{"id":35075,"date":"2020-07-27T16:01:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-27T13:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/knicks-mailbag-tanking-is-not-an-option-under-tom-thibodeau\/"},"modified":"2020-07-27T16:01:00","modified_gmt":"2020-07-27T13:01:00","slug":"knicks-mailbag-tanking-is-not-an-option-under-tom-thibodeau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/knicks-mailbag-tanking-is-not-an-option-under-tom-thibodeau\/","title":{"rendered":"#Knicks mailbag: Tanking is not an option under Tom Thibodeau"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Knicks mailbag: Tanking is not an option under Tom Thibodeau<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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July 27, 2020 |<\/span> 9:01am |<\/span> Updated July 27, 2020 | 8:08am<\/span><\/p>\n

\n You ask, we answer. The Post is fielding questions from readers about New York\u2019s biggest pro sports teams and getting our beat writers to answer them in a series<\/a> of regularly published mailbags. In today\u2019s installment: the Knicks.<\/em><\/p>\n

In 2002-03 the Knicks won 37 game<\/a>s with a group of ragtag veterans and wound up picking ninth in the lottery (Michael Sweetney). LeBron James, Melo, D Wade and Chris Bosh went Top 5. Word is the 2021 draft is loaded with stars and the Knicks are interested in chasing the eighth seed with some veterans. Will history repeat itself? \u2014 Nick<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been recent habit for Knicks fans to root for the tank and play the young players heavy minutes even if they don\u2019t give the club the best chance of winning. The newly hired old-schooler Tom Thibodeau is all about winning \u2014 tanking being a curse word.<\/p>\n

But if any season is ripe to vie for a top lottery seed and not the eighth seed, you can make the case it\u2019s the 2020-21 season. Who knows if there will be fans allowed inside the Garden to chant \u201csell the team\u201d?<\/p>\n

The 2020 free-agent class and 2020 draft, to be held Oct. 15, has been viewed as weak. Knicks president Leon Rose said only two draft-eligible players \u201cstand out\u201d with parity existing thereafter. He was probably referring to just coveted point guard LaMelo Ball and Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards. The Knicks are seeded sixth in the Aug. 20 lottery and could fall to No. 9 or 10.<\/p>\n

\"Knicks<\/img>
The Knicks will not be tanking under Tom Thibodeau.<\/span>AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Free agency might be even weaker if Anthony Davis opts in with the Lakers because of the salary-cap reduction due to lost BRI (Basketball Related Revenue). Another high lottery pick in 2021 and a shot at a sexy free-agent class \u2014 headed by Giannis Antetokounmpo \u2014 might be a play.<\/p>\n

The 2021 draft headed by Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Brandon Boston Jr., Jonathan Kuminga, Jalen Suggs and Evan Mobley might not be the worst thing to shoot for if Thibodeau develops his young stallions.<\/p>\n

However, after seven straight losing seasons, owner James Dolan wants victories. That\u2019s why David Fizdale was fired so quickly after a 4-18 start. Tanking was not an option and Rose wants to prove his mettle and show free agents the Garden\u2019s winning culture has been restored. That\u2019s why Thibodeau is here and Kenny Atkinson became an also-ran.<\/p>\n

Why are some writers suggesting Carmelo Anthony is the answer? Is it not wiser to go forward instead of backwards? \u2014 Paul<\/strong><\/p>\n

With Rose, his former agent in charge, and Thibodeau as head coach, Anthony is in play. Thibodeau, as the Bulls coach, lusted after Anthony during 2014 free agency.<\/p>\n

Former Knicks president Steve Mills wanted no part of Anthony after Anthony forced a trade and didn\u2019t open up his wish list. (Anthony had a no-trade clause). It still worked out. The Knicks netted what turned into second-year center Mitchell Robinson, selected with Oklahoma City\u2019s second-round pick in 2018.<\/p>\n

There is strong belief the Brooklyn-born Anthony would want to finish his career as a Knick and play for Thibodeau, whom he has publicly praised. He showed up to the Orlando restart bubble for Portland in terrific shape, earning the nickname \u201cSkinny Melo.\u201d Anthony is down to the 230-235-pound range and can\u2019t remember the last time he was that light.<\/p>\n

Anthony said he adopted \u201ca very intense, very healthy diet\u201d because Portland wanted to see him back at small forward. That would be the perfect fit in New York since the Knicks traded Marcus Morris.<\/p>\n

At best, Anthony can start at small forward and be a key mentor for Kevin Knox. At worst, he grumbles about not starting, struggles on defense and becomes too much of an isolationist.<\/p>\n

Will the Knicks allow (Thibodeau) to pick his assistants or will the organization select them? \u2014 Leroy<\/p>\n

I reported this past week that the front office prefers to pick some of the new staff \u2014 Mike Miller and Mike Woodson being a preference.<\/p>\n

Thibodeau knows Miller through Jeff Van Gundy and comes highly recommended. Miller was on Van Gundy\u2019s Team USA World Cup qualifier staff. Woodson and Thibs have never crossed paths. We also reported Thibodeau is willing to change up on his past beliefs about picking his own guys.<\/p>\n

Is it realistic to expect the Knicks to have an all star coaching staff: Thibodeau (head coach), Kidd and Atkinson (assistants)? \u2014 Jean<\/strong><\/p>\n

Forget Kidd. Why would the California native leave LA? It\u2019s a healthy debate whether Atkinson would want to be top assistant somewhere as he waits for another head-coaching opportunity, especially for his hometown team. But such an arrangement would put too much pressure on the head coach if something goes awry. Who knows what shakes out in Philadelphia and Houston later this summer for Atkinson?\n <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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If you want to read more Sports News<\/a> articles, you can visit our General category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“#Knicks mailbag: Tanking is not an option under Tom Thibodeau” July 27, 2020 | 9:01am | Updated July 27, 2020 | 8:08am You ask, we answer. The Post is fielding questions from readers about New York\u2019s biggest pro sports teams and getting our beat writers to answer them in a series of regularly published mailbags….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35076,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[44637],"class_list":["post-35075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-knicks-mailbag-tanking-is-not-an-option-under-tom-thibodeau"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35075","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35075"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35075\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}