By Tony Targan, TalentedMrRoto.com
October 7, 2006 - 11:12 a.m.

2005-06 OVERVIEW

With Isiah Thomas at the helm, expect Stephon Marbury to carry the Knicks if he has to. (Ray Amati/NBAE/Getty Images)

Coach Larry Brown's "dream job" quickly turned into a nightmare for the Knicks, as they matched the most losses in team history en route to a 23-59 record. The revolving door to Coach Brown's doghouse resulted in 40 different starting lineups and a form of fantasy purgatory, as only two players (Stephon Marbury and Jamal Crawford) averaged more than 30 minutes a game in New York. High-priced mid-season additions of Steve Francis and Jalen Rose did little to stem the losing tide, and the apparent animosity between Brown and Marbury hardly helped team unity.

Despite having the second worst record in the NBA, the team could not capitalize on its high draft position, having already traded away the number two pick for Eddy Curry. The Knicks first round pick of unheralded Renaldo Balkman quickly became one of the draft’s biggest surprises.

With Larry Brown's departure, the coaching reigns were unceremoniously handed over to Isiah Thomas. Thomas is no coaching neophyte, having guided the Indiana Pacers to a 131-115 record and three playoff appearances between 2001 and 2003. While Isiah was given only one year to right the ship that he himself built, he could find smooth sailing in the lukewarm waters of the Atlantic.

ADDITIONS:
Jared Jeffries, F
Nikoloz Tskitishvili, F
Renaldo Balkman, F
Mardy Collins, G

LOSSES:
Maurice Taylor, F
Ime Udoka, G
Jackie Butler, C

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:
C – Eddy Curry
PF – Channing Frye
SF – Jared Jeffries
SG – Steve Francis
PG – Stephon Marbury

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN 2006

The salary-laden Knicks could not afford a roster makeover in the off-season but did add free agent Jared Jeffries. They did not lose any regular players, and last season's talented rookie trio of Nate Robinson, Channing Frye and David Lee is a year older and hopefully more settled.

The biggest changes fantasy-wise will come from Isiah Thomas. While Larry Brown seemed willing to juggle lineups endlessly, Thomas is much more likely to settle on a set rotation. Isiah is also certain to get along better with his talented point guard Stephon Marbury, who could thrive as the main scoring option, just like Zeke did for the Pistons in the Bad Boys era.

While they have nowhere to go but up as a team, the Knicks are still filled with uncertainty from a fantasy perspective. Other than Marbury, it is hard to consider any Knick a sure-fire starter. Still, there could be some mid-to-late round bargains in New York as the bloom is off the roses – and I don't mean just Jalen and Malik.

KEY BENCH POSITIONS / POSITION BATTLES

Starting Shooting Guard – The smart money is on Steve Francis to earn the nod over Jamal Crawford at shooting guard. Even though Francis struggled last season (averaging only 10.8 points and 3.5 assists in 24 games with the Knicks), Isiah wants to prove that Francis is worth his hefty salary. With fewer minutes, Crawford will have a hard time duplicating his numbers from last season, when he led the team in total minutes, points, three-point field goals and steals.

Starting Small Forward – Jared Jeffries is the shiny new toy, and the only one that Isiah was allowed to acquire in the off-season. While Jeffries averaged only 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Wizards last season, he has the edge over Jalen Rose. As the Knicks' oldest player at 33, Rose is well past his prime, despite scoring 12.3 points per game last year.

PLAYERS WE LOVE

Eddy Curry – If Curry is healthy, he can be the "Every Day Eddy" that the Knicks dreamed of when they mortgaged their future to acquire him. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and shot 56.3 percent from the field in only 26 minutes per game last year. At age 23, Curry's best years are ahead of him-, and with no real competition at center, he could be ready to break out.

Channing Frye – Like Curry, it is easy to project a bright future for Channing Frye, who is also 23. Frye's per game numbers – 12.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 47.7 percent from the field in 24 minutes – should spike as this second year player earns more playing time.

Stephon Marbury – As previously stated, "Starbury" is ready to resume his rightful place among the NBA's elite point guards, and Isiah will give him every opportunity to succeed. Plus, any guy who is willing to market his basketball shoes for $15 deserves some good karma this year.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Jamal Crawford - Crawford's minutes will suffer playing behind Francis, which could cause him to be unhappy, particularly if the Knicks struggle to win. Don't overpay for last year's numbers, but Crawford could be worth a late round flyer based on his three-point shooting alone.

Jared Jeffries - Jeffries averaged 6.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks in 256 career games with the Wizards. While the Knicks like him for his defense, he doesn't have the stats to make it as a fantasy star or even a viable starter.

BOTTOM LINE

New York, New York. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. But if you can't, it's a pretty rough place to be in the glare of the media spotlight. Like Isiah Thomas back in the day, Stephon Marbury is the kind of player who can place a team on his back and carry them. Marbury will be given every opportunity to lead, and if he and veteran backcourt mate Steve Francis can share the ball, they could provide a more stable environment in which youngsters Eddy Curry, Channing Frye and Nate Robinson can grow.

The big question is whether the Knicks can improve fast enough this season to save Isiah's job. Will his coaching decisions be based more on winning this year (favoring veterans) or will he (and Knicks' fans and media) have the long-term perspective and patience to develop the team's young talent? "It's up to you – New York, New York."

The views expressed by TalentedMrRoto.com represent only the views of the writers; they do not represent the views of the NBA or any NBA team.

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