Former Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin.
During the existence of the New York Knicks, a few larger than life sensations have left its fandom in a frenzy — Jeremy Lin, Carmelo Anthony and Phil Jackson have all instilled a level of hope when they first hit the court (or board room in the case of Jackson) that perhaps the team is going to turn things around.
Yet with every temporary triumph comes seemingly permanent agony as fans are relentlessly reminded of the Knicks’ colossal failures every time they open a newspaper, turn on SportsCenter or check social media websites. This is nothing new considering The Knicks have been horrible for quite a while — about 15 years or more — failing consistently to compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, let alone an NBA championship.
Despite this constant level of failure, Forbes announced that the team is the most lucrative in the NBA, worth a whopping $3 billion.
The only reaction a Knicks fan should have when reading their assessment is simply “How?” They fail at every turn, they are the butt of everyone’s jokes in and around the NBA, they take their trusting fans on an emotional roller coaster ride every season — and each and every game for that matter — and leave them completely dissatisfied at the inevitable negative outcome.
Being New York’s hometown team can only take you so far. Especially considering the fact that the people running it have made some serious financial blunders with the team over the year.
For example, with the intention of keeping fans at the Garden, the Knicks traded for All-Star Forward Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for basically giving up the future of the franchise. Simply put, it was one of the most irrational Knicks transactions of all time (and we saw what Isaiah Thomas gave up to get Stephon Marbury). Anthony was all gung-ho at the prospect of coming to the team via free agency in 2011; but before that could even happen, meddling owner James Dolan jumped and dumped the Knicks starting five, along with potential first round drafts picks, in exchange for Carmelo.
Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks reacts in the second half against the Miami Heat in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Fast forward a few years, and several missed playoffs berths later, and the Knickerbockers are still in the same boat, sans all but one 2015 first round draft pick and any significant roster building talent. Anthony who is currently in talks of trade rumors himself, has failed to move the team toward a title run, thanks in part to Dolan’s blockbuster roster scrapyard. And the superstar forward has had surgery on his failing knees, which as the type of run and gun, slash to the basket player Carmelo is, means his career clock is going to near zero much quicker than expected when he first arrived in the Big Apple. Notably, the one possible saving grace comes in the form of a young versatile big man from Latvia, Kristaps Porzingis whose impressive performance thus far has put him in the conversation for Rookie of the Year.
Alas, the Knicks still have a long way to go, with an aging Carmelo and a young cornerstone in Porzingis. They are a constant reminder that while the greatest city in the world may have perfected the pizza slice, we still can’t get basketball right.