The Knicks have become a reality series in which the lines between the absurd and sensible have become blurred. The James Dolan-Charles Oakley he-said, he-said fiasco has drawn actors from various sectors of society, the least of which is politics, as if it has any significant and tangible relevance to the more serious issues permeating American society.
It doesn’t. Oakley getting tossed from Madison Square Garden last week is no more than a personal squabble between him and the Knicks’ owner. There were no racial or social undertones or subtexts. It was just another unfortunate chapter in the Knicks’ recent history and a stain on a once proud and glorious franchise that can’t seem to get out of its own way.
The incident and subsequent widespread media attention is not germane to the Knicks going to Oklahoma City to face Russell Westbrook and the Thunder, their final game before the All-Star break, 23-33 and no closer to being a legitimate playoff contender than they were during their 17-65 season two years ago under former head coach Derek Fisher.
The incessant criticism of Dolan’s stewardship of the Knicks has been warranted. But to be objective and fair, a plurality of fans and media applauded and co-signed his acquisition of Phil Jackson in March 2014 as the Knicks’ president. Dolan has stayed out of Jackson’s way and allowed the Zen Master to put his imprint on the organization. Yet, with two years remaining on his five-year deal, Jackson has attracted more attention for his ambiguous tweets than he has for successful personnel moves.
Despite the understandable hyperbole regarding him drafting Kristaps Porzingis and the myopic judgement by which many assess the gifted but underdeveloped 7-foot-3, 21-year-old from Latvia, Carmelo Anthony is the only Knick remotely close to being an All-Star in a league driven by elite talent. Dolan shouldn’t be held accountable for the Knicks’ incongruous and underperforming collective of players.
Jackson and head coach Jeff Hornacek are charged with rebuilding the roster and getting the most out of it respectively. It is unlikely Anthony will be traded before next Thursday’s Feb. 23 trade deadline. The Knicks will be hard pressed to gain equal value in return for a player who is still one of the sport’s exceptional scorers. But several other Knicks, including Brandon Jennings, Courtney Lee and Derrick Rose, may yield young rotation players and/or draft choices.
The Dolan-Oakley controversy has only served as temporary diversion from the important issues surrounding the Knicks. And it will die down much sooner than the team will become a consistent winner once again.
