be able to have more control over the development of their players (plus it would help the DL sell tickets). It's clear the NBA needs a legit minor league system.

Think of it, the Knicks could have their own DL affiliate. Maybe have that team play at Nassau Coliseum. Put out there players such as Wilson Chandler, Demetris Nichols and Randolph Morris. I like the play of Brian Greene, the kid from Colorado State on the Knick summer league roster. Collect some young assets and call them up if a veteran gets hurt. So much better than letting these players go over to Europe. I don't know if the players would agree, but the chance to get an NBA call-up should trump a year touring Greece or Italy or...

Yeah,maybe not. Never mind.

It's halftime and I have to blog now because after the game the reporters are supposed to meet with Isiah Thomas for one last time before we all break for summer.

Knicks are up 48-34 at the half and seem to be cruising. Randolph Morris is putting it right in my face with 9 points and 6 rebounds in 14:33. He stared me down after an and-one.

Nah, just kidding.

Wang Zhizhi, China's 7-foot center, drilled a three and then put his fists to his forehead, which made Quentin Richardson crack up. Q-Rich was sitting the crowd with Malik Rose and Dorell Wright from the Miami Heat. Wang and Q played together with the Clippers.

Renaldo Balkman took on yet another lottery pick. After guarding Kevin Durant on Monday, Balkman matched up with Yi Jianlian. First half stats for Yi: 0-for-3. 2 points. 1 rebound. 6 fouls.

Aw man, crazy.

My man Demetris Nichols, who was a possible scratch before the game because of a stomach ailment, came in and started draining jumpers again. He was 3 for 5 from the floor, including 2 of 3 from three-point range and led the Knicks with 10 points at halftime.

You really have to start wondering about the roster and which two of the 17 players won't be on it come the start of the season. Nichols is showing more than enough to make a case for a roster spot -- you can't have enough shooters. So who goes?

Dan Dickau is an expiring contract and you would think the Knicks would be more committed to Nate Robinson and Mardy Collins. Freddy Jones is an Isiah guy, so it's hard to believe he'd be jettisoned. Do you waive Jerome James? Try to trade Rose?

It's going to be interesting.

---

* - With a bloated roster and no cap space, the Knicks aren't expected to be active at all in free agency. The moratorium on signings ends today, so players can start inking contracts. Whispers say Mo Williams will take less to play in Miami. We already know Rashard Lewis plans to sign with Orlando. Isiah has said he doesn't plan to use his mid-level exception, but you never know with the Knicks.

* - Rose got here literally straight from Paris, where he and his wife attended the wedding of Tony Parker and Eva Longoria. He said it was an amazing spectacle, which included -- no kidding -- fireworks.

* - I'm headed home tomorrow, so the blog's going to take a travel day. Enjoy.

Ahh, so much love from you all today.

I don't mind some of you taking me on about my thoughts about Randolph Morris' game. In fact, I encourage it. But you have to keep in mind I'm not comparing him to what he did against mediocre talent in an NBA Summer League game. I'm watching his game looking for what he can do with real NBA competition in mind.

It's like when earlier in the day I was watching Glen "Big Baby" Davis play for the Celtics. He looked quick and agile. He had good hands. But his game was decidedly below the rim on just about every occasion. For a 6-8, 290-pound power forward, that can be a concern. Obviously Charles Oakley mostly played below the rim, so it's not like one can't survive. But Oakley was an exceptional rebounder.

I don't recall saying Morris was awful. He didn't look lost or overmatched or anything. And, yes, I'm aware that big men don't normally see the ball in summer league games that tend to get sloppy and become all about transition. But I also know the Knicks are running their offense and are using the summer league to see what their young players can do.

Some of you just can't get so sensitive when a writer takes a critical view of things. Especially one who has played the game and seen enough of the game to know what coaches look for.
Here's what I saw in Morris' game: The usual soft touch and hands. His blocks on Durant were good plays, but, again, I don't think Durant was at full speed; he was slow and didn't look as if he wanted to engage much. Morris also was in position for rebounds.

But he moves like a 6-11, 7-foot center. Not much spring from block to block and not much athleticism from one end of the court to the other. Not much emotion in his game, very similar to Tim Duncan, actually. But he's not as tall as Tim Duncan and doesn't get at the rim anything like Tim Duncan.

I talked to him after the game. A good kid who I liked chatting with late in the season. He said he felt he made the right decision to sign with the Knicks. Does he think he would have been a lottery pick if he had been draft-eligible? "Nah," he said, "I wouldn't even know."

I wanted to make sure he didn't have anything nagging him, like a sore leg or groin or ankle, which can happen when you start playing full court after doing mostly working out for a few months. But Morris said he was 100 percent.

With Zach Randolph and David Lee on the team, Morris probably won't see much time anyway. I have no doubt Mark Aguirre will spend a lot of time developing Morris' post game. But, again, it's not his moves or his touch that I question (though it's not as if he's got dominant skills), it's the physical side of things. But, you're right, he's young.

Speaking of young, I wasn't taking any shots at Wilson Chandler! (Man, you guys were just really sensitive after that last post). I just said it was quiet. He played well. Again, consider the level of competition.

It's not like these guys made the crowd buzz, which is what Golden State's Marco Bellinelli seems to be doing. Talk about a shooter. Whoa. And Detroit's Rodney Stuckey is built like a running back, is mad quick and clearly will be a solid defender in the NBA.

The Knicks play Team China tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern. I'll file another report after the game and I promise to continue to be point-blank honest with my observations.

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* - So E! Online had a report that says Quentin Richardson was seen hanging out with his ex-wife, Brandy, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino's nightclub. The report suggested the two appeared to be reuniting as a couple, but a Knicks spokesman said they were just hanging out. Brandy was nowhere to be seen at the Knicks-Sonics game last night.

* - Gotta give credit where it's due: Good get today by the Post, who yesterday stalked Ron Artest poolside at his hotel here while he was playing with his kids. Ron said he wanted to remain a King and even suspiciously said he didn't plan on opting out of his contract to become a free agent (his agent must have loved to hear that). Geoff Petrie told all of us in the New York media he had no plans in trading him. So, clearly, it seems inevitable that Artest is eventually going to be traded, right?

But seriously, in our business, sometimes you lose a race. I'd been emailing Ron for a few days trying to hook up. He told me he was in Vegas and would be willing to chat, but before I got the chance to get him, someone else did. So it goes. Tip the hat.

It's in the fourth quarter and the Knicks appear on their way to a win over the Sonics.

Last year I quickly developed an appeal for Mardy Collins and this year my affinity is in Demetris Nichols. The kid has a terrific shot. Great form. Always square to the basket and knows how to get himself freed up. He was 5 for 9 in the first half with 11 points to lead the Knicks. He finished with 13 points.

The Syracuse sniper was acquired from Portland, who drafted him 53rd overall. At 6-8, he's a big two-guard. There's a lot of competition among the veterans for minutes, but Nichols could be a sleeper to watch come training camp. That could mean a veteran will not just lose his minutes, he could lose a roster spot.

The first round pick, Wilson Chandler, has been quietly decent. Nothing overly-impressive. He had 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting in 30 minutes.

Nate Robinson looked good running the team. His usual antics, of course. Flying all over the place, flashy dribbling. He was a far more superior athlete than any guard the Sonics put out on the floor, so it's tough to judge. Robinson led the Knicks with 19 points and 7 assists.

I was most anxious to watch Randolph Morris, to see what he would look like. I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Some people like to promote the idea that Morris, who was signed right out of the NCAA tournament, is like another first-round pick for the Knicks. He didn't play like one tonight, even though his stat line says 10 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes. He's kind of robotic and doesn't have much explosiveness.

* * *
- Quick observation of Kevin Durant - he looks tired. Been a whirlwind few weeks for the kid so it's understandable. He didn't engage much and relied on -- and missed -- mostly jumpers. He's 3 for 15 at this point. Renaldo Balkman started the game against him and it seemed clear Durant preferred to play the perimeter against him. Durant finished with 18 points on 4 of 19 shooting.

- Quentin Richardson made an appearance tonight. He was dressed in bright yellow -- oversized t-shirt and shorts -- so it was hard to miss him walking through the crowd here. He says he's ready to go. More on that in our print edition tomorrow.

- A little tease, there's also an interesting development in the Artest situation in my story tomorrow. A quick synopsis: we were correct to speculate the Artest talk was mostly that.

- OK, the game just ended. Knicks win 87-74. 1-0 in summer league. Wooo!

- Gotta get ready to head to the locker room when the game ends to get some late interviews.

Like most media-driven issues, the Ron Artest-to-the-Knicks topic has taken on a life of its own, to the point where we're now standing around Isiah Thomas asking him questions about Artest in a careful way so he can answer them without it being considered tampering.

(Before I get into that, let me catch you all up on what we learned since we've arrived here in Las Vegas: Artest is not being actively shopped by the Kings. Would they be open to trading him? Probably for the right deal. But it's been infinitely reported that David Lee is not an option.)

So since Isiah can't talk about how Artest would fit on the Knicks, he instead was asked about his previous experience in coaching Artest when they were together with the Indiana Pacers.

“I thought he was playing well and our team was playing well," Thomas replied. "He had a couple of unfortunate incidents, but that group we had in Indiana, I felt that had we stayed together, I think we could have won a championship. I feel similar about this group we’re putting together now. If we can stay together and go at it for about 3-4 years, add a piece here, add a piece there, I’m confident that this is a group that can play for it.”

And what about the suggestion that you and Ron didn't get along well?

“It’s safe to say that any player that I’ve coached has had times where we didn’t get along," Thomas said. "I don’t think there’s a player on our roster now -- you can ask, there are times they don’t like me. And that’s OK. I’m not trying to be liked, I’m trying to coach. But it’s also safe to say if you look back at any of those guys who played for me, they played some of the best basketball of their lives playing for me. They probably didn’t like me, but they played well.”

There's nothing to read from any of these comments. There is nothing imminent. But we can take from this that Isiah's past experience won't be a reason why the Knicks wouldn't make a play for Artest. What will is if the Kings insist on taking David Lee. Would you allow Renaldo Balkman be a deal-breaker though?

Artest is a risk-reward kind of acquisition. He can be volatile and burn the house down. But his type of intensity is something the Knicks sorely need. As I've said before, there should be some concern about a 33-win team that says it gets along so well.

Artest was here on Saturday (along with his brother) and watched a few summer league games, including the Kings blowout win over the Chinese National Team. He wasn't around on Sunday, however.

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* - Just got word that Zach Randolph and Quentin Richardson, who were expected to be in on Monday for a veteran's workout, are not going to be here. Possibly Tuesday. Other than Freddy Jones, no other veterans -- aside from the guys already here (Nate Robinson, Mardy Collins, Lee and Balkman) -- are expected to come in.

* - A shopping mall across from the Wynn Hotel has an art gallery with a Leroy Neiman exhibit. Among the works is an original painting Neiman did of Isiah Thomas. It's going for $195,000, in case you have some loose change the next time you visit.

* - The reporters were invited to watch a few minutes of a scrimmage with the summer league team. Demetris Nichols has great form and showed off his shooting ability by snapping the net with a few jumpers. Wilson Chandler moved smoothly around the court and also showed off a pretty good stroke from the perimeter. Balkman seems to be physically way ahead of everyone else. Unfortunately, Randolph Morris (remember him?) was already out of the game when we were let into the gym. I'd like to actually see this guy play.

* - It can't be good for the NBA to have Yi Jianlian playing for the Chinese team in the game after the team that drafted him, Milwaukee, plays. That's a situation that will need to get resolved before the season begins as it seems pretty obvious Jianlian has little interest in being a Buck. Naturally we'll soon start speculating the Knicks chances of getting Jianlian, who seems to have the goods to be a good NBA small forward. One guess: No chance. But it would be great to get an international player in New York one of these years.

The Knicks practiced today at Valley High School here in Las Vegas. Sounds like the name of a school in a John Hughes movie.

Richard Vernon: What was that ruckus?
Andrew Clark: Uh, what ruckus?
Richard Vernon: I was just in my office and I heard a ruckus.
Brian Johnson: Could you describe the ruckus, sir?

Speaking of a ruckus, Nate Robinson's presence on the Knicks summer league team could be viewed as just a guy who loves to play basketball and would be willing to play anywhere. Maybe he wants to work on his game more and realizes he needs to use every available avenue to do so. If this is the case, I applaud him.

But you can also consider this: maybe the Knicks want to see if N8 the Gr8 can play a traditional point guard role. Can Isiah Thomas transform Nate like he did Stephon Marbury? Or, perhaps, the Knicks want other teams (read: Sacramento) to take a good, long look at him playing a point guard role, which, for anyone who knows his game, is something he really doesn't play.

Here's assistant coach Dave Hanners, who is running the summer league team, on the plan for Nate:

“I want to see him get some experience at being more of a point guard . . . It’s really about getting reps and things. He’s still a young kid, so it’s really about getting reps when it counts. That’s why it’s great he wanted to do this, I think. It shows a lot of character.”

So this might be it right here. Let's see if you can control your game and run an offense, play defense and be a point guard. At 5-9, he can't be a shooting guard in the NBA. Especially if he doesn't use his amazing physical abilities to defend.

There are a lot of guards on the roster right now. Dan Dickau might be better suited as a traditional backup PG. He's flashy, but does think pass-first. Nowhere near the athleticism of Robinson, nor does he have Nate's shooting touch (he was splashing jumpers in a drill today). But Dickau has a better understanding of running an offense without considering yourself as the first, second and third options. Passing shouldn't be a bail out or a way to regain your dribble, you know.

Freddy Jones is also athletic (like Nate, he has a Slam Dunk title under his belt) and is a better on-ball defender than Nate. But Freddy doesn't shoot it like Nate.

Mardy Collins, in my mind, moved ahead of Nate on the depth chart late last season. Collins has the size (6-6), toughness and quickness to be a solid two-way player (hockey term). He handles the ball well, distributes quickly and decisively and understands the concepts of an offense. No, he isn't a great shooter. But he's not awful.

Here's a Catch-22 for Nate: Demetris Nichols. If this kid, who the Knicks picked up as a second round pick by Portland, starts lighting it up with his outside shot in the summer league, it could give the Knicks more reason to consider parting ways with Robinson. But to be a good PG, Nate has to keep feeding the hot hand.

Anyway...that's a little input from me here in the sweltering desert. There's more in Sunday's paper, but not all the reporters are here yet, so I can't share all the secrets!

I'll catch up tomorrow.