The Knicks extending Jared Jeffries an offer sheet can only be described in one word: ridiculous. With this possible acquisition, the Knicks will have the NBA maximum 15 guaranteed contracts.
They will run a roster of four natural shoot-first point guards (Marbury, Francis, Robinson, Crawford), four one-dimensional swingmen (J Rose, Richardson, Jeffries, Balkman), two defensively inept undersized power forwards (Taylor, M Rose), and two centers completely incapable of passing out of the post (Curry, James). Despite the glaring individual weaknesses of these 12 players, they are still worthy of suiting up for any NBA team.
Additionally, this list doesn?t account for 6-7 defensive rookie point guard Mardy Collins, and perhaps the Knicks? two most fundamentally sound and promising youth members of the squad, David Lee and Channing Frye. The problem with the Knicks isn?t a lack of talent; it?s that they don?t have enough minutes in a game to satisfy the assemblage of egotists fighting to get to the scorer?s table.
The addition of Jeffries not only further complicates the positional logjam that is the New York Knickerbockers, but adds even more financial obligations to the largest payroll in NBA history. Due to the Knicks? abuse of the luxury tax threshold, they will not only pay the $6M annual salary for Jared Jeffries, but also an additional $6M for their blatant disregard for the NBA?s salary cap.
Therefore, if the Washington Wizards decline to match Jeffries? offer sheet, the Knicks will be paying nearly $1M more than Washington will for Gilbert Arenas ($11.09M in 06-07), an MVP candidate, and the ultimate reason for the resurgence of Washington?s basketball pulse.
This debacle comes just weeks after the Knicks passed on matching Jackie Butler?s three-year, $7M offer sheet from the San Antonio Spurs, and whose dollar-for-dollar value and availability for playing time is alarmingly greater than that of Jeffries. Butler is a 21-year-old center at a third of the price. Lastly, adding the 6-11 swingman completely nullifies the highly criticized drafting of Renaldo Balkman, another player labeled as a ?defensive stopper.?
When evaluating this Knicks roster, it?s obvious that Isiah Thomas was never allowed to play with the chemistry set passed down by his eight siblings. The problem with the Knicks? dismal 23-59 atrocity of a basketball season of a year ago was the lack of structure in the rotation. Larry Brown?s complete disregard for establishing an eight to ten-man rotation crippled their ability to anticipate one another?s tendencies, take advantage of individual talents, and create a sense of unity on and off the court.
The only feasible way this team can emerge from the ruins of last years? shipwreck would be to bring order to the lineup, and cast off overpaid, selfish players to the inactive list. If Isiah Thomas decides to make a push for respectability, the playoffs, or a second season as the Knicks head coach, it is absolutely necessary that he incorporates the youth and removes the apathetic waste that exists in the locker room. There is no reason a starting five of Marbury, Robinson, Lee, Frye, and Curry, with Crawford, Richardson, Balkman, and James coming off the bench, couldn?t produce a .500 season in the Eastern Conference.
One major problem with Isiah Thomas? squad is that it currently employs an individual at the top of his depth chart who would rather be launching a career with Craig Sager as a sideline reporter. Jalen Rose was recently seen as a special guest host at the Best Damn Sports Show Period event at the Hooters Hotel and Casino off the Strip in Las Vegas. Nevertheless, the answer is not dealing Rose and his expiring contract, but rather placing him on the inactive list and letting his salary come off the books, along with Maurice Taylor. These players, along with Malik Rose and Steve Francis, have demonstrated defensive ineptitude, viral attitudes, and the inability to create offense by moving without the ball. This is where Zeke needs to step in and realize that the paychecks owner James Dolan has signed off on to his players is already spent. Rather than dealing away the players that do not fit into Thomas? mold for winning basketball, he needs to understand that it doesn?t matter whether the money is vested in athletes playing on the court or sitting on the bench. The way the Knicks are going to return to the top of the Eastern Conference is by benching those overpaid, underachieving stars of yesteryear, and restart the heart of the franchise with the hardworking, talented youth who enjoy playing the game of basketball.
This diagram for success is easier scripted than carried out. With this method of benching high-priced ?talent,? Isiah will surely face fire not only from the New York media and owner James Dolan, but also from the egos of those players being left on the sideline. Pitching this to the media will be a hard sell for Isiah. It would be a constant ringing in Dolan?s ear that the President of Basketball Operations/General Manager/Head Coach of one of basketball?s most storied franchises will be benching and deactivating nearly $50M of salary he personally acquired. However, Thomas? primary goal should be controlling his locker room while avoiding strife that will surely erupt when former All-Stars like Francis and Rose will be sitting next to Spike Lee courtside, rather than running the floor with the inexperienced, yet productive youth of the team.
Ultimately, the Knicks have a very talented team, but lack roster maneuverability. Instead of adding players like Jared Jeffries to his claustrophobic locker room, Zeke should be convincing those who don?t fit into his vision for success to take a seat in order to help the franchise contend. He needs to find chemistry within the team and establish the rotation prior to the beginning of the season, no matter how strong a career resume is left out in the cold. If Thomas wants to right the ship in the Garden this winter, he is going to have to enforce a rotation where $50M worth of team payroll may be exercising the second season of the NBA?s dress code on a nightly basis.
Jason M. Williams can be reached at jaywilli05@gmail.com for comments.