36 Year Old Finally Arrived!
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After signing with the New York Knicks, Allan Houston had his first practice. Playing in a scrimmage, many say Houston's jump shot is great.
Houston's jump shot has helped the Knicks in the past. "He could still shoot the ball,” Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said. "He's probably one of the top 10 best shooters to ever play in our sport. So he'll be able to shoot the ball when he's 60 years old."
He won’t be starting, but Houston could get playing time.
Houston's old, and injuries have held him back. "Usually I believe that professional athletes retire because they no longer have the desire or there's no longer desire for them to be part of whatever situation they are in," Houston said. "That wasn't the case for me when I retired. It was health."
His performance in practice was great, but it doesn't matter. Practice is different from playing in games.
The Knicks struggled on defense, and couldn't get stops. Houston's jump shot could help, but it doesn't take away their problems. The Knicks defense is horrible, and "it got Larry Brown fired." Changing coaches didn't help, because the problem still remains.
Houston's presence doesn't serve any purpose, it's not an improvement. Many people have doubts about Houston, because he wasn't productive before his retirement and he's "36 years old".
He could get injured again, because I doubt Houston's knee can handle the NBA. "You've got to believe something," Houston said. "Obviously people are going to state facts about the condition of your knee, but miracles happen every day. There are just some things you don't explain."
Why not stay retired? It’s better for his health.
"If he was a 36-year-old guy named Joe Smith with the injuries that he's had, I never would have had him in camp," Thomas said. "But the fact that he's Allan Houston, he's played for this organization and I know him personally, he's deserving of this chance and this opportunity, and I'm giving it to him." The Knicks weren't happy having Houston before his retirement, and now they sign him again. This makes them look "dumb", because Houston is just taking space on the roster.
Houston doesn't make a difference, he's just another player. His performances are going to be average, and he might find it hard to compete. "I feel like this is a tough spot that I'm in for," Houston said. "These guys have worked their butts off for two weeks and then here I come and say I want to play again. And so for me, hopefully I can make it worth him and the team allowing me to do this. That's all I can do at this point."
The Knicks are going the wrong way; getting young players should be the goal. Having "washed" up players isn’t doing anything. It's the reason for their failure, a change is needed.
