By GEORGE HUNKELE
The New York Knicks have only had three winning seasons since 2000 despite being the most valuable team in the NBA, listed by Forbes at a net worth of $3 billion.
Since 2000, the Knicks have posted an overall winning percentage of .410, the third lowest in the league. They have also only made the playoffs three times, and have only won one playoff series. Regardless, the Knicks are still the most valuable team in the NBA, so how could a team with so much money be so bad?
“It’s ridiculous, as a fan it’s hard to watch. They play in New York where they have more money to spend then any other team. I don’t think people even realize how badly they have been as a team over the last 17 years,” said Robert Farley, 27, lifelong Knicks fan, when being asked about the Knicks struggles.
The Knicks Downfall
The Knicks downfall all started with a crushing loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 1999 NBA Finals. That off-season, the Knicks traded away superstar, Patrick Ewing, in what many fans consider to be the teams worst
trade of all time. Then, realizing that the team can’t win without Ewing, longtime Head Coach, Jeff Van Gundy resigns unexpectedly in 2001.
After that it got rough for the Knicks, from 2001-2010 many people considered the franchise to be the biggest joke of a team in professional basketball. In 2002, the Knicks trade away Marcus Camby, who became a 4 time defensive player of the year, as well as rookie draft pick, Nene, who is still a valuable starter on the Rockets today. Then, in 2003, the Knicks hired Isaiah Thomas as their head of basketball operations after he had been fired by multiple teams previously, as if it wasn’t bad enough already.
Thomas made a series of bad trades and decisions starting in 2004 by trading a first round pick for Stephon Marbury. Marbury ended up becoming a cancer to the locker room and was eventually ordered to stay away from the team, that first round pick became Gordon Hayward, current NBA All Star. Then, the Knicks traded two first round picks for aging veteran, Eddy Curry, who they got barely anything out of. Those two picks would end up becoming Lamarcus Aldridge and Joakim Noah, both NBA All Stars. Then, in 2006, Anucha Sanders filled a sexual harassment law suit against the Knicks, the incident ended Thomas’s run as the teams President of Basketball Operations.
In 2008, the Knicks hire Donnie Walsh as President of Basketball Operations, and in 2009 hire Mike D’Antoni as their Head Coach. In the 2009 NBA Draft, the Knicks land the eighth pick and are in desperate need of a point guard; Stephen Curry, 2 time NBA MVP Point Guard, goes seventh overall. Then, the Knicks trade away another first round pick in order to clear cap space for LeBron James, who ends up going to the Miami Heat.
“It’s ridiculous to me how with all the money we have and all the attractions of New York we still can’t get a player like LeBron to come play with us,” said Nicholas Smith, 28, Knicks fan, when being asked about the LeBron James situation.
The Knicks Small Bright Spot
Instead, over the next few years, the Knicks end up with Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Jeremy Lin. These three would lead the team to 3 straight playoff appearances from 2010-2012.
In 2012, the Knicks had their best season since 1999, winning 54 games and even advancing a round in the playoffs. After that, the organization went back downhill quickly.
In the seasons following, the Knicks would get rid of four of their five best players: Amare Stoudemire, J.R Smith, Iman Shumpert, and Jeremy Lin; not one player or pick the Knicks received back for these players is still on the team. Then, in 2013, the Knicks would post their worst record in franchise history, with only 17 wins. In the three seasons following, the team didn’t show any promise and was forced to trade away Carmelo Anthony before this years season.
This year, the Knicks finally showed some bright spots featured around 22 year old All Star, Kristaps Porzingis. They floated around the playoff picture until Porzingis tore his ACL a few weeks ago. Hopefully for the franchise and fans sake, Porzingis can come back healthy next year and the team can finally start to win again.
P1: new – net
P2: take away “in 17 years. The time frame had been established already.
– Despite all of this – – – Use “Regardless.”
– Don’t repeat value of team.
P3: “It’s ridiculous. As a fan, it’s hard to watch.”….. than, not then.
– Remove being asked about the Knicks struggles. That’s been established already.