David Aldridge
Turner Sports Hall of Fame NBA reporter David Aldridge talks Knicks, Lonzo and covering Gregg Popovich with The Post’s Justin Terranova.
Q: Have the Knicks removed the laughingstock label that was plastered on them in recent reasons?
A: Nobody seemed to understand what Phil [Jackson] was doing, and he wasn’t really sharing that information with anybody. Why was he openly bashing Carmelo [Anthony]? Why was he talking about trading [Kristaps] Porzingis, who’s 21, to rebuild? It didn’t make any sense. This season, I don’t think anyone saw them being anywhere near .500 right now, so that’s a pleasant surprise. That’s something they should be excited about, especially with all the injuries they have. That’s a credit to what Jeff [Hornacek] is doing and, also, some of their young guys have played pretty well. They need Porzingis to be healthy to have any chance of staying competitive, so that’s where their attention should be the next few weeks.
Q: Why hasn’t the Anthony and Paul George transition been smooth with the Thunder?
A: It’s really hard when you have three guys who are all used to having the ball. It’s really hard to figure out on the fly. If they had a summer where they were all together maybe it would’ve worked, but it’s hard to do that so close to training camp. They’ll figure it out. It’ll probably take them half a season, but they will. It’s in all of their best interests for this to work out this year.
Q: How has Lonzo Ball handled his rookie season?
A: He’s been pretty honest about his struggles shooting the ball, and when he’s played poorly he’s owned up to it. Lonzo is going to be fine. Most guys who come into this league and aren’t great shooters become decent shooters. They don’t become great but decent, and that’s fine. I am not worried about him. He has too much talent. He’s going to be a very good point guard in this league. It’s just going to take him a little longer than they had hoped in LA. Q: Have you worked with LaVar Ball? A: No, there are more than enough people that cover him on a regular basis. I don’t need to add my name to the list. Q: Who is the most engaging and challenging coach to cover on the sidelines? A: Pop [Gregg Popovich] is a guy who doesn’t want to do it, and we all understand that’s a challenge. It is what it is, and it’s OK. It doesn’t define either of us. It takes up about 75 seconds of our life every few weeks. You ask the best two questions you can, and he answers them if he feels like it. If he doesn’t, then fine. I don’t lose sleep over it. You can’t tie yourself into knots.