The Knicks Fix

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.