When Will We Ever Learn
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by user Moritz Wollert
This morning after the NBA Draft 2007, I went to the beach and went on a long walk. I needed the fresh air and the setting of the beautiful sea in the morning. And as I was walking along the water, I just couldn't get that old Pete Seeger song out of my head. "Where have all the flowers gone"... mmhmmh... especially I remembered the last line of it... "when will we ever learn".
The night of the 2007 NBA Draft was once again a tumultous for the New York Knicks. Isiah Thomas worked his magic and showed his flair for the dramatic, completing a blockbuster deal with the Portland Trailblazers which sends Zach Randolph along with Fred Jones, Dan Dickau and second round draft choice Demetris Nichols (Syracuse) to the Knicks for Channing Frye and Steve Francis.
Yes, Steve Francis is finally gone and can dissapear somewhere else. Frye?! Who cares, he was soft anyways... and that Randolph guy is pretty good.
Well, spoken generally, yes, but not so fast...
Sure, talentwise this deal is an absolute steal for Isiah and the Knicks. Zach Randolph is arguably one of the best offensive power forwards in the entire league, averaging 23.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game last season. Remember where Portland is?! In the West! Considering he was in the same conference as guys like Tim Duncan, Elton Brand, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki or Carlos Boozer makes these numbers even more impressive. He was one of only five players who averaged 20/10 last season (Garnett, Boozer, Duncan, Bosh). Pretty nasty stuff for a 25-year old...
Yet the deal raises tons of question marks, no surprise since we are still talking about an Isiah Thomas trade here...
If the games in the NBA were only decided by talent and potential, well, then I would propably still be drunk from the Knicks' 2007 championship parade. While Randolph is a big time basketball talent, it will be very interesting how he fits in alongside young emerging Knicks center Eddy Curry (24). Both have the same strengths (except for the fact that Randolph gets quite a few rebounds) and the same weaknesses. I'll bet they won't talk about defense or passing the ball the first time they meet on the court. Both will play about 35 minutes a night, does that mean fan favorite David Lee will only get 20 minutes per contest?!
The next problem I see with "ZBo" is his injury history. In the last three years he only averaged just over 62 games for the season, battling wrist and knee injuries. The Knicks better make sure they get a good look at the new star physically if they don't want him to fly around somewhere and not fit in like a guy Isiah traded for about one and a half years ago...
[1] As bad as it may look for Knicks fans but the Randolph's baggage includes another major problem: Off court issues! Thirty days in juvenile detention for shoplifting, thirty days of house arrest for battery, thirty days in juvenile detention for receiving stolen property, underage drinking arrest in Marion, Ind., Team suspension by the Trail Blazers for sucker-punching teammate, arrested in Portland for driving under the influence of intoxicants and marijuana, accused by police of lying in an investigation of his brother shooting three men in an Indiana nightclub, making obscene gestures to fans after a game in Indiana, sued for sexual assault, though prosecutors didn't file criminal charges....
Yes that's this new guy the Knicks just aquired last night. His off court trouble list would make Pacman Jones burst with envy. What has become a hot topic in american sports is far more serious than some people think. With Randolph now coming to New York, the city that never sleeps, I wouldn't be surprised if he adds anything to this list and as we could read a few rows before, guns have been in play earlier with ZBo... I think though a lot of it comes just from being immature. Randolph is generally known as a good kid but we all know how quick immaturity and the big city life can get you in trouble. Hope Randolph knows that aswell.
The Knicks weren't a great team last season but atleast they had a nice young core that stuck together. The Knicks biggest problems - basketball IQ, outside shooting and inside defense - won't be solved with the arrival of Randolph yet fans have to fear he even worsens those. With Randolph the potential Knicks starting lineup now atleast adds up to five years of college ball experience which will surely help them to play together and "play the game the right way". One thing is for sure, Isiah will have a lot of teaching to do...
Now of course, if the Randolph/Curry experiment works out, we potentially look at the most dominating offensive frontcourt in the entire league for years to come. Both are young and can certainly grow together. Yet they can also neutralize themselves or even hurt the team on defense... well, maybe I shouldn't say "hurt", these two have the potential to "kill" the Knicks on D! Many of the stories I noted above may be a little overblown just like the comments Nate McMillan made about Randolph's work ethic. But still, if someone constantly drives his car into the wall, the insurance won't pay from some point on. Randolph has to understand that he has to be more serious about his job, his life and the team. From reports he has been a good teammate and even tried to be a leader for the young Blazers club at the end of last season. But maturity and leadership, Mr Randolph, have also be proven in actions, not only in words or to lend out your new playstation to the rookies... if he works on himself and Curry does the same, then we maybe in for a great future. The combination of a lefty and a righty in the post could definitely smoothen the marriage and space the floor extremely well. Time will tell!
[2] Isiah Thomas has once again tried to shake up the Knicks team which he certainly did. Randolph as the numbers indicate will become the new centerpiece in New York or atleast the second center piece next to Curry. It's another try to finally get the storied franchise back on their once winning ways. Curry/Randolph is another experiment, just like Stephon Marbury was, then pairing Marbury with Steve Francis... Isiah seems to like experiments, just as the big contracts for Jerome James and Jared Jeffries. All these - I will be polite and say questionable - deals show you one thing: Isiah Thomas doesn't really have a plan for this franchise! Plain and simple. He aquires Francis just about a year ago, now he's already shipped away. Jeffries and James play if ever limited roles on the squad and certainly are available in trades.
Yes, more trades! Currently the Knicks have to many players on their roster (17 players instead of the allowed 15) and certainly have to do a little more on the player market if they plan to give all the new guys a shot. Oh yeah, Zeke also got two new rookies: The aforementioned Demetris Nichols and with the 23rd pick he selected Wilson Chandler out of DePaul. Chandler is his project player with a big upside and Nichols will add a deadly shooting stroke from long range... if he makes the team, which isn't guarenteed after the bloated number of contracts the Knicks now have on their hands. Both rookies though won't face the usual high New York expectations. Those for the next season all belong to a guy named Zach...
As you can see with my long excerpt about last night and the newly aquired Knicks star, I have returned from the beach. I still don't have any other song in my ear but I certainly hope the best for Randolph and the Knicks. We can only pray "ZBo" won't deliver the new storyline of Jay-Z's "99 problems"... ahh here we got another track. Isiah should pray too or his tenure in New York could be ended very soon after his newest make or break move...
Oh damn, I forgot, Knicks owner James Dolan just extended Zeke's contract...
And here it is again...
"When will we ever learn"...
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