New York Knicks: Erasing An Era

[VincentB]

This is my first dynasty that I will be posting on OS, and I will be doing something a little different. I purchased the text sim, Fast Break Pro Basketball 3 that was released last week, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the historical database.

With that being said, I have decided to take control of the New York Knicks as their new General Manager, beginning at the start the 2003-04 NBA season with each team having their post trade-deadline roster. I chose the Knicks because they are a rebuilding project, and I would like to erase those terrible years that they had prior to 2010-11. All of the player contracts are accurate and league wide changes, such as: salary cap inflation, changes in the length of one's contract and the introduction of the Charlotte Bobcats will take place accordingly.

Hopefully I can make this enjoyable.

[JazzMan]

Consider me interested. I like new things.

[VincentB]

Last season was rough for both New York Knick fans and players. The team finished with an overall record of 37-45, good enough for a 5th place tie with the Wizards in the Atlantic Division. Record wise, only the Miami Heat fared worse.

Defensively, the Knicks were near the bottom of the league, as they ranked 23rd out of 29 teams in overall defense. While they let go of two injury riddled forwards in Keith Van Horn and Antonio McDyess, they have managed to add a defensive-minded center and one of the league's best shot blockers in Dikembe Mutombo as well as two-time All Star, Stephon Marbury, stretch four Tim Thomas and veteran swingman Penny Hardaway. This gives the Knicks a potential starting lineup of:

PG - Stephon Marbury
SG - Allen Houston
SF - Penny Hardaway
PF - Tim Thomas
C - Dikembe Mutombo

Along with the revamped roster, the Knicks also relieved 4 year general manager, Scott Layden of his managerial duties and hired a 29 year-old, graduate of Columbia University in the city of New York, Drew Reid. To go with an associates degree in economics, Reid has an immense basketball mind. He has been a lifelong fan of the NBA and his number one goal while he is GM is to build a winner.

In a statement released by the New York Post, Reid was quoted stating the following: "I was elated when I got the call telling me that I was offered the position of the New York Knicks general manager. They were my favorite team as a child because of their proud, storied history. Unfortunately, the recent moves that the franchise both made and failed to make weren't sitting well with the fans. My goal is to make this team a championship contender year in and year out and the only way to make that possible is by winning games. We are currently over the cap limit by about $16 million, so the first order of business is to get that taken care of. Once we are on the positive side financially, I will assess our situation as a team and go from there."

New York Knicks Depth Chart - 2003
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Stephon Marbury	Frank Williams	Anfernee Hardaway	Moochie Norris
SG	Allen Houston	Anfernee Hardaway	DerMarr Johnson	Shandon Anderson
SF	Anfernee Hardaway	DerMarr Johnson	Tim Thomas	Shandon Anderson
PF	Tim Thomas	Kurt Thomas	Mike Sweetney	Vin Baker
C	Dikembe Mutombo	Mike Sweetney	Vin Baker	Nazr Mohammed

[VincentB]

This offseason has been a fruitful one indeed. With the influx of talent entering the league; headlined by 18 year-old, Akron native, LeBron James, the NBA landscape has undergone a major transformation. Expectations are at an all-time high in Cleveland, but it seems as though they will have to be patient. Be prepared to see the Nets, Pistons, Lakers and Kings playing late into the season.

Eastern Conference Predictions - Atlantic Division

1. New Jersey Nets - Jason Kidd will benefit tremendously from having Alonzo Mouring at center. Look for Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson to provide Kidd with plenty of highlight dunks this season.



2. Orlando Magic - The Orlando Magic will be led by swingman Tracy McGrady. New coach Doc Rivers has a solid team with McGrady, Juwan Howard and impressive second year man, Drew Gooden. Expect McGrady to lead this team to the postseason and earn MVP type numbers.



3. Philadelphia 76ers - They have one of the most exciting players in the league in Allen Iverson. Luckily for him, he will not have to carry the team by himself this season. The 76ers have acquired Glenn Robinson to help AI put points on the board.



4. Boston Celtics - Paul Pierce will score at an efficient clip but don't expect the Celtics to reach the playoffs. They're lacking in too many key areas and the loss of Antoine Walker doesn't help.



5. Washington Wizards - The addition of Gilbert Arenas will definitely pay off for the Wizards, but not in the win column this year. On the plus side, they are a relatively young bunch and they will only get better with experience.



6. Miami Heat - Caron Butler, Lamar Odom and Dwyane Wade is a solid nucleus going forward but like the Wizards, they need more time. Combined, they have five years of NBA experience.



7. New York Knicks - Stephon Marbury and Allen Houston will be fun to watch, but the team will probably have a poor season. It's safe to say that the new general manager, Drew Reid has his work cut out for him.

[VincentB]

Eastern Conference Predictions - Central Division

1. Detroit Pistons - Larry Brown is the new head coach on a team loaded with talent. Billups, Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace will handle the scoring, while Ben Wallace will provide a defensive anchor in the middle.



2. Indiana Pacers - Reggie Miller is the best player to ever wear a Pacer uniform, but Jermaine O'Neal has quickly established himself as one of the best big men in the league. Last season he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds along with over 2.5 blocks per contest. The scary thing about it is that he's only 25 years old.



3. New Orleans Hornets - First year Hornets coach Tim Floyd is excited about the team that he has this year. They have a solid mix of athletic youth and veteran leadership, with Baron Davis, Jamal Mashburn, David West, Jamaal Magloire, Steve Smith and Darrell Armstrong. A second round playoff visit is not out of the question.



4. Toronto Raptors - Vince Carter hasn't been able to consistently stay on the floor for the past two seasons. Last year he averaged 20 ppg on 46% shooting, as well as 4 rebounds, but he only played in 43 games. If he can stay healthy he could lead a solid team consisting of Donyell marshall, Jalen Rose, Morris Peterson and rookie forward Chris Bosh deep into the playoffs.



5. Cleveland Cavaliers - If LeBron James lives up to the hype, Cleveland could sneak into the playoffs as the 8th seed. LeBron, Carlos Boozer and Zydrunaus Ilgauskas should form a formidable frontcourt.



6. Milwaukee Bucks - Gone is the 20 point scoring trio of Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell. Enter versatile forward, Keith Van Horn and the ultra-quick T.J. Ford to go with sharpshooting 4th year man Michael Redd. While their backcourt is solid, they lack bigs.



7. Chicago Bulls - Scottie Pippen returns to Chicago to play with Tyson Chandler, Jamal Crawford, Kirk Hinrich and Eddy Curry. Pippen's veteran leadership and defensive intensity will be good for the youngsters, but they will be picking in the lottery next year. On the flip side, the future looks bright.



8. Atlanta Hawks - Stephen Jackson showed improvement last season and Jason Terry and Wesley Person are decent scorers, but the fans in Atlanta desperately need a franchise player.

[VincentB]

Western Conference Predictions - Midwest Division

1. Minnesota Timberwolves - I think it's safe to say that Minnesota will have some success in the playoffs this year. Kevin Garnett will lead a team full of solid veterans from top to bottom.



2. Dallas Mavericks - Like the Timberwolves the Mavericks are an extremely talented bunch and I only expect them to get better throughout the course of the season. The addition of Antoine Walker puts them right up there with the best of the west.



3. San Antonio Spurs - Tim Duncan will not have David Robinson by his side this year, but Duncan will probably make another run at the MVP award. If Radaslav Nesterovic can continue to improve as well as Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli the Spurs will be fine.



4. Houston Rockets - Yao Ming will only improve this season and the backcourt scoring of Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley should lead to a playoff birth.



5. Memphis Grizzlies - This team is another young team that can be scary good in a few years. Pau Gasol is one of the league's best young big men and Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Bonzi Wells, Stromile Swift and Jason Williams provide depth and other scoring options. If they were in the Eastern Conference they would be a middle of the road playoff team, but the West is too tough.



6. Denver Nuggets - Carmelo Anthony will have the green light from the get-go in Denver. Wins will probably be tough to come by this season, but Anthony has a great chance at winning Rookie Of The Year.



7. Utah Jazz - Gone are Stockton, Malone and those playoff runs. Andrei Kirilenko is a nice piece going forward but there isn't much to look forward to this season in Salt Lake City.

[VincentB]

Western Conference Predictions - Pacific Division

1. Los Angeles Lakers - With four players who have proved that they can win solo, the Lakers have put together a super team with the addition of Gary Payton and Karl Malone. If Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal put their differences aside, look for this team to make a run at the Chicago Bulls' record for wins in a season.



2. Sacramento Kings - The addition of Brad Miller will only make the Kings stronger, as they are perhaps the only team that stands in the way of the Lakers returning to the top. Their matchup in the Western Conference Finals should be another classic.



3. Phoenix Suns - Amare Stoudemire and Sean Marion lead a Suns team that would be a threat to make a deep playoff run if they were in the Eastern Conference, but the West is too competitive from top to bottom.



4. Seattle Supersonics - Ray Allen has been one of the most consistent players in the league for the duration of his career. Rashard Lewis has taken great steps forward in the last few seasons, but they don't have the depth to make a serious run at the playoffs.



5. Los Angeles Clippers - Elton Brand averaged 18 points 11 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game last season, but it didn't equate to many wins. This year won't be much different.



6. Golden State Warriors - The Warriors lack the leadership that the top teams have. Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy look like solid players, but it takes more than a couple of young scorers to win consistently.



7. Portland Trailblazers - This year loos like it will be rough. The departure of Rasheed Wallace has left the team with a core of Damon Stoudamire, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Dale Davis. The team is very high on Zach Randolph, but he's still young and learning.

NBA Finals Prediction
Kings over Nets

MVP: Tracy McGrady

All-League Team
PG: Jason Kidd (Nets)
SG: Tracy McGrady (Magic)
SF: LeBron James (Cavaliers)
PF: Kevin Garnett (Timberwolves)
C: Tim Duncan (Spurs)

All-Rookie Team
PG: T.J. Ford (Bucks)
SG: Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets)
SF: LeBron James (Cavaliers)
PF: Chris Bosh (Raptors)
C: Chris Kaman (Clippers)

[VincentB]

Matchup Preview *|* October 21, 2003
	@
Denver Nuggets (0-0, 0-0 Away)		New York Knicks (0-0, 0-0 Home)
Projected Starters Andre Miller Point Guard Stephon Marbury Voshon Lenard Shooting Guard Allan Houston Carmelo Anthony Small Forward Anfernee Hardaway Nene Hilario Power Forward Tim Thomas Marcus Camby Center Dikembe Mutombo Injury Report Game Notes First preseaon game

The New York Knicks will open up the 2003 preseason against rookie Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets. Coach Lenny Wilkins will use the preseason as a measuring stick, as he is still not certain in his rotation. In a statement released by the press, he stated that: "We had a solid training camp, but we are still trying to gel on the offensive end of the floor. We know that the offense will primarily run through Marbury and Houston, but everything else is still up in the air."