Mike D’antoni: Should he stay or Should he Go?
The New York Knicks certainly opened up their cheque book when they lured Mike D’antoni away from the thriving Phoenix Suns. The franchise had been marred by dysfunction and mismanagement. Isaiah Thomas had run the team into the ground, making burdensome signings that didn’t work out, like when he inked Marbury, Eddy Curry, and Jerome James to lucrative contracts . Furthermore, he had been slapped with a sexual harassment suit from a former Knicks employee, so he was subsequently relieved of his duties, which ushered in Donnie Walsh, and a new era at Madison Square gardens.
Walsh immediately hired D’antoni and signed him to a whopping four year, twenty four million dollar contract, or the price of many New York escorts. It was implied however, that a roster overhaul would be required, that is if any real changes were to be expected in the win column. The Knicks changed into to that vintage D’antoni west coast offence, but it wasn’t until 2010 that the roster began to shape up. In the off seasonnn, Walsh signed Amare Stoudamire and Raymond Felton, a pairing that would reverberate around the league. But then, in a shocking turn of events, when underground rumours materialized into a blockbuster deal, Carmelo Anthony got traded to the Knicks for a bundle of decent players in return. New York was elated, Spike Lee rejoiced, and the Knicks even beat the Miami Heat back in early March. Things however, took a turn for the worse, as the Knicks suffered a tough fought loss, a playoff-type battle with Boston Celtics, where their defence simply failed them.
In a run-and-gun type offence, D’antoni suddenly has a player in Anthony who doesn’t move the ball, and New York escorts who like good times. Couple that with the fact that Amare demands his touches, and neither player plays stellar defence, you all of the sudden have a team with personnel that doesn’t match it’s coaching philosophy. Either Mike has to change the pace of the game in which he commands, or the Knicks have no shot in winning a playoff round this year. In fact, it’s a long shot regardless, as things are shaping up to have Miami hosting New York in the first round. Also, unless Donnie Walsh drafts a defensive stopper and a defensive big man, the Knicks will never win in the playoffs, and New York escorts will be the number one choice.
Another rumour has Chris Paul coming to New York via free agency next season, and escorts in New York confirm this. The only conceivable way it could work with D’antoni is if he backs off Paul and lets him run the floor. Paul is very much a coach on the floor and should be valued for his potential defensive contributions to the Knicks as well as his offensive ones.