Don’t want to be a part of it
NBA stars won’t give NY a shot
The Knicks dribbled into This Garden last night with a 4-14 record — and, of course, the requisite sales pitch to their beleaguered following that things will be getting much better really soon. Trust them.
The franchise has been a politician making campaign promises each year for an election that never works out the way it hoped.
Yes, times are hard right now, but better days are coming, they say. There will be marquee free agents and lottery picks that will develop into stars — and better healthcare at less than what you’re paying now. You’ll see, the best people will line up for a chance to play in New York.
Except they don’t. Or they haven’t so far.
The Knicks were all-in on LeBron James in 2010, and there was even some lastminute hope that said dream would come true when he held “The Decision” just a handful of miles from the Knicks’ practice facility.
But the only joy in James’ announcement was experienced by those with hearing issues who thought he said he was taking his talents to South Street Seaport.
There was further insult to New York senses in 2016 when the Knicks, unable to get even a sniff at Kevin Durant, had to watch him grant audiences to more suitable suitors a short distance away in The Hamptons.
And it has to be a bit unnerving for backers of the Knickerbockers that the Celtics have been able to defeat other clubs for the max-level services of Gordon Hayward and Al Horford (and the promise of long-term re-enlistment by Kyrie Irving next summer — albeit a promise that isn’t real until ink hits contract). These are, by the way, the same Celtics that were said by pundits to be Siberia for free agents. No one’s going to want to play THERE.
Who wouldn’t want to play in a big city like New York? The answer to that is too painful for the Knicks to ponder.
Even Carmelo Anthony, a star they were able to acquire by trade and then resign to a big deal three years later, never really worked out as hoped.
Nor did two of the most famous people the franchise brought in. Isiah Thomas and Phil Jackson were expected to be saviors, and their name recognition certainly helped buoy the hopes of the fan base at first. But the club continued to founder.
Jackson’s response to whiffing on Durant in ’16 was to give Joakim Noah four years and $72 million and sign Brandon Jennings, Courtney Lee and Willy Hernangomez.
The larger result has been a run of futility disturbing even to Bostonians, a people bred to dislike New York so deeply they can’t warm fully to the great Neil Young because of his initials. As much as Red Sox fans despise the Yankees, they have to admit life is more fun when each team is up to the highest standards of the rivalry.
The Knicks? The last time they meant anything to the Celtics was 2013 when they presided over the end of the Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett era by dismissing the C’s, 4-2, in the first round of the playoffs. A couple of months later, Danny Ainge pulled off The Great Brooklyn Heist, allowing the Celts to rebuild into a conference finalist while the Knicks were buying lottery tickets.
The New Yorkers have made the playoffs just three times in the last 14 years.
Roll that around in your head awhile. Three times in 14 years. And they haven’t been in the postseason since bowing to Indiana after putting the Celts out of their misery in ’13.
Since the 2004-05 season, New York is 7-14 in the playoffs. The Celtics won 11 postseason games LAST SEASON.
But the Knicks are ready to make their move next summer. They will clear a max salary slot and hope that some star wants to leave his deal for less money than he can get to stay with his present team for the right to play with a hopefully healthy Kristaps Porzingis. Kevin Durant part II, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker and even Irving — all are targets of the club’s affection.
New coach Dave Fizdale already was giving it his Madison Avenue best in Las Vegas last summer.
“It’s the greatest city on Earth,” he said. “Guys want to be in New York City. We got NBA players running around New York City right now looking for a place to play pickup.
“If we could just get the foundation in place, really build the structure and the culture in a way that people view it that it’s a good thing they’re doing out there, the rest of it I think is going to take care of itself.”
And better healthcare.
Don’t forget the healthcare.