It’ll remain dark in Gotham
It’ll remain dark in Gotham; with due respect to Kristaps Porzingis, the flicker of hope that appeared to be in sight after the departure of Phil Jackson is evidently back in hiding.
For the record, the Knicks were not targeting five-time National Basketball Association All- Star Tim Hardaway when they dangled their richest contract offer to a free agent in the current offseason. They were after the Junior, who normed 14.5 points in 28 minutes of exposure for the Hawks through the 2016-2017 campaign. As obvious as their intentions may have been over the weekend, the clarification seems in order given the staggering figures; their $71-million proposal through four years is more than one and a half times that being mulled by his immediate past employers, who, it must also be noted, happened to be their only rivals for his services.
Needless to say, the reactions came fast and loose. An amalgamation of the best: Knicks fans prayed for the Hawks to exercise their right to match the numbers every other franchise wouldn’t have thought of putting forward even if the denomination were in Yen, noting that if the neighboring Falcons could blow a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl, the next-to-impossible development could happen as well. Yesterday, however, came confirmation, that all was still right with the rest of the world, and honchos of the blue and orange got who they wanted under their terms.
The story would have been juicy enough to spawn countless Internet memes were it to end there. The Knicks being the Knicks, though, there’s more. Even as it comes in the tradition of the $ 100- million albatross they handed Allan Houston at the turn of the century and following last year’s $72.6-milion atrocity given to the player formerly known as Joakim Noah, the windfall due Hardaway hangs over the franchise more importantly because it shouldn’t at all have been necessary for them to foot a single cent. To recall, they drafted him with the 24th overall pick in 2013. And, adding injury to insult, here’s the clincher: They traded him to the Hawks for Jerian Grant, who was then sent to the Bulls for Derrick Rose, who had to be waived to make room for him.
Clearly, the Knicks are high on Hardaway. And they’re high enough, at least, to forget the fact that, just a season ago, they committed $52 million to Courtney Lee, who so happens to play his position. Oh, and for good measure, they threw in a 15% trade kicker and a player option for the fourth year, not to mention agreed to pay half his annual salary by the end of every September. What was Executive Vice-President and General Manager Steve Mills smoking?
If there’s any consolation to the whole affair, it’s that the Knicks may be buoyed to lower their asking price for star-cumpariah Carmelo Anthony. Their preferential option for youth and dwindling salary cap space demand it. And Mills may be many things, but he is also close to the 10-time All- Star; the amiable working relationship may yet lead to a deal with the Rockets, who can’t wait to partner the erstwhile top dog with Most Valuable Player runner-up James and banana boat buddy Chris Paul. In any case, it’ll remain dark in Gotham; with due respect to Kristaps Porzingis, the flicker of hope that appeared to be in sight after the departure of Phil Jackson is evidently back in hiding.