KD’S NOT OK
Knicks must take pass on Durant
The news regarding Kevin Durant continues to get worse. The NBA’s reigning MVP is done for the season after the Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Friday that Durant will need another surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot. For those scoring at home, this will be Durant’s third such operation since October. You don’t need Bill Walton or Brook Lopez to tell you that all those foot surgeries can be game changers. For Durant’s sake and the sake of basketball fans everywhere you want him to come back as good as ever.
The Thunder remains optimistic that in six months Durant will be as good as new. Of course, last month OKC management sugar coated Durant’s latest setback only to see things get worse, not better. Yao Ming had foot issues and was forced into an early retirement. Zydrunas Illgauskas experienced foot problems early in his career but still managed to produce a rather productive career.
You want to believe that Durant, a brilliant player and class guy, has a long career ahead of him as well. But Durant’s injury should provide Phil Jackson and the Knicks some clarity as they head into this summer and next summer with available cap space to sign free agents.
The Knicks fell to 14-59 following Friday’s 96-92 loss to the Boston Celtics. A loss on Saturday to Jackson’s former club, the Chicago Bulls, would represent the Knicks first 60-loss season in franchise history. And Durant thinks he’s had it rough.
The smart money says Durant’s foot will recover quicker than Jackson’s Knicks. Considering what transpired on Friday, the prudent plan would be to stop dreaming of signing Durant 16 months from now and build the right way; with this year’s lottery pick and quality free agents, even if they have to be so called second tier free agents. The Knicks need to start building a team, not a fantasy league roster.
What the Knicks can ill afford to do is hand over a max contract to an All Star with a checkered medical history. Allan Houston became the franchise’s first $100 million man 14 years ago and right on cue his knees gave out. It took the Knicks nearly seven years to escape that abyss. In 2010, the Knicks ignored the warning signs regarding Amar’e Stoudemire’s health and made him the club’s newest $100 million savior. By the third year of his contract, Stoudemire began breaking down just as the Phoenix Suns’ doctors told Steve Kerr he would.
Last July, Jackson and Garden chairman James Dolan went all in on Carmelo Anthony, signing him to a massive $124 million deal, and by the second game of the season Melo began experiencing knee soreness. Anthony’s year ended last month on the operating table.
When Jackson spoke with reporters two weeks ago in Los Angeles he suggested that the Knicks will rebuild through free agency, not the NBA Draft. Jackson, who turns 70 in September, wants to win now, especially with this year’s epic failure on his resume.
Championships are a part of Jackson’s legacy. He modestly called his latest book, “Eleven Rings” and there is nothing Jackson wants more than to make it an even dozen before he calls it quits, which could be sooner rather than later.
Long suffering Knicks fans want a title just as badly as Jackson. But if the Zen Master wants to really enhance his legacy he can do it by putting together a team that a perennial contender for a decade as opposed to rolling the dice on instant success.
Just because you can throw gobs of money at free agents doesn’t mean you have to. And just because you have money and the lure of a big market doesn’t mean you’re going to land the big fish. LeBron James was a free agent twice in the last five years. He changed teams twice. And never had any desire to rescue the Knicks.
There is no guarantee that Durant will leave Oklahoma City. Despite the market size, Durant has more endorsements than he’ll ever need. Plus, his hometown Wizards could be in play in 2016. And don’t ever count out the Lakers or Pat Riley and the Miami Heat.
The Knicks have been down this road before. They dream big, overpay for the consolation prize and then start all over once their max player falls apart.
Doesn’t mean Durant will. But the Knicks, who have won one playoff series since 2000, can’t afford to take that risk.