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The Knicks proved to be scrappy bunch, fighting an uphill battled against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics.  First, they proved could earn a postseason berth, an accomplishment in and of itself after the franchise had endured an arduous seven-year absence from postseason play.  And despite a litany of injuries leaving them shorthanded against Boston, New York proved they could hang with a top team, especially when their newest superstar brings his A-game.
 
However, getting swept out of the playoffs ultimately proved the Knicks aren’t ready to beat the NBA’s elite.
 
Now fans of the franchise are asking: Where do the Knickerbockers go from here?
 
Considering the many question marks surrounding this squad, it might be easier to start with what will stay the same going into next season.   The truth is that while we don’t know much about the Knicks future, we do know the roster will be built around Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.  Amar’e and Melo are New York’s bedrocks.  They are the foundation around which the rest of the roster will be constructed.  And when you begin a team with two of the league’s top 15 players – well, that’s a good start.
 
Stoudemire was a legit MVP candidate for much of the regular season’s first half and adjusted admirably once Carmelo came to town in late February.  And Amar’e was a beast in Game 1 versus Boston, tallying 28 points and 11 rebounds.  He was essentially unstoppable down the stretch, and was the best player on the floor during the first game of that series.  Unfortunately, a back injury suffered in pregame warmups prior to Game 2 left relegated him to simply a shell of himself throughout the rest of the series.  (Afterwards, he stated the back injury was minor and declared he’d be 100% in a matter of weeks.)  Either way, the Knicks couldn’t be happier with their $100 million investment.
 
And, for as much drama that surrounded Melo in the days, weeks, and months leading up the trade deadline in February, he proved to be worth all the hubbub over the course of 48 minutes last Tuesday night.  In an epic Game 2, Anthony’s Herculean effort nearly netted his new team a seemingly impossibly come-from-behind victory.  Melo finished with a jaw-dropping 42 points, 17 rebounds, six assists (vs. just one turnover), and two blocks. 
 
STAT and Melo are here to stay.  That much is set in stone.  After that, things get very dicey.  From the 15th man on the roster, right up through the head coach and the President/GM, the future is murky.  The Opening Day roster next October (or when ever next season begins) could remain relatively stable; or there could be dramatic, wholesale changes that completely revamp the look and structure of the entire team and organization.   
 
At times over the Knicks last three games, D’Antoni ran out a lineup that consisted of Carmelo surrounded by Anthony Carter, Shawne Williams, Roger Mason Jr., and Jared Jeffries.  On those occasions, all four non-Melo Knicks were soon-to-be free-agents.  In fact, other than Amar’e and Anthony, the only other players with guaranteed contracts for next season are Toney Douglas, Landry Fields and two seldom-used reserves that never even dressed during the playoffs – Andy Rautins and Renaldo Balkman.  In addition, head coach Mike D’Antoni has just one season remaining on his four-year contract.  And President of Basketball Operations, and the team’s architect, Donnie Walsh may be in his last few days/weeks as the organization’s chief decision maker.
 
Question marks and uncertainly abound.  Let’s break it own position-by-position.
 
Point Guard:  This was arguably the Knicks weakest link during their first-round sweep by Boston.  Rajon Rondo absolutely destroyed the Knicks.  Pierce and Allen scored more points in the series.  KG grabbed more boards.  But you could certainly argue that no player was more important to the Celtics success than Rondo.  He is the engine that powers the Boston.  I suppose the Knicks shouldn’t have been surprised. (Per Elias: Rajon averaged 16.7 assists over the three games he played against New York during the regular season. That was the highest assists average by any player against any NBA team this season (minimum: three games.) It was the highest average that any player has ever had in one season against the Knicks (minimum: three games).         
 
As far as New York was concerned, here is all you need to know about the Knicks point guard playing during the series: 35-year-old Anthony Carter had four assists in Game 4, which led the team.  And this wasn’t an anomaly.  Carmelo Anthony was the only Knickerbocker to dish out more than four assists in any game during the series.
 
Chauncey Billups sprained his left knee in the closing moments of Game 1, and the Knicks’ offense was essentially rudderless from that point forward.  Toney Douglas, who had some bright moments during the second half of the regular season, looked thoroughly overmatched as a starting PG in the playoffs.  However, he still has a couple of relatively inexpensive seasons remaining on his rookie contract, so he’ll stick around and likely be utilized as a third guard off the bench going forward.
 
Billups, on the other hand, is a far more interesting scenario.  His current contract stipulates his employer (now the Knicks) has the option to waive him within five days following the last game the team plays during the 2010-2011 season (including the playoffs.)  It is important to note the timing has been reported incorrectly by some outlets that stated the Knicks have until five days after the NBA Finals conclude in order to make a decision.
 
I spoke with Walsh prior to the start of Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, and he confirmed the contract actually specifics the Knicks have five days from the end of their season – not the Finals.  "It is not an option.  Some people call it a ‘buy-out,’ some people call it something different.  We have the ability to waive him, and pay him less money if we waive him… It’s five days from the last game that we play."
 
I then asked Donnie if he was leaning in a particular direction with this decision looming.  He smirked and said, "Yeah, but I’m not gonna tell you what it is."  Walsh clarified: "There is no mystery to that, this just isn’t the time to talk about it." 
 
If the Knicks do not waive Billups within this five-day window, he will be paid $14.2 million for the 2011-2012 season.  If the Knicks waive him, they’ll pay him a lump sum of $3.7 million. 
 
For multiple reasons I firmly believe the Knicks will choose to retain Chauncey’s services.  First, if they hold onto him, even if he underperforms next season (unlikely), the Knicks possess an excellent trade chip to shop around at the trade deadline in February.  If the Knicks have any prayer at prying a disgruntled, stud PG such as Chris Paul (should he demand a trade), New York will need a massive expiring contract.  Moreover, as discussed earlier, the Knicks don’t have a legit starting PG currently in the fold.  Amongst the players on the roster, Billups, albeit a little long in the tooth, is still clearly their best option at the point.  And, for what it’s worth, Billups is hoping Walsh decides to stick with him.  Billups told reporters before Game 4 that he still feels like he has plenty of gas left in the tank.  In fact, he claimed that doctors that have examined him told him that he has the knees of a "22-year-old."  He joked that it might be because he never did/could jump.
 
Shooting Guard:  As bad as the Knicks point guard play was during the Celtics series, it was somewhat expected once Billups went down.  However, the incredible struggles of Landry Fields, who started 81 games during the regular season, left Knicks’ coaches, fans, and reporters all shocked.  Fields, a second-round pick out of Stanford, was one of the Knicks true bright spots over the first half of the season.  Landry quickly became a fan favorite as he stunningly exploded onto the scene in New York.  He was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in both November and December.  He was viewed by many as a key contributor for the Knicks both in the short and long-term.  When the Melo rumors really heated up, many fan made impassioned pleas for the Knicks to hold onto Fields (as it turned out, the Nuggets weren’t all that interested).  When the deal was consummated, and Landry was spared, New Yorkers viewed him as a perfect complement to the Knicks high-powered STAT and Melo tag-team.  However, Fields’ offensive production decreased over the season’s second half.  After averaging over 10 ppg during the first 50 contests of his rookie campaign, Landry was scoring fewer than eight points per game in April.  Still, nothing could have prepared Mike D’Antoni for the hole Fields would fall into against Boston.
 
Landry didn’t just have an awful series, he completely disappeared.  In fact, by the second half of Game 4, D’Antoni’s trust in Landy had completely evaporated.  Fields was on the bench to start the third quarter and he didn’t play a second over the game’s final 24 minutes.
 
I had an opportunity to ask Walsh about Landry’s regression on Sunday as well.  Here is Donnie’s take: "I don’t think it’s hitting the ‘rookie wall’ because he’s the most fit guy we got.  I think that after we made the trade, because people tend to point to the trade, but after the trading deadline, teams start getting deadly serious and start taking away your strengths and playing you to your weaknesses.  I think that Fields is going to have to adjust to that and it’s a good thing for him to know what he’s got to work on.  But I think he will do it and I’m not worried about it."
 
"Basically, he is a really good basketball player.  But that is not enough in the NBA.  You have to get a skill, let’s say it’s shooting; you have to get a shot you know you can get and you can make – not 5 out of 10 times, but 7 out of 10 times," said Walsh.  D’Antoni also reiterated he and the entire organization love the kid.
 
{AUTHOR_BOX}The fact of the matter is Fields will earn only $788,000 next season, so there is absolutely no question he’ll be on the roster next season.  Even if he only plays a few minutes a game, he is a bargain at twice that price.  However, the debate going forward will be whether or not he is a capable starting two guard in the NBA.  Is he the Landry Fields that won multiple Rookie of the Month honors, or the guy that averaged 1.8 points (shooting 16.6% from the floor and 14.3% from the free-throw line) and just 1.3 rebounds versus Boston?  Fortunately, the Knicks will get another full season out of him before being forced to make a long-term decision.                                          
 
Small Forward: Carmelo Anthony = locked in through at least 2014 (player option for the 2014-2015 season).                     
   
Power Forward: Amar’e Stoudemire = Four guaranteed years remaining on his current contract.  
 
Center:  The Knicks two biggest areas of concern on the floor are finding a long-term answer at the point, and a reliable starting center.  It is imperative New York find a big man they can rely on.  He obviously doesn’t have to be a stud scorer; the Knicks already have that covered.  But, ideally, they would add a bruiser that would board and protect the tin.  A defensive-minded center willing to set screens and do the dirty work – that is a prescription for what ails New York down low.  Amar’e played far too many minutes during the regular season, and was forced to play the five too often as well.  His postseason back injury certainly can’t be directly attributed to this extra wear-and-tear, but NY would clearly prefer to avoid the issue next season either way. 

Ronny Turiaf played well at times during his debut season in the Big Apple.  He hustled and brought much-needed defensive energy whenever he stepped on the floor.  The issue was keeping him on the court.  Turiaf rarely stayed healthy for more than a few games at a time.  He doesn’t project as a starting NBA center, as he just isn’t reliable enough.  He’s likely best suited to play roughly 15 hard minutes off the bench on a nightly basis.  As far as next season is concerned, Turiaf has a player option that pays him $4.4 million for 2011-2012.  It is possible he could opt out and become an unrestricted free-agent this summer (or whenever the lockout ends) in hopes of securing a long-term deal, but given his injury history and the presumably unfavorable conditions of the new CBA, it is safe to assume he’ll decide to return to NY for another year.  The Knicks have to hope he’ll wear a uniform more often than a suit.

Shelden Williams was the other center that saw minutes down the stretch, but he was a non-factor in the postseason, and is no longer under contract with New York, so he’s likely seen his final days with the Knicks.

One last internal option is Jerome Jordan, whom the Knicks acquired on draft night last season.  Jordan spent last season in Serbia, playing for KK Hemofarm.  Here’s a link to his Euro League stats.  Jordan will be given an opportunity to earn a roster spot during summer league play (if there is any) as well as training camp, if both sides decide to go that route.

Obviously, the Knicks need to import a legit big man, but adding one will prove difficult.  There will be a handful of talented centers on the free-agent market, but NY will likely be forced to just do some window shopping, without a realistic chance to nab a prize such as Marc Gasol, Tyson Chandler, Samuel Dalembert, or DeAndre Jordan, etc.  Assuming the Knicks retain Billups, their cap space will be minimal.  And if the new CBA implements a "hard cap" or even eliminates the "mid-level exception," New York will be hard-pressed to add a starting center that generates a great deal of excitement. 

Donnie Walsh (if he is still running the Knicks) may be forced to shop for a bargain from the sale rack.  Keep these names (all free-agents) in mind: Spencer Hawes, Jeff Foster, Nenad Krstic, Joel Przybilla, Erick Dampier, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Nazr Mohammed, Kurt Thomas, Aaron Gray, Dan Gadzuric, Ryan Hollins, Kwame Brown, Jason Collins, et al.  Or, if you really feel like rolling the dice, Greg Oden will be on the market as well.

Head Coach:  D’Antoni’s somewhat tumultuous tenure in New York has been a hot topic of debate in Gotham recently.  Those who wish to see him ousted claim the Knicks need a defensive-minded coach to guide the team going forward.  However, in fairness to D’Antoni, he had next to nothing to work with over his first two seasons in NY.  And this year, he got the Knicks out to a fast start but then saw nearly half his roster traded away in order to obtain Melo and Billups.  D’Antoni had but a handful of practices to incorporate his new superstar.  Then Billups and Amar’e were a bit dinged up in March/April, and the Knicks entered the postseason still attempting to acclimate themselves to each other.  And we know how the Knicks were crippled by injuries once the playoffs began…

D’Antoni’s system does has its flaws, and there are reasons to be skeptical, but the sweep by Boston can’t be pinned on the coach.

D’Antoni has one season left on the four-year deal he signed back in 2008.  The assumption here is he gets to coach this team at least one more season; however, his future remains unsettled as long as Donnie Walsh’s status is unresolved.        
 
Team President:  Although all the previously detailed issues are critically important, it can be argued they pale in comparison to the significance of whether or not Donnie Walsh returns.  Walsh is the brilliant architect of this franchise.  When he arrived, the organization was in shambles.  New York had become a league-wide laughingstock, both on and off the court.  The roster was teeming with bloated contracts nobody wanted.  Walsh did the unthinkable and the presumed impossible, gutting the roster and somehow getting below the salary cap, which was the first step.  Then he found a way to bring in two legit superstars to fortify the franchise. 

Just as importantly, Walsh not only created cap space, and not only brought in terrifically talented players, and not only brought back hope and optimism to New York City; he also brought class and respectability back to the organization, something this franchise desperately needed.

The praise for the work Donnie did can not be overstated.  Thus, it is imperative that owner James Dolan and the Knicks allow him to stay on to complete this project he began three long years ago.  For some time, Knicks fans have been anxiously awaiting definitive word regarding Walsh’s future from Dolan.  The Knicks purportedly have until April 30th to exercise an option for the 2011-2012 season.  Dolan’s incomprehensible fascination with Isiah Thomas has many New York denizens particularly nervous.

However, word began to leak Monday morning that should help assuage the fears of fans. Ken Berger of CBSsports.com is reporting Dolan is leaning towards offering Donnie a two-year extension.  "The Knicks are considering a two-year extension for team president Donnie Walsh, with the matter expected to be resolved in the next two weeks, a person familiar with the organization’s thinking told CBSSports.com Sunday night.  Walsh, 69, has an option for the 2011-12 season to be exercised by April 30, but the more likely scenario is a two-year extension that would keep the architect of the Knicks’ revival at the helm through the critical next phase of the rebuilding plan. If the option is not picked up, Walsh’s contract expires June 30.  "It’s basically going to be Donnie’s call whether he wants to come back," said the person with knowledge of the organization’s intentions."      
 
With so much of the Knicks future still unresolved, Walsh’s patience and expertise are invaluable. 

Donnie Walsh inherited a nightmarish roster, and transformed it into a foundation of Stoudemire and Anthony.  Walsh already crafted a few masterful brushstrokes; he now deserves the opportunity complete the picture as he see fits.  

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