The Knicks Fix

Below is a repost of my story for the print edition, in case anyone missed it. K-Berg has the show tonight in ATL, so I'll catch up with the squad in Disney.

I can't get into the tabloid soap opera drama between Isiah and Starbury. I think most real Knick fans are beyond both of these characters at this point and only want to discuss matters going forward....let me know if I'm wrong and I'll jump into the Kleenex box.

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Let the backdoor campaigning for the soon-to-be vacant Knicks throne begin. Jerry Colangelo said during the All-Star break that he'd welcome a call if and when Isiah Thomas is ousted. And one of the worst-kept secrets is Kiki Vandeweghe's interest.

But with the body still warm -- Thomas even suggested before Wednesday's win over the Charlotte Bobcats that he'll "be around" this summer -- speculation can lead to some implausible notions, such as a scenario reportedly in mind that would have Vandeweghe as the team president and Thomas remaining as head coach. That collective groan you hear came from the Knicks locker room.

Actually, the players are quite happy with Thomas these days. After a blowout loss in Toronto on Sunday, they were given Monday off and then after a blowout win on Wednesday had Thursday off. The team left at 1 p.m. for Atlanta, a favorite destination city for many NBA players and where they will play the Hawks Friday night.

So in seven days, the Knicks (18-39) will have held one practice, on Tuesday, and played four games. "It is definitely a group that is committed to working," Thomas said after Wednesday's win. "We haven't enjoyed or had the success we wanted to have this season but it is definitely not a lack of work."

Anyone who has closely watched this team run its offensive sets or attempt any semblance of defense might disagree, especially on those nights when effort stays back at the team hotel. But throughout Thomas' tenure as coach, extensive work has rarely been part of the game plan.

NBA scouts who have followed the Knicks are often amazed at how poorly prepared they are, not to mention the obvious lack of accountability that exists. So many people throughout the NBA are wondering what is going to happen at the end of this season, but no one can envision a scenario in which Thomas remains in any capacity, even in a demotion to just coach.

First and foremost, he would have to accept the demotion in order for it to not conflict with his contract, which was extended last year and includes him as president and head coach. There would also have to be an actual interview process to replace Thomas. Thus far, Vandeweghe says the report of he and Garden president Steve Mills sitting together and discussing the Knicks position at a movie screening on Monday was "totally false, that's all I can say."

But how far-fetched is the idea that Vandeweghe -- who is currently assisting Nets president Rod Thorn on a short-term basis, has personal ties to the Knicks and wants to get back into the GM business -- would accept the job even with Thomas in place? Those close to Vandeweghe say he has recently said that he believes Tho.mas is a pretty good coach and also mentioned that the willingness to spend makes James Dolan a great owner.

Perhaps such beauty is in the eye of the contract holder.

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Will Ferrell's movie, SemiPro opens today. Our Neil Best -- who has one of the best blogs on Newsday.com this side of the Knicks Fix -- interviewed Ferrell for his Media Watch column in today's paper. Nate Robinson, as you all know, shot a segment with him and Woody Harrellson for the Today show earlier this week.

“It’s kind of weird because you don’t want to get caught up looking at him being all these characters that he plays, instead of looking at him as who he is," said N8 the Gr8, who probably gets the same reaction from people he meets. "It’s kind of funny, after I looked at him all I kept thinking of was him doing that Night at the Roxbury.”

N8 is a huge movie buff and loves to quote lines (which means he'd fit right in here at the Fix).

Let's compile a list. Best basketball movies of all-time. Hoosiers? Gotta be up there, but I don't know if it's No. 1. Glory Road left me impressed, but also wanting more.

White Men Can't Jump? Blue Chips? Space Jam?

OK, maybe not Space Jam.

Let me hear ya. And anyone who catches SemiPro, give us a critique so we know if it's worth our hard-earned bills or if we're better off taking the better half to see Atonement. Far more potential for residual rewards (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

Take 40 points out of the Charlotte Bobcats lineup and you have a blowout win for the Knicks. Gerald Wallace (20.6 ppg) was already out with a concussion and then Jason Richardson (20.3) was knocked out of the game in the second quarter when Nate Robinson accidentally poked him in the eye with his thumb after the whistle.

Is it coincidence that the Bobcats led 37-35 at that point when Richardson left the game with what eventually was diagnosed as a contusion in his right eye and small corneal abrasion? It swelled shut on him by the time he got to the locker room and, considering the Bobcats' record, no one would expect him to grunt, "Cut me Mick!" just to get back on the court.

Once J-Rich left and Charlotte's lone scoring threat was gone, the Knicks tied it at 37, then 39 and after the Bobcats went up 41-39 after a jumper by Raymond Felton with 3:51 left, the Knicks reeled off 15 straight points to end the half with a 54-41 lead.

Ballgame.

The NBA. Where yaaawwwnnn happens.

The Knicks are holding that fifth spot in the lottery, with Miami, Minnesota, Memphis and Seattle each below. The Bobcats are only one game better.

*

You would think a blowout would be ample opportunity to get struggling Eddy Curry some much-needed game "reps" on the low blocks, especially with Emeka Okafor and Nazr Mohammed out there to bang with. But Isiah Thomas only used Curry for the first 3:47 of the second half and Curry sat the rest of the way. Curry, who played a total of 15:47, was scoreless on three shot attempts and had three rebounds. But he did record two early blocks and looked active on defense.

"I just thought the way the game was going, we had a good group out there the way they were playing so I didn't see any reason to put him back out there," Thomas said.

I seriously give up.

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Anyone see the Page Six item about Stephon Marbury?

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Wilson Chandler made sure to make the most of his rare PT. The Thrill put up seven shots in his 6:11 of gar-bage time and made three of 'em for six points. And since a lot of you Fixers have asked about the kid's added ink on his skin, I brought it up. He said he got that one on his lower leg earlier in the year and another on his neck more recently. The one on his neck is cool. It's a flaming Ace of Spades.

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And check this out . . . since we've been discussing streetball recently:

Jamal says he intended to drive and dish to Curry, but "got stuck. So I had to improvise."

He missed the dunk, as you saw, but had a reason for that, too: "I should have dunked it with two hands."

*

The Knicks, who were off on Monday, will not practice on Thursday, either. They'll fly directly to Atlanta, one of NBA players' favorite desintation cities, in the afternoon.

"It is definitely a group that is committed to working," Isiah said after the game. "Their work ethic is good."

Because I notice stupid stuff like this:

Outside the Garden is a huge AD for T-Mobile. It asks: "Who Are Your Fave-5 Knicks?"

Just setting themselves up for the punchline, aren't they?

*

Speaking of punchlines, as we try in the pregame to discuss with Isiah Thomas the future and that whole where-do-you-go-from-here perspective, he insists there is still something left to play for. Sort of like that Knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail, who, despite having his arms and legs chopped off, still goads his opponent to continue fighting.

"What are you going to do, bleed on me?"

Here's Isiah as we gently suggest a playoff push is way out of reach:

"This year isn't over for us by a longshot."

Buckle up.

STARTING LINEUPS
KNICKS (17-39)
Randolph
Richardson
Curry
Crawford
Robinson

BOBCATS (19-37)
Okafor
Richardson
Mohammed
Felton
McInnis

Enjoy American Idol....the females sing tonight.

Oh and Randolph Morris is still inactive.

So a Toronto cab driver, who follows sports like any passionate Canadian, asks a sleepy New York sports writer, "So what does ol' Isiah need to do to make the Knicks better?"

The sports writer, almost instinctively, replies, "Quit."

*
I was tough on Eddy Curry today in my game story. Quite frankly, sometimes I wonder if anyone has been tough enough with him. Not in the nasty way Scott Skiles used to go about it, but more in the motivational way...dangle the carrot, Big Mac, Hershey bar, whatever ...

(OK, see, that...I mean that was Skilesesque-nasty and totally uncalled for. That's not constructive, it's just downright snarky. Fixers, hold me accountable!)

Seriously, Big Cat, I was disappointed when I saw you stroll in at 4:30 for a 6 p.m. game with the likes of Jamal Crawford (at 40 minutes a night, he has the right) and Jerome James (just here because his contract says he has to be) and, of course, Isiah Thomas, who probably would have showed up at 5:30 if the NBA allowed it. Not when everyone knows there was an earlier bus that you should have been on. Or maybe a cab you could have jumped into with some of your teammates who came over two-and-a-half hours before gametime to get their work in.

Let it be said here, right here, Fixers, that Eddy Curry has the tools. Million-dollar tools. But he's carrying them around in a 10-cent toolbox, knowhutimean? Never mind his conditioning or his penchant for choosing video games over game video.

His personality suggests he would prefer his teammates like him and would prefer opponents know him as a nice guy. It might be more complicated to figure out, but Eddy has to learn that sometimes you have to be a total [expletive] when you're 6-11, and nearly 300 pounds. That in dropping a few guards who dare to drive into your paint and body slamming the likes of Reggie Evans every now and then may cost you a fine, but it'll earn you major points in the locker room. And, eventually, around the NBA.

It's not about offense with him. We know he can score, we know he has a soft touch. We know once he's actually in legit shape -- something we saw last season -- he can give you numbers. Should he develop a nice 10-footer off a faceup once in a while, just to throw in a wrinkle? Absolutely. Should he understand the offense better so he can pass quicker out of double-teams and so he knows where to slide on the pick-and-roll? Obviously.

But the regression of his game has nothing to do with X's and O's as much as it is that muscle pounding in his chest. Maybe the money came too fast for him and the game came too easy. Imagine his high school coach telling him to spend more time after practice on his free throws, because teams will have to hack you to stop you.

Now imagine the door closing behind Eddy before the coach could finish the sentance.

Glaring observation: The weaknesses in his pro game are the same he had as an 18-year-old, which speaks volumes about not just the coaching he has/hasn't been exposed to in the NBA, but also about himself. Those big, guaranteed contracts can tend to retard the sense of urgency someone young and hungry is supposed to have.

Check out some of the comments written in Curry's pre-draft profile on NBAdraft.net seven years ago:

The only thing that can stop Eddy Curry from becoming the next dominant force in the NBA is Eddy Curry . . . Must continue to "want it" and develop to ever become the player that Shaq is.

I think this is an interesting debate worth discussing: Zach or Eddy? Who do you keep and why?

Does your decision change if, say, Isiah is not here next season and Patrick Ewing is on the coaching staff?

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On the flight to TO this weekend I read an interesting issue of "Bounce" magazine, which they labled "The White Issue" (nice play on words, fellas) and took on the history of the white player in the street game and the stereotypes, myths and realities that come with the White Man's Burden. Great stuff on street legends like Blackjack Ryan, Chris Avignone and that dude, The Professor.

I have to admit I never could get into the streetball game. It's definitely entertaining, but, like in a WWE kinda way. I can't get into the histrionics and drama. It starts to look like cartoon characters running around with a ball without anyone calling the obvious traveling violation or double-dribble (I know, man, I know...but it's the German side of me, I need structure. I also need a BMW, but that's another conversation).

Bounce doesn't really deal with the NBA game, so there wasn't much on the influential North American white guys in the pro game, like Steve Nash, Jason Williams and....damn, not too many non-Europeans I can come up with (Adam Morrison has let us down, hasn't he?). David Lee is starting to get status, but he's not there yet. Yet.

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Caught Derrick Rose in that terrific Memphis-Tennessee game on Saturday night, after I got into Toronto. Watching Rose, you know the kid's a gamer. In fact, all those kids in that game were gamers, really putting it on the floor. But I watched Rose closely, as I'm sure a lot of folks in Fixer Nation did. What I come up with is this: he's got great vision and is a gutsy shot-maker. However, he's a freshman and if he comes out after this season and the Knicks somehow get him in the lottery, you can't expect Mark Jackson-like impact right out the gate. He'll be 20 years old with plenty left to learn. Too much too soon might not be the best thing for him.

Then again, you watch Rajon Rondo this season and think....

James Dolan isn't up here in Mother Canada, but he was in attendance at Friday's game for the first time in a long time. We're still waiting to hear Dolan's first public words since the day he announced Isiah Thomas' contract extension -- almost a full year ago -- and that notorious video deposition doesn't count.

So Isiah Thomas was asked before tonight's game against the Raptors if he had a good conversation with his owner.

“If you have questions for him," Thomas said, "you can ask him.”

Testy.

STARTING LINEUPS
KNICKS (17-38)
Richardson
Randolph
Curry
Crawford
Robinson

RAPTORS (29-24)
Moon
Bosh
Bargnani
Parker
Calderon

Enjoy the Oscars.

I used this line earlier in the season when Isiah Thomas said he liked the direction his team was headed:

South is a direction.

But Thomas appeared to have found religion at the deadline. Two years after he made that bizarre trade for Steve Francis and uttered the words, "It's so crazy, it just might work!", Thomas was extolling the virtue of abstinence.

“We weren’t trying to break anything up," Thomas said as he explained the inactivity at the trade deadline. "I think this is a time you use more caution and you are a little more conservative. You don’t want to take a step back. In the situation that we’re in, I believe we have good young players, I believe we have good young talent, even though we haven’t played like I thought we would have played this year . . . The most important thing is we didn’t take a step back. We didn’t try to save the day with that one savior, bad contract that goes on for a lifetime. It’s a tough position that we’re in right now, but I do believe we’re still headed in the right direction.”

I have to stay consistent here. All along I have promoted the idea of doing nothing and certainly not adding payroll. I believed, like many of you Fixers, that the most Thomas should have been permitted to do is dump salary. We know he tried to do that when he engaged in talks with the Denver Nuggets about Zach Randolph. What we know is the Nuggets were divided about bringing Randolph in and, eventually, the deal died on the table. If Thomas was able to get Linas Kleiza in the package, he would have been commended. But I'm told Nene was eventually what Denver tried to pawn off to the Knicks and that is an even worse contract to take. It was decided that Kleiza was too valuable and, perhaps, only briefly available in talks for Ron Artest, which never came to fruition, either. The Nuggets are spending enough on Carmelo and Iverson, they were not about to add another big contract without shedding one.

Thomas indirectly acknowledged the Denver situation when he said there was only one team that got involved in anything serious with the Knicks.

“We had one serious conversation with one team and that’s as far as it went," Thomas said. "All these other teams that are talking, were basically talking about their players trying to get their players names out there. But we only basically had one serious conversation. I thought it was serious.”

I couldn't resist, however, so I asked Isiah why he felt, with so many holes on this team, that it was better not to make any moves. I admit it's a loaded question, but that's the job.

“Well, you got to keep building," Thomas said. "You want to make the right move. You just don’t want to make a move to sit down in front of you today and say, hey, we made a move. We want to keep moving in the right direction. You definitely don’t want to take a step back and as painful as this has been and as painful as it is, including for myself, the most important thing is that we don’t do anything that’s going to damage us three or four years down the road.”

Sounds like Isiah has been reading the Knicks Fix. I should start charging.

I'm generally not a media scrum grandstander. But I had to follow-up.

How can you say, with this record, that you’re moving in the right direction?

“It’s difficult to see and difficult to say, because the wins don’t add up to what I’m saying," Thomas replied. "You do have the right to second-guess or speculate about what I’m saying, but my belief is that we’re moving in the right direction."

Pause.

"The wins aren’t there now," he added, "but, the way this league is, it takes time and, suddenly, it happens.”

Suddenly is happens?

James Dolan isn't still buying this, is he?

At the end of the conversation, Isiah made an interesting comparison of his two biggest contracts, Stephon Marbury and Zach Randolph.

“We only have one big contract; that’s Marbury’s contract," he said. "Zach’s contract, you know, for the way he produces, his numbers and everything, is justified. He’s played well for us. Other than that, everybody else is in the 5-to-8 milllion dollar range. The players that are performing for us on a nightly basis and playing for us on a nightly basis, some of them aren’t even making 2-to-3 million dollars. We’re very cognizant and very conscious of getting the number down and managing our number and I think we’re in a manageable situation right now. I’m glad we didn’t do anything yesterday to damage that.”

I kept playing back that last line, too. I'm glad we didn't do anything . . . sound like maybe someone else wanted him to make a move and he was against it?

Things that make you go "Hmmmm...."

*

Everything from this point forward should be a full analysis of the future. What matters is the solid minutes David Lee played (dude's a good outlet passer and is starting to show some mid-range touch) in this quality win over Toronto -- let's put away the playoff calculator -- along with the fact that Zach Randolph (dubba-dubba) continues to do what Eddy Curry doesn't: play with fire and determination. And as a result, we see Curry spend yet another second half buried on the bench. Let the debate begin: who do you keep? Curry or Randolph? Discuss.

Isiah knows his time is running thin, so, for him, every game is critical for survival. He's coaching to win, not to plan for next season. Which is why when he was asked before Friday's game if he would start playing the younger players, such as Wilson Chander, Randolph Morris and Mardy Collins, more, Thomas replied, "Now is not the time."

Perhaps the second quarter against the Sixers on Wedneday was the time. But Isiah isn't going down with this ship without gunning the main engines first.

*

I'll close here with a shout-out to MSG Network. I watched the feature, Lapchick and Sweetwater: Breaking Barriers which aired after the game. Outstanding feature, but I have a biased (no pun intended) opinion because my first basketball mentor Gus Alfieri -- the St. Anthony's legendary coach and former St. John's star -- who wrote an excellent book about Joe Lapchick that released last year, was a big part of the documentary.

What might have been more sobering than the fact that there was a time in our society when it was acceptable to discriminate and deliberately segregate, was that Nat Clifton spent his post-playing career driving a cab in Chicago. He was not bitter and showed no chip on his shoulder about how much money the players make nowadays. It seems Clifton enjoyed driving his cab, which shows a humble, genuine quality we don't see enough of from today's pro athletes.

(By the way, Brian McNamee et al, that's what the phrase "It is what it is" really means.)

In one part of the documentary, when Clifton was at his high school talking to some kids, one of them asked, "Did you play in the NBA?" His reply, "I used to play for the Knickerbockers."

That was back when they were called the 'Knickerbockers.' That's old school, baby.

No more reason to be afraid. Come out from under your desks, Fixers.

The trade deadline has passed and, we're told, the Knicks will not have any trades to announce.

We know they were very active, but in the end Isiah Thomas could not get anyone to take Zach Randolph, Stephon Marbury or Eddy Curry.

The Isiah Watch officially begins. T-Minus 28 games and counting.

All's quiet with a half-hour to go. Don't expect anything on the Knick front.

Still lot's of rumors around the league, none involving the Knicks. Denver's front office is at an amazing stalemate as they debate what to do to counter the moves by several of their Western Conference counterparts. It seems all of the contenders did something to improve themselves other than the Nugs. Ron Artest and Zach Randolph come with warning labels that some in the organization just aren't willing to chance, especially if it means letting go of Linas Kleiza, a good, young and cheap player, or if it means taking on a hefty salary that would be impossible to move (as Isiah Thomas is learning today).

How desperate is Isiah to move Zach? He'd be willing to take Nene, a player who is dealing with some major personal issues (testicular cancer) and has three more years at $21.6 million left, plus a player option for $11.6 million in 2011-12. Now we all hope the guy recovers and leads a healthy life, but before the cancer was known, Nene had injury issues. Would be a better fit next to Eddy Curry, but for that price?

The fact that Denver isn't jumping to make this trade happen shows you how concerned they are about bringing Randolph into a situation where you already have Carmelo and AI taking most of the shots.

Everyone's still waiting to hear what will come of that supposed Cavaliers blockbuster that is expected to happen. David Aldridge reports on his blog that Dan Fegan shot down the suggestion that Shawn Marion might be headed to Cleveland. Miami isn't shopping him, apparently.

According to Aldridge, though, Taurean Green will be moved to Denver for Von Wafer. The Knicks once again missed out on the chance to get this kid.

*

An Indianapolis TV station is reporting that Kelvin Sampson has coached his last game with Indiana. It's been suggested elsewhere, so we know we're not breaking new ground here, but what if Isiah Thomas used this mutual parting of ways -- which we reported exclusively in a Jan. 13 story in Newsday -- that is expected to come at the end of the season as a reason to go back to his alma mater?

Good morning Fixers. To quote fellow Fixer Chuck D, "Welcome to the Terrordome."

When you're still the new guy on the beat, you don't yet have the rolodex of contacts or the even the cache of the veterans, so my lack of trade rumors I have to acknowledge here. I write what I know and I know what I write. So humbly I'll give props to the older cats I'm learning from and we can dissect the rumors of the day as the 3 p.m. deadline fast approaches.

What seems most evident is that the desperate Isiah Thomas is desperately trying to bring in a point guard on a short-term (because short-term is likely all Isiah has at this point).

He seems convinced this team still has a shot at a playoff run and the PG position is an obvious hole on this team (as we have said since, what, last summer?).

But please tell me how Tyronn Lue, Carlos Arroyo or Keyon Dooling make that great of a difference. OK, so they're all expiring contracts, which means it can't hurt you long term (unless you're giving up a young player). Clearly Isiah is desperate, here. And that's why you should - all together now - be very afraid.

It's been known for a while that the Knicks and Zach Randolph want a divorce. He should have never been brought here in the first place. I've written this before: Randolph came here with his head right and with the intention of fitting in. I thought he played his tail off the first few weeks. He hustled right back to the team for that game against the Clippers in LA - and played great - during that week his grandmother died. But I believe once he saw how things were going here, Z-Bo cashed in his chips and just made sure he got his.

But as much as Isiah wants to get rid of Zach, you have to worry about how far he'd go to do it. You saw the Daily News rumor about one apparent trade that was shot down: Randolph would have gone to Milwaukee for Bobby Simmons (two more years at about $20.5 million), Dan Gadzuric (three more years at around $20.2 million) and Charlie Bell (four more years at over $14 million).

That one is fire-able.

Here's what I warn early in this day of infamy: trading David Lee. If Isiah is desperate enough and has a chance at making a major trade, he just might.

Be very afraid.

And check back here throughout the day for updates and any rumors that float. Lot's of stuff brewing around the league with the Cleveland Cavaliers front-and-center. Also, Ron Artest is still out there and the Sac Kings are trying desperately to move him (and pushing rumor-after-rumor in the media).

Denver is another team in panic mode. They want to do something to keep the pace with the contenders in the West who have all made major moves. The Nuggets, I'm told, have had heated internal debates as to what to do, with Artest and Randolph among several risks they have considered.

The last game before the trade deadline.

Cue the ominous music.

Despite all of the rumors and crazy scenarios tossed out there lately involving the Knicks, I wouldn't expect anything to happen by the deadline. This would be good news, Fixers. Good news.

“Honestly, you never know," Isiah said. "Until the deadline is over, you never know. You work the phones and you see what’s out there and what’s available and if you can help your team, you try to help your team.”

Clearly Isiah still hopes something may happen.

Be very afraid.

A night after the Knicks have a water fight on the bench and then explode for a record 23-point overtime to beat the undermanned Washington Wizards, the Knicks trudge to Philly to play the Sixers . . . that team they're looking up at in the playoff standings.

Amazing job, that Mo Cheeks. The Sixers - so young, so much cap space - are in a playoff spot.

We asked Isiah about the bench incident and he said he hoped to see more of it.

“I don’t know what happened but I hope it happens again, because after that we scored 23 points in overtime," he said. "Whatever fire was lit, great. Light it again and keep it going.”

These are your New York Knicks.

STARTING LINEUP
KNICKS (16-37)
Richardson
Randolph
Curry
Crawford
Robinson

SIXERS (23-31)
Iguodala
Young
Dalembert
Green
Miller

Enjoy the . . . oh forget it.

A story filed this afternoon by Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel said Pat Riley was asked specifically about Eddy Curry at Wednesday's practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. According to Winderman, Riley said, "Wrong. Wrong. That's a blog b.s. Not that I don't have respect for him, but that's blog b.s."

It wasn't exactly a blog, but perhaps Riles read it here during his usual morning routine, which includes a stop at the Knicks Fix to get his daily dose of "blog b.s."

The story was posted late last night on ESPN.com. It said the Heat, Knicks and Nets were talking about a trade that would send Curry to Miami, two expiring contracts (Jason Williams and Ricky Davis) to the Nets and Vince Carter to the Knicks. As it stands, the finances of that deal do not work. Williams-for-Curry straight up would be a match and make far more sense for the Knicks to get Williams, a point guard, and an expiring. But Riley made it clear he's not interested in Big Eddy.

So goes another bogus rumor. Twenty-four hours to go. I wanna be sedated.

Here's a YouTube video replay of the water fight Nate Robinson and Zach Randolph had on the bench late in Tuesday's overtime win over the Wizards. After the game, Isiah Thomas seemed to enjoy the altercation and alluded to a "fiestiness" and "nastiness" that is developing with his team. He embraces the chaos, which we discuss on the previous post (scroll down for more chaos!).

Here's the replay, from MSG Network (via YouTube):

This isn't the first bench incident this season. We've seen Randolph have words with Isiah after he was taken out of a game. We've seen Stephon Marbury droop a towel over his head. We also saw Isiah get up to confront Quentin Richardson when the two exchanged words as Q was pulled from a game. Herb Williams had to set a pick on Isiah, or we might have had another YouTube moment to share.

After Tuesday's game, both players downplayed the latest altercation, but keep in mind that it was well after the game. The locker room wasn't opened to the media for over 20 minutes after the game ended, which is a violation of the NBA media policy. Zach said it was just heat of the moment. Nate said what matters is the team won.

Is this showing signs of life (with 29 games to go)? Or is this a frustrated team feeling the pressure of another failed season and the looming trade deadline and just simply about to burst at the seams?

When you're on deadline and you've got to bang out 600 words for a story about the Knicks, who win a game with a ridiculous record-setting 23-point overtime and have an altercation on their bench during a critical timeout and are the subject of some wild trade speculation...those are the two words that keep coming to mind.

Chaos reigns.

It reigns when Isiah Thomas before the game says getting under the cap is "not our goal"...

... when the Knick offense, which has so often struggled to find any fluidity, opens overtime with 11 straight points, all off of good ball movement and good shooting ...

... when you read an ESPN.com report that says the Knicks have been in talks about a three-team deal where Miami gets Eddy Curry, the Nets get Miami's expiring contracts in Jason Williams and Ricky Davis and the Knicks get Vince Carter and the $48.8 million left on his contract ...

Didn't I tell you to be very afraid?

But this trade rumor makes little sense and, as such, it likely won't happen. Aside from the contract issue, Vince Carter doesn't fill a need and, like Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson said earlier this season, I think VC is done. You're getting a 31-year-old with little-to-no fire left in his game and even less of the amazing athleticism he used to have. He takes some bad shots. And did I mention that he doesn't fill a need? This is usually the reason why you even consider taking on a big contract.

The Knicks greatest need, even Thomas has acknowledged this, is at the point guard position. Carter is a shooting guard, which is what Jamal Crawford is and what Fred Jones is and what Quentin Richardson is supposed to be and what Wilson Chandler is supposed to be one day. The Knicks are loaded with swingmen, especially if you include Renaldo Balkman and Jared Jeffries in discussion.

Thomas has been talking up the "small ball" game - his latest infatuation, no doubt. We started with New York being a guard town, which is why Stephon Marbury was here. Then he said the Big Man was the way to go and the offense went through Eddy Curry. Then it was the "power game" approach when Zach Randolph was added to the mix....

Again, I don't see this one happening. But just the fact that it was in discussion should be alarming.

As NYC suggested in his post, the saving grace -- and the move no one would argue with -- is if Isiah sent Curry to Miami and got back Jason Williams and his expiring. The Knicks would have a playmaking PG for the final 29 games of the season (ahem, playoff push) and then get that $8.9 mil off the payroll.

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* - Here's a YouTube video replay of the water fight Nate and Zach had on the bench. After the game, Isiah alluded to a "fiestiness" and "nastiness" that is developing with his team. He embraces the chaos.

Both players downplayed it after the game, but that was well after the game. The locker room wasn't opened to the media for over 20 minutes after the game ended, which is a violation of the NBA media policy. Zach said it was just heat of the moment. Nate said what mattered was the team won.

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* - @Trane: I'd hardly say Dolan took Grunwald with him to NoLa. Isiah spent the weekend in Chicago with his ailing mother, so Grunwald was dispatched to work the GM crowd.

* - Apologies for the lack of a PreGame post. Once again I experienced problems with the wireless at the Verizon Center. Their system doesn't work with Vista. Cue the neo-hippie Mac dude's passive-aggressive boasting that a Mac works anywhere. Go away.

There's a dangerous situation brewing here, with Isiah Thomas having the ability to make moves when everyone knows he knows his butt is on the line if this team fails to make the playoffs.

Thomas was asked at Monday's practice iif he can do anything he wants to do with the roster, which includes taking on salary if that kind of deal presents itself?

"Yes," he said.

So you're not under any restrictions?

"No."

And with this in mind, Jason Kidd may have an impact on Knick history one last time as a Net. Isiah said he feels the Kidd trade to Dallas dramatically changes the climate in the East among teams vying for that last playoff spot.

"We’re sitting here today, if Kidd leaves Jersey, there’s still five-six teams that could move in," he said. "We’re one of those teams, so everybody in the league is still thinking and hoping they have a shot at it."

Be very afraid.

*

The more Isiah says he doesn't want to make any major trades, the more he seems to suggest he is hoping to make a trade.

Four days after telling us how the NBA's run-and-fun regular season game just isn't suited for 25-year-old Eddy Curry and his post-ups -- as if that was the real issue -- Thomas now says he's still in love with the "power game" concept, which includes Zach Randolph.

"I know Eddy is a much better player than he's shown thus far," Isiah said. "And Zach has played well for us."

And...

“I keep looking at our guys and for as much talk as there has been about Eddy and Zach, they’re still 25 and 26," Isiah said. "There’s a lot of good basketball left for them to play.”

You buying this?

Isiah tried to convince us that the NBA is the real reason for Eddy's bad season. That the guards can't touch each other on the perimeter, but down low you can pound the crap out of a guy.

Hold up. This apparent league-supported campaign against Big Men didn't seem to stop Dwight Howard from becoming a dominant big man. Didn't stop Andrew Bynum from emerging as a rock solid low-post scorer. Hasn't stopped Tim Duncan. Hasn't stopped Amare Stoudemire. And if big men were so useless in the new NBA, why would the Phoenix Suns take such a risk to acquire Shaq? Why would the Lakers feel they need Pau Gasol?

And how come, if this game is so difficult for big men to dominate, did Eddy Curry have a career season only a year ago?

“It’s a good question," Isiah replied. "But we do know he’s a better player than he’s shown. I think Zach, he’s still putting up big numbers. He’s still finding his way.”

Yeah. He'd love to find his way to the door, if only you'd get him the hell out of here.

Another question: Couldn't Eddy's problems be more related to Zach's presence? Not that Zach is doing anything deliberately, but sometimes it just doesn't work and Zach wasn't the right player for this team's needs.

"That’s possible," Isiah said. "However, umm . . ."

There was a long pause.

". . . you’re not just willing to throw it away just yet."

At least not until someone makes you a decent offer.

Welcome back to the season. Let's give you the reset:

Games Remaining (GR): 30 (14 home, 16 road)

Games out of a playoff spot (GB): 7.5

Teams ahead (TA): 6, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Indiana, Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Yolanda Vega's New York Lottery situation: Fifth-worst record (1. Miami, 2. Minnesota, 3. Seattle, 4. Memphis).

This week: Tuesday, @Wizards (25-27); Wednesday, @Sixers (23-30); Friday-Sunday home-and-home with Raptors (28-23).

Also this week: Trade deadline day is Thursday. Be very afraid.

*

Remember last week, when Isiah Thomas countered our questions about making trades to get younger and going with his younger players? I believe his reply was, "We're already young. I don't think we can get any younger."

Then he turned to a PR staffer for acknowledgement of this fact he attempted to present.

"We're the fourth-youngest team in the league."

According to a database of the opening night rosters, Thomas is wrong again.

With an average age of 26.22 years, the Knicks are the 10th youngest team in the NBA. The youngest team is the Portland Trail Blazers, at 24.07 years, followed by Seattle (25.38), Golden State (25.42), Atlanta (25.51), Utah (25.61), Chicago (25.72), Philadelphia (25.73) and Memphis (25.87).

Four of those teams -- Golden State, Atlanta, Utah and Philadelphia -- are in legitimate contention for a playoff spot. Technically I should count Chicago, too, because they are just a game-and-a-half behind Philly for the final spot in the East. Portland was in the mix until recently. They're four out, which is almost buried in the wild, wild West.

Obviously some of these numbers have changed slightly. Atlanta added 29-year-old Mike Bibby and Golden State added 34-year-old Chris Webber. But they don't skew the numbers enough to change the argument.

And when we talk about the Knicks "youth," you have to consider NBA experience, because they have many players who were early entries to the NBA draft. Curry, for example, came right out of high school. With this in mind, the Knicks actually rank 14th in the NBA in average season experience with 4.80 years, which means there are 16 NBA teams with less.

Out of those 16 teams with less NBA experience, eight of them -- Atlanta, Golden State, Lakers, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Toronto, Utah and Washington -- are contending for a playoff spot.

Moving on...

*

Love the comments and the draft debates. Keep it poppin.

As for Mr. Anonymous' suggestion to deal Ken Berger and myself for David Aldridge: clearly you subscribe to the Isiah Thomas way of thinking: trade youth for a high-priced veteran who probably wouldn't want to be here (DA has a great situation in Philly and with his TV gigs, etc.). If you can't bring legit humor to the table, at least bring some intelligence.

You were put in the pit for a reason.

It rubs the lotion on it's skin....

*

Heading to practice then making the four-hour drive to D.C. We'll catch up there, Fixers.

That Dwight Howard dude is ridiculous. The Superman outfit? Like Renaldo says...

Aw man, crazy.

Howard did some amazing dunks that made you completely ignore the fact that this was a 6-11 man throwing it down. When he brought out the mini-hoop, I thought maybe he'd stick it at 12 feet and attempt dunking a miniball at 12 feet while dunking a regular ball at 10 (remember his request to have a 12-foot rim installed for the Slam Dunk contest was denied by the NBA). Maybe next year.

But a close second to that Superman dunk was Gerald Green's birthday cake dunk (more like a cupcake, but you get the idea). For those who missed it, Green had a cupcake put on the back of the rim. A candle in the cake was lit and Green went up, blew out the candle as he threw down a dunk. Gotta admit, that one was cool.

Jamario Moon? Disappointing. He shows a lot of MJ tendencies when you see him dunk. The jumpman split, palming the ball...I wanted more. Statue of Liberty 360 from the foul line, maybe. Something old school.

Again, maybe next year. The good news is, the Slam Dunk contest is back.

*

As some of you know, Mike Bibby is out of play. He was traded today to Atlanta (great move for Atlanta) for four players, including Shelden Williams (a big) and PG Anthony Johnson. Kings get younger, cheaper and deeper. But they're not a playoff team in the West.

Ron Artest told ESPN.com that he now wants to stay with Sacramento and "concentrate on winning a championship this year." Don't put too much stock into that. We know the Kings want to move him and have been talking about it. With Bibby already moved, Artest could be next.

On to your trade ideas.......(and a quick PS - typo by me. I said Donnie Walsh was the GM of Dallas. I meant Donny Nelson. My bad)....

@Eric: This is a perfect example of how the ESPN Trade Tracker can approve a trade by the numbers, but if you're the GM of the Denver Nuggets or Sacramento Kings, why would you make either of these trades? There has to be a win-win situation here, even if it's strictly financially motivated, such as Memphis in the Pau Gasol deal. Sorry Eric, back to the machine. The Nuggets don't get better with Randolph and the Kings certainly don't in adding Curry, when they already have Brad Miller.

@flybanjo: How long have you been sitting on that one? Well thought out and an excellent plan of attack. Get better where you need it. Miami could use a replacement for Shaq, so Curry makes sense. Jeffries helps them on defense where they miss James Posey. BUT, why would the Heat give up expiring contracts in Williams and Davis for Jeffries' overpriced contract and Curry's deal? Hard to believe Riley goes for this when he can let those contracts expire and have a ton of money freed up in the summer. I'm OK with the Cleveland deal. Crawford might fit well with LeBron and Malik Rose can help that team's frontcourt in the shortterm. Damon Jones is a diva, but he can shoot. Larry Hughes can score, but I don't know if he's an upgrade over J-Craw. The unprotected No. 1? Sounds more valuable than it really is. Not sure how this makes the Knicks better. The Memphis deal (Lowry) I'm all for.
Colangelo and D'Antoni? Good out-of-the-box thinking.

@Mike: I like your reasoning for Ben Wallace/Zach Randolph. One year less on contract and gives the ball back to Eddy on the low-post while also giving some defensive presence down low (tho you still don't have a shotblocker). People say Wallace is breaking down (knees are shot, one vet told me recently) and they also say he can mess up a locker room. One thing you can tell yourself is if Isiah makes this trade happen, he's definitely here for the long haul.

@Wash 08: Bibby is out of play, but even if he was, why would Sacramento want Stephon Marbury to keep the ball out of Kevin Martin's hands? Why would they want Curry when they already have a capable big man in Miller? Why would the Knicks take on all of that junk just to get Bibby and Artest?

@Matt: Not terrible. If any team can afford to eat a contract, it's the Knicks. To get Miller (a shooter) and Lowry (a point guard), it might be worth the trouble. Not sure, though, if Memphis wants to take on Randolph's contract and put him on a team with Rudy Gay (posts up a lot).

@ScottD: Respectable POV. Stay the course, let the expirings expire and make a smart pick. Can't say I believe that Mayo is the right guy for this situation, but there's plenty of time to scout for lottery gold.

@Harry: Again, the Memphis deals aren't bad. We're not hearing a lot of chatter involving the Knicks and Grizz, however. But adding Miller and Lowry would improve the team without losing anyone of major value. I'm guessing you'd start Milicic at center and play him with Z-Bo? Miller would start at the 3 and give you some needed outside presence and Lowry can defend at the point and set up Crawford. It's a start, but the Rose-for-Cardinal situation sets you back contract-wise. I don't know if it's worth all of this just to become mediocre.

@AR: Still trying to figure out Denver's motivation in adding Randolph to their team, with Iverson and Carmelo already there to eat up most of the shots. Knicks don't get that much better with your proposal aside from contracts. Keep in mind, all of you, the Knicks are already at the max 15 contracts. If you trade two for four, you have to cut two players from the current roster or buy out two of the players you acquire.

@Trane: Selling your soul to Ron-Ron? Sigh. I say you start with a mop, clean up the mess then see what you have before you start adding. It's like when you do a home remodel (I have experience, as you all know). You do demolition first. Tear it down to the studs. Leave only what is still useful. Everything else is wasted. Then start to build from there, because only then do you know exactly what you need.

@BAZ: Well thought out, from all sides. But you're adding O'Neal and McGrady, who oft-injured players who seem to only break down more often as they get older. That's a scary proposition. But maybe coming to New York gives them a little kick in the butt. I also like your suggestion that Marbury stay for his final year. Give him a summer to come back in shape and with lots to prove. Worse thing that can happen if it fails is these contracts come off the cap and you just keep drafting and developing. One caveat: Why would Larry Bird want to bring Zach Randolph to Indiana? The Pacers have made a concentrated effort into changing the culture there from a group of troublemakers they had to a - ahem - less threatening team. Zach hasn't had any of the off-the-court issues in New York that he had in Portland, but having him come home to Indiana (he's from Marion and has an offseason home in Indianapolis) would have to make any GM pause.

@kbrock, Ben Wogu: As I've touched on before, I don't know why Miami would be motivated to give up expirings for Curry or Randolph. I've also already said I can't see why Z-Bo would fit in Denver. Low-post scoring? OK, but we know he thrives on touches. Can you see Iverson and Melo allowing him to pound it in the post like he does?

@Julio: Q-Rich for Marshall an Newble isn't terrible. When he's healthy, not only can Q shoot it, but he can defend, which Mike Brown loves. Helps the Knicks, too, like you said, in contract situations. But, again, one-for-two means someone else on the Knicks gets cut (unless you just buy out Newble). But Z-Bo to Utah??? How the heck does he fit in that system, especially with Carlos Boozer? And Eddy for Okur?? My man, come back to us.

@Eric B: Amen brother. Amen.

Keep em coming!

Rumors galore involving the Knicks at all-star weekend. Let's take them on one at a time...

* - The most interesting story I've read so far is from SI.com, which quotes a rival GM who deals with the Knicks often. "Everybody thinks [Isiah]'s on his way out," the GM says to SI. "I don't get that impression at all."

Though some GMs like to have fun with the media, be very afraid, Fixers. This is exactly what I've been warning for a few weeks now. If Isiah is allowed to make a major move or two , it suggests he has a stronger hold on his job than anyone believes - or would like to believe.

Newsday reported in January that James Dolan has considered an exit strategy, especially if the team fails to make the playoffs, which, down 7.5 games with 30 to go, seems likely. I still believe that Dolan almost has to make the move in April and start fresh and you can see Dolan and Isiah coming to a mutual parting of ways.

* - The Post published a rumor that had the Knicks interested in Linas Kleiza, who is a very intriguing young player. He's tough, versatile and smart and can knock down shots (he twice lit up the Knicks earlier this season with 18 points in both games). He had 41 points in a win over Utah on Jan. 13.

But tell me again why the Nuggets would send such a promising player who is so cheap at $1.8 million next season and has a Q.O. at $2.7 million in 2009-10 to the Knicks for Zach Randolph's big salary? How exactly does Randolph fit in a Nuggets offense that already is struggling with Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony needing the ball? Imagine adding a low-post guy who shuts it down if he's not getting touches on every possession?

I say this one is bogus. Or Nuggets GM Mark Warkentien, who drafted Z-Bo in Portland, is dumber than we know.

* - Everyone, including us, has reported that the Kings are heavily shopping Ron Artest. Carmelo spoke publicly again about getting Ron-Ron and told the Rocky Mountain News that it "will make our team a lot more powerful, a lot more stronger, a lot deeper than we are right now." He's right. Add Artest with Camby and you have a formidable defensive frontcourt. Here is where I can see Kleiza involved. Geoff Petrie loves shooters. Watch this one. Everyone feels Artest is on his way to another team by Thursday. The Knicks still are an option, but, again, Petrie wants shooters. He doesn't take players who can't shoot, so that knocks out Jared Jeffries and Renaldo Balkman.

Artest is somewhat of a risk, too, because he can opt-out. He could wind up being merely a rental.

* - Jason Kidd is still a Net, so the question about what side he'd play for in the all-star game this weekend if he did get traded to Dallas doesn't need to be answered. What does need to be answered is how so many loose lips sank this deal before it got done. Devean George and his agent, Mark Bartlestein, pulled off the ultimate power play by blocking the trade (shrewd move by Bartlestein and the sign of good agent who pays attention). But while that seemed like a speed bump to completing a deal -- just find another player or satisfy George financially -- hit a major roadblock when Jerry Stackhouse ran his mouth to an AP reporter about how he may be in the trade but he wouldn't be going to New Jersey. Apparently, Rod Thorn and Donnie Walsh built into the trade an agreement that the Nets would buyout Stack and then after the 30-day moratorium, re-sign with the Mavs in time for the playoffs.

That, Fixers, is against the rules in the NBA, which, according to ESPN, would block Stackhouse from signing with Dallas, which would kibosh the deal.

Watch the fireworks here. Mark Cuban has already had it out with David Stern on a number of things in the past. Cuban didn't want to give up Stack, but once they figured out a way the Mavs could get Stackhouse back, he agreed to it.

They have a week to get this one done. I wonder if another team out there jumps in?

* - OK, now it's your turn. I've seen some of your trade ideas already. Have to say I hate the one posted about a multi-player deal between the Knicks and Cavs. Too much garbage going both ways. Cleveland is not going to gut its team right now, they're in the mix and playing very well in the second half. They have needs, but aside from David Lee and Nate Robinson, I don't see anything the Cavs would be interested in from the Knicks.

Post here your ideas, but they have to first be approved by the ESPN trade tracker. We'll come back and discuss the best ones. Here's your chance: you are the GM of the Knicks with 30 games left in the season. What do you do and why?

Enjoy!

The Finalists were just announced for the Hall of Fame Class of 2008. As expected, Patrick Ewing was named along with Hakeen Olajuwon and Pat Riley. Warriors GM Chris Mullin (we'll call him a former St. John's standout just for local bragging rights) was also among the list. Other NBA players that were among the finalists were Adrian Dantley and the late Dennis Johnson.

Once again, no Bernard King.

Discuss...

Here's my take, which I posted on the blog a year ago when King was up for nomination. I compared him to Dantley:

King's gaudy career numbers -- 22.5 points per game and 19,655 career points -- are eclipsed by Dantley, who played in 81 more games (basically a season) than King. Dantley averaged 24.3 points per game throughout his career and recorded 23,177 career points.

So if you had to choose one or the other, whom would you choose?

The argument for BK to be in the Hall is based on the fact that throughout his injury-plagued career, he was one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA. Before Michael Jordan arrived, King was the definition of the unstoppable one-man show on what was a mediocre team. He won an NBA scoring crown in 1984-85, had back-to-back 50 point performances and then later in his career made an inspirational comeback from a career-threatening knee injury to re-establish himself as one of the game's top scorers (of course he did this after he went to the Bullets).

What works against him is that he never led the Knicks to any real playoff glory other than the first-round upset over Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons in 1984. He did his thing during the Larry Bird-Magic Johnson era and at a time in the NBA when the small forward position was the prime spot. The 1980s was an era of high-scoring swingmen like Bird, Dantley, Dominique Wilkins and Mark Aguirre. Where does King rank among them?

* - King is 31st on the NBA all-time scoring list, which is incredible considering he only played in 874 games.
* - His career average of 22.5 points per game is 23rd on the NBA all-time list
* - He is one of only 19 players in NBA history to score 60 or more points in a game
* - He had eight games in which he scored 50 or more points

I think King's career is an inspiring one just based on the fact that he persevered through the knee injuries. His lack of games hurts him in comparison to others as far as longevity goes, but his numbers are right up there with the best.

A year ago, Isiah Thomas thought Eddy Curry deserved to be an All-Star. A year later, as the NBA breaks for All-Star Weekend, Thomas suggested that Curry might already be a dinosaur.

At the age of 25 -- and after two unprotected lottery picks were given up for him.

"It is a slow phasing out of the big man is what's happening in this league," Thomas said after he benched Curry for most of the second half in Wednesday's 111-103 loss to the Celtics in Boston. "A lot of teams are playing really small and shooting the three-ball. And if you don't adjust and adjust quickly, you can find yourself down 12 to 15 points."

Thomas often has used the "small ball" excuse while discussing Curry's shortcomings as an NBA big man. Despite his size and strength, the 6-11, 290-pound Curry is a traffic cone in the high-speed transition game that many, though not all, NBA teams play.

Of course, as Curry points out, teams played this way last season, too.

"I think everybody has a different point of view," Curry said. "From my point of view being on the court, it seems like the same stuff from last year. You come up against a couple of teams that like to run it up and down and play small, but for the most part it seems pretty traditional to me. Nobody's really coming with nothing new, from what I've seen."

It's actually Thomas who threw in a wrinkle. He traded for power forward Zach Randolph, a noted low-post scorer, and it immediately caused a logjam down low. The Knicks became easier to guard because they now had two stationary big men on the low blocks. And although Randolph puts up double-figure rebounds most nights, neither one brings much to the table on the defensive end.

But Curry's offense was such a major asset last season that Thomas used to suggest he could live with the defensive liabilities. As the No. 1 option on offense, Curry averaged a career-best 19.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 35.2 minutes per game last season. But the numbers have declined this season to 13.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 26.2 minutes.

So what is he doing wrong? What does he need to do? Work on his body? Develop a jump shot? Get in better condition?

Thomas says nothing.

"We gotta do a better job," he said, referring to the coaching staff. "He can't do anything. There'll be some nights he'll be very useful and there'll be some nights where the team is very small so it will be difficult to play the big guys."

This may be Thomas' theory, but it's not shared throughout the NBA. In fact, the Phoenix Suns -- the most popular example of that small-ball game -- traded for Shaquille O'Neal last week because they felt they needed to have more of a big- man presence. The San Antonio Spurs built a dynasty on Tim Duncan, a big man. The Lakers traded for Pau Gasol, a 7-footer, and also have 7-footer Andrew Bynum. Orlando is built around 7-footer Dwight Howard. The Nets' greatest weakness is the absence of a low-post game and when 6-11 Nenad Krstic is healthy, they unquestionably are a better team.

Another Thomas theory dispelled. Even his players have turned a deaf ear. Curry, who is aware that his name has been prominent in trade talks as Thursday's trade deadline approaches, has been careful to remain respectful -- even when he's being disrespected.

"I have a lot of faith and trust in my coach," Curry said. "If I'm not in the game, I feel like it's for a reason. Sometimes it's for reasons unknown to me, but it's not my job to figure out who should be in the game and when they should be in there."

Curry's job is to figure out how to play big against smaller teams. Thomas' job is to figure out how to make it effective.

Clearly, neither has succeeded.

*

@Jey: I've mentioned OJ Mayo in the blog. I've said hold the Mayo. He's projected as a scoring PG...no thanks. The NBA is going back to the traditional-style PG. Those who can score but also are great playmakers. To me, Mayo = Marbury. Pass. DJ Augustin is in this category, too. Derrick Rose is your top choice right now in the lottery among the stud PGs. But if you can't land him, maybe you go for size (not sold on Hibbert either) and look for a PG via trade or the MLE.

@FixerNation: Not taking all-star weekend off, even though the Knicks are. Check here for that Trade Machine blog I talked about. Saturday night we'll blog the All-Star festivities and the game on Sunday as well.

All the talk tonight involves trades. Jason Kidd to Dallas has everyone buzzing. Doc Rivers had a funny pregame session in which he said he hopes the trend continues.

“Listen, this is what I’m hoping: I’m hoping Dwight Howard gets traded to the West," Doc said. "Rasheed, Rip, Bosh, all the guys I’ll be coaching [Sunday]. We have to get them all on the West team, too."

Isiah and the Knicks have to be glad to see Kidd leave, too. Maybe the Nets will finally drop to second-citizen again in the metropolitan area.

Wait, they're getting Devin Harris? Never mind.

Knick players are ready to break away for a nice four-day vacation. But plenty of them are wondering if some of them won't be there on Monday when the team gathers again. The trade deadline is a week away.

Gametime is a few minutes away.

STARTING LINEUPS
KNICKS (15-36)
Richardson
Randolph
Curry
Crawford
Jones

CELTICS (40-9)
Pierce
Scalabrine
Powe
R. Allen
Rondo

* - Celtics remain without KG, who, as you guys know, won't be at the all-star game. Kendrick Perkins is also out with a shoulder sprain.

Ain't nothin goin on but the rent, so says Isiah. With the trade deadline the only thing left to look forward to -- until the draft lottery, of course -- for the Knicks, we'll trip over each other to present speculation from people outside the organization regarding what they're going to do.

Trade Zach Randolph? If only they could.

Trade Eddy Curry? Certainly giving up quick after giving up two unprotected lottery picks.

Trade Malik Rose? Not for a contract that extends past his, which expires after next season.

Fixers, please block out the noise. Focus. Think about it for a second: if you're hoping for a trade before the deadline, then you are hoping Isiah keeps his job.

It's as simple as that.

The only moves this administration should be making are to set the table for the successor. I'd love to get ESPN analyst Greg Anthony to back me up here, but Greg can't comment on this because you have to believe he'll be a candidate for the job once it becomes available.

This franchise may be a mess right now, but that won't stop a flood of resumes that will pour in. From those I've talked to in and around the NBA, it's still the prime job to have, even with the cap headaches and the PR-obesessed owner.

Ah, but he's a loyal owner. And a filthy rich owner. James Dolan may be the evil in your Fixer Nation, but he is a Godsend to a general manager with a plan.

Now if only he'd hire one.

We're gonna do something later this week, before the all-star break, on this blog for you to get your trade-machine on. We'll do