The Knicks: A Quick Fix?

Citizen Sprewell pretty much summed it all up, "Something has to be done as far as getting us some size and toughness. Personal feelings have to be set aside -- If you can't lay it on the line, then you don't need to be here."

My sentiments exactly. The Knicks cleaned out their lockers Saturday after being knocked out in the first round for the first time since 1991. Most of them might as well take their name plates too because, with luck, you'll see a very different team next year. The Knicks, who have been over-achieving for years, are in need of a serious make over. Problem is they spent all their money on Lee Press-On Nails last year.

Translation: Ewing For Rice et al. was a HUGE mistake. The Knicks, after trading away their Heart in Oakley (and to lesser degree Mason before that) needed a banger in the worst way. Trading Ewing for Rice was wrong for so many reasons (his heart, his leadership, his size, his loyalty, etc). But the biggest reason nobody ever talks about is money. Had the Knicks kept Ewing, there's a good chance they'd still be playing golf instead of basketball today -- but at least there would be one less Duffer searching for his ball in the woods. Ewing would have been as good as gone as a free agent, leaving at least a little more room to sign players. But alas, this is not the case and Glen "No Heart With My" Rice will be on the books for another three years at $9 million per.

Sometimes you have to eat crow (At this point, the Knicks brass is wishing they traded Ewing for World B. Free and a bag of chips).

The worst part is that I've been hearing talk about bringing Patrick back. Make no mistake: Just because Patrick is tall doesn't mean he can still play (please refer to his season in Seattle). What the Knicks really need now is to get tougher any way they can. Hopefully LJ, Mugsy and Luc will all retire and the powers that be can work a sign-and-trade for Webber(Bye-Bye Allan and Marcus).

If this all happens, and it might, the Knicks starting 5 could look something like this: Jackson, Spree, C-Webb and the surprisingly good Kurt Thomas (high marks in the toughness department, both mentally and physically) as well as our $9 million dollar waste of space, Glen Rice. Perhaps Mrs. Layden and Checketts might even have enough money from the retirement fund to get another young blue-collared banger like Jerome "Junk Yard Dog" Williams.

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