looking for light in the darkness of last place

There are a few positives I take away from the Knicks’ current misery having hit rock bottom of the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference, only ahead of the deliberately tanking Miami Heat.

1. This season has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt to me that Isiah Thomas is absolutely not the coach for the New York Knicks if they’re to try and WIN basketball games. The players aren’t buying into the system any longer.

2. With all the losing the Knicks have accomplished this season, there is a good chance Derrick Rose will be sporting orange and blue in November of 2008. They might also pick up Ron Artest if he finds a way to opt out of his contract after this season, although that still seems like a long shot. Getting Rose and Artest would be a great reward for all the suffering this 19-48 season.

3. A new GM might be brought in to correct the redundancies/errors on this roster, depending on “El Duce,” James Dolan. The strategy of Zach and Eddy in the game at the same time on the same team did not work. It failed, it smelled, it set the franchise back a few years to the pace of Larry Brown’s 23-win season. If Isiah goes, I would hate to see Mills and Grunwald stay, that would be like having George W. Bush step down only to be succeeded by John McCain, who essentially will continue the same foreign policies.

As our friend DaVonn Jefferson has hinted, this team needs “Obama” level change in order to become competitive again. Removing the problem of Zach and Eddy should be the first issue dealt with. Defensively, this combo has been a nightmare. Eventually, only a handful of current Knicks should be spared. Most of the current players are not Knicks in the truest sense of the word, but Isiah Thomas Indiana/Chicago transplants that did not step up and produce in the big apple. True Knicks give 110%, sacrifice their body on defense, do what it takes to secure the win.

The leaders on this team are just good statistical players that have no idea how to win a ball game through team play. The players that could/should have been true Knicks have been slowing down. Stephon, Q, and Malik should all probably retire soon considering their limitations on the basketball court. They’re simply not as effective as they once were in this league. A good indicator of who should stay is this: if you are not still on your first/rookie contract, you probably shouldn’t be a Knick long term.

Of course, with James “El Duce” Dolan in charge, what seems obvious to some, may be contrary to the position he’ll take. Isiah could still have the keys to this franchise, through this season, into the next, five years from now. There is no end in sight, no accountability for another season sans playoffs. It was my opinion before training camp started that if Isiah didn’t get these Knicks into the playoffs this season–no excuses, not even natural disasters, awol players, anything–Isiah should go.

So here we are, no playoffs–again. You know what that means to me?

Time to go, coach. You too, GM.

Knicks fans deserve better than 19-48.