Love, Gasol, Aldridge, Jordan. With all the big-men available in literally the biggest free agent market in recent years, through all the big-names that are in most part going to re-sign with their original teams, there’s one who isn’t that many are forgetting.
Except for the New York Knicks.
The Pistons according to their top big-man Greg Monroe are “not interested” in this star who should be the post cornerstone of the future of this franchise. They and everybody else should be and not just as a player option, when the second, and third choices aren’t in play. The Knicks learnt this this Summer with their fourth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft this week, which almost guaranteed them that they wouldn’t get one of the Karl Anthony-Towns (Timberwolves), D’Angelo Russell (Lakers) and Jahil Okafor (Sixers) big-three rookies. So they went fourth and selected international player of mystery, Kristaps Porzingis. Who some, including previous whispering rumors of Carmelo Anthony thought was a bust move. Instead, we think the Knicks have a kid in Kristaps that could boom into a surprise selection that fine wines in years like when the Dallas Mavericks gave a cap to the overgrown gown like suit to some German kid with more range in his shot then letters in his surname. Even if Porzingis has a quarter of a career that arguably one of the best European players of all-time-if not basketball players as a whole-Dirk Nowitzki has, then Phil Jackson’s Knicks will have done well in finally filling the doughnut sugared core of the rotten, basketball Big Apple with a big-man.
Just minutes after the draft the most famous Knicks fan not seated courtside in a chair reading; ‘Spike Lee’, Michael Rapaport tweeted and asked “When Will The Garden be Eden Again”? Like the name of the actors narrated 30 For 30 documentary on the championship team of the 70’s. Well the answer to that question from former player of that time and now owner Phil Jackson may be; “right now”!
Not only should Rapaport and the trend he started on Twitter not underrate and underestimate Porzingis as much as they would have preferred a guy like Kaminsky, Mudiay, Cauley-Stein or Winslow. They should also hold some hope for next season, even though they shared the frustration of ‘Melo’s re-signing under the new ownership of the Zen Master and fellow Laker alumni Derek Fisher which turned another encouraging season into yet another calmed down one. Even though it seems like season after 82 the Mecca doesn’t matter even if Madison Square Garden is the Worlds Most Famous Arena, this new year two of the leagues most famous names could help bring the bright lights back from Times Square.
Sure trading Tim Hardaway Jr was not a good start, but the first of July could set things right again if the Knicks really are the favorites to land Piston big-man Greg Monroe on their quest for the cup. Add their front-running status of acquiring another Portland Trail Blazer Free Agent star in Arron Afflalo and rumor could have this team back in the running across Manhattan Bridge. Beloved Knicks fans with a New York state of mind have been patient for all-too many years, but a team of Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Arron Afflalo and Greg Monroe could be the perfect inside/outside mix to rule the M.S.G courts for the first time since back when a Monroe called Earl The Pearl was shining.
Phil Jackson knows all about this and it’s time for the rest of N.Y.C. to find out too. Sure it’s going to take even more of that precious New York minute time to grow, but for Adam’s Big Apple these could be the roots of Eden.
In the city that never sleeps without a rock, heaven doesn’t just have to be a playground.
