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Believe it or not, things about to get worse for Knicks – Metro US

Believe it or not, things about to get worse for Knicks

Believe it or not, things about to get worse for Knicks
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The Knicks (5-35) will soon venture overseas for their Thursday tilt with the Milwaukee Bucks in London, England, and cynical fans will likely hope the squad stays across the pond after team president Phil Jackson all but admitted he’s done a terrible job and the team is now the leader in the tanking clubhouse.

Jackson, who likely viewed his new-look team as at least good enough to compete for the bottom rung of the playoff bracket, is now facing the facts that he must completely gut the roster. By noting that “no one should be surprised” by what the Knicks do next before the Feb. 19 trade deadline, it essentially means that outside of injured superstar Carmelo Anthony, the fire sale has just begun.

This is a stark contrast to how the Knicks were viewed at this point last year when they finished one game behind the then-mediocre Atlanta Hawks for the eighth and final playoff seed. Fast forward to present day and this squad now sits 25 games behind the Eastern Conference-leading Hawks (29-8) – a team that has no ownership and basically has the same roster as last season.

This brutal reality may be the primary reason why Jackson is so interested in napalming the roster and starting all over again, via the draft and prudent free-agent signings over the course of the next two upcoming summers.

Jackson has already jettisoned J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert in a three-way deal, last week, but he hinted that there could be more to come. Point guard Jose Calderon and forward Andrea Bargnani could be next in finding new teams, as their salary – and lackluster play – doesn’t really make them long for the orange and blue.

With price tags of $7.097 million (Calderon) and $12 million (Bargnani), respectively, there’s still plenty of room to increase next season’s salary cap space – and their tanking advantage.

Neither player has been a great fit, as Calderon (9.2 points per game and just 40 percent from the floor) has struggled to find his shot and rhythm in the Triangle offense, and Bargnani (just two games) has simply not been healthy enough to show his wares. Plus, with Calderon not lacking in possible suitors and Bargnani an expiring contract, it makes sense to move them as soon as possible.

Jackson has finally realized that their current franchise-worst 15-game losing streak has nothing to do with their failure to grasp the Triangle, but rather they just don’t defend and their roster simply isn’t talented enough.

The Knicks may struggle to win double-digits this season, are openly tanking, and are willing to stockpile contenders with useful parts. But the real gall is that they’ve failed to field a team that could at least compete in the Eastern Conference. And when it’s clear that other teams are able to rake in better assets for middling talent, it makes this season all the more forgettable. After all, while Jackson has been accruing second-round picks and guys who would be D-League all-stars, teams like the Denver Nuggets can recoup two first-round picks from the Cavaliers for former Knicks center Timofey Mozgov, of all people.

As unimaginable as it may seem, it figures to get a whole lot worse before it gets better, Knicks fans.

Knicks notes:

– Lou Amundson and Lance Thomas, two guys who were a part of last week’s three-team trade – and subsequently released days later – were brought back to New York via matching 10-day contracts.

– Anthony may eventually get shut down for the season, but he reportedly at least wants to make it back on the floor for the All Star Game. While he’s missed 10 games so far, Anthony remains a popular choice to start in the marquee game that will be held in his backyard this season.

– The Knicks have only won one game since Nov. 22.

– Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire were limited in practice today.