The Big Time - A NYK Dynasty

[OzzieLaker]

New York. The Big Apple. Whatever you like, this is where I, Max Mackenzie, call home. The rich history of the sports, the buildings and just the city itself is just astounding. The past 20 years of my life have been astounding, too. Being an assistant scout of the basketball team the New York Knicks has really made me attached to the city. When I was little, I was a die-hard Celtic, supporting the likes of Bird, McHale, Parish and co. Today, I am a part of a team, albeit on a small level, that includes such legends as Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Jason Kidd. Little did I know this love for my team would become much, much greater...

I was working on a scouting report of some of the up and coming draftees when team owner Charles Rolen walked into my office.
"Good morning Max. As you well know, Donnie's health hasn't been the best as of late."
"Yes, I have always wished him the best," I replied, intrigued as to where he was going.
"Well, Donnie has decided to move back to the Pacers for reasons unknown."
****, could it be...
"This means that I want you, due to your experience and relationship with the players, to be GM of the New York Knicks."

The next 24 hours just raced by. All the cameras, interviews, and my shiny new office in particular will remain in my mind for years to come.

Donnie left this review of our list for the new GM:

Raymond Felton (PG) - One of my last trades made was for old head Felton. Didn't perform his best at Portland last year, however a change of club may be what he needs. Has a nice cheap contract, too.

Jason Kidd (PG) - Although he is nowhere near the Kidd of past, he is still a gun 'baller. Has credible defense skills and is a good leader. I would have him as first guard off the bench, with Felton being traded in.

Pablo Prigioni (PG) - 35 year old rook. Has acceptable ball handling skills. Won't get too many minutes with Kidd and Felton in the team, but hopefully he can make an impact while on the floor.

Iman Shumpert (PG) - Can play at either the point or as a 2 guard. Is rapidly improving, and should become a star in the coming years. I wouldn't start him yet, but if he improves even more, get him in there.

JR Smith (SG) - Either entertaining or inconsistent, whatever you like to call him, he is still a respectable player. Has stiff competition for the starting spot with the recruitment of Brewer and the improvement of Shumpert. Your choice who to start.

Ronnie Brewer (SG) - A nice free agency signing in my last few months. Has a very big defensive presence, so he should make a valuable impact. Start him if he has a bigger impact than Smith.

James White (SG) - An entertainer. Although 29 years old and inexperienced, he could well push for minutes.

Carmelo Anthony (SF) - The star of the team. Trade him away at your peril. A scoring machine, and although his defense may not be the best, he is still a great player, no matter what.

Steve Novak (PF) - Lethal 3-point shooter. On a 4mil contract, so some may say he is overpaid, however he is what I call a 'quiet achiever'.

Amare Stoudemire (PF) - The heart and soul of the club, who has a good relationship with every staff member. Although there are rumors that he and Carmelo don't work well together, they seem to be doing the job.

Rasheed Wallace (PF) - Mainly brought in by me for experience. Can't see him getting too much gametime, but his leadership presence will be felt when he's on the floor.

Chris Copeland (PF) - Another 'old' rookie. A preseason bolter, he has credible rebounding skills, possibly not enough to gain minutes. Don't give up on him, though.

Marcus Camby (C) - Although Marcus was brought in for experience, he could easily start for many teams in the league. Another one of our 'Dad's Army', he still has something left in him.

Kurt Thomas (C) - Good insurance if one of Chandler or Camby goes down. Although he's one of the oldest 'ballers in the league, he should be able to fill a role.

Tyson Chandler (C) - Our best defensive player by far. Can rebound, block and even make an offensive impact. Trade him at your peril.

I do agree with most of the things that Donnie's said, however I do believe JR will make a bigger impact off the bench. Shumpert will start at the SG. White won't push for minutes at all, neither will Copeland and Thomas (unless injury strikes). Kidd and Camby should make an impact off the bench, as should old timer Wallace. Chandler could be entertained as a trade chip.

In fact, I'll hit the phones now.

I call Warriors GM Bob Myers to see if he'll part ways with Bogut. He's willing, as long as he gets a center back.

Simple.

Golden State trade:
Andrew Bogut

New York trade:
Tyson Chandler

Why for Golden State: The Warriors should be ecstatic right now. They have traded in the defensive beast Tyson Chandler. Partner him with offensive dynamos in Curry, Barnes and co. and you have a scary starting 5.

Why for New York: This trade doesn't make too much sense for the Knicks, considering Chandler was in his prime and was arguably the best defensive player in the league. This trade gives them more of an offensive target that is younger and has a smaller, shorter contract.

Winner: Golden State (just).

Don't care whatsoever. I want to base my team around offense, and that is what Bogut has - an arsenal of inside scoring abilities, while still being credible defensively. The fact he's younger is a bonus, too.

nba.com has us placing 4th in the East, behind the Heat, 76ers and the ageing Celtics. What surprises me is that the Jazz are 2nd in the West, ahead of the Thunder, Spurs and Clippers.

This will be an interesting season.

[andrei]

its interesting to see what happened to that team... I, for one, build my teams around defence entirely and don't care where we are offensively. My teams usually do quite well and the defensive intensity really shows on the box score. How did your offensive minded team do?