It seemed like the New York Knicks underperformed when they ended the 2013-2014 season with a 37-45 record. It was a huge step back from having a 54-28 record and winning the Atlantic Division the season before. This season, the Knicks look to re-establish their offensive efficiency as well as their team cohesion that they once held in the 2012-2013 NBA season. They're looking for a way back into the Eastern Conference playoffs, and they're looking to do it in a dominating fashion.
The first piece that was added to the Knicks franchise was Phil Jackson. He was signed as the Knicks President of Operations mid-March of this year. Although there was plenty of speculation, whether or not his outstanding coaching ability would transfer into building a franchise, the "Zen Master" answered the critics by firing Head Coach Mike Woodson and the entire coaching staff. He replaced Mike Woodson with rookie Head Coach Derek Fisher and also brought in the Triangle offense. Along with staff moves, he also made roster moves. He traded Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks for Jose Calderon, Shane Larkin, Samuel Dalembert, Wayne Ellington, and two second round draft picks. Those two second round picks turned into Cleanthony Early and Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
During costless agency, the Knicks were able to re-sign Carmelo Anthony to a monstrous 5-year, $124 million contract. In addition, they also signed Jason Smith to a one-year deal and traded Wayne Ellington, along with Jeremy Tyler, to the Sacramento Kings for Quincy Acy and Travis Outlaw. The offseason moves were just the beginning.
There was plenty of individual improvement. Tim Hardaway Jr. worked on his defense, Iman Shumpert and Amar'e Stoudemire both worked on their health and their games, and Carmelo Anthony trimmed fat to become quicker and build stamina. The overall focus was to build team chemistry and learn the Triangle offense. Derek Fisher, who played under Phil Jackson while on the Los Angeles Lakers, had the toughest job. He had to learn how to teach the offense while, simultaneously, trying to create his own identity and not just being known as the second coming of Phil Jackson.
It'll prove to be a tough transition from player to coach, as well as the team learning how to move the ball while trying not to end up in isolation situations. Last season, they finished 28th in the league in the assists category with 20.0 assists per game (via basketball-reference.com). They didn't pass the ball much and relied heavily on Carmelo Anthony in isolation situations.
This season, they will implement the Triangle offense. The Triangle offense primarily relies on the ball going from player to player until the right shot is found. Players will need to make cuts and keep moving so the ball could travel flawlessly. This was not the case last season; nevertheless, it should provide for a much smoother offense. It will also make the game easier for Carmelo Anthony. They ranked 20th in the points per game category with 98.6 points per game (via basketball-reference.com). As long as shooters, like Jose Calderon, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Amar'e Stoudemire produce efficiently, the burden won't fall heavily on Anthony. They will need to show that they can be relied on when playing on the offensive end. However, among other issues, their biggest issue was on the defensive end.
Derek Fisher has acknowledged that they have had issues on defense and is trying to correct it. He wants the team to fully commit on defense, and if preseason is any indication, they are attempting to improve on the defensive end. Of course, playing on both ends of the floor will be a culture shock for most players - but as long as they buy into Fisher's ideas - they will succeed tremendously. Fans should look forward to Tim Hardaway Jr. maturing his game and becoming an all-around player, most notably his improvement on the defensive end, as well as Iman Shumpert improving offensively and bringing his defense to the next level. Carmelo Anthony will also commit to the defensive end. The issue in the past wasn't his ability to play defense, it was his commitment to the defensive end. With that being said, there will be some big contributions from the role players.
So far, there isn't a set starting lineup. However, there are players competing hard for the starting roles, especially at shooting guard and power forward positions. Those two positions are the deepest positions on the roster, and it'll definitely help the Knicks moving forward in the 2014-2015 NBA season. Either way, whether they start or come off the bench, the roster has been made up of players that will compete every night. So far, it seems like the players are willing to buy into Derek Fisher and his vision for the team. They will do what they are asked to do and they will perform to their best abilities. Look for the Knicks to make a strong push into the playoffs. However, they will not rank higher than a sixth seed and will likely make a first round exit. There are too many moving parts for the Knicks to make a strong playoff push. They have a rookie coach that's running a newly implemented offense, all while trying to build chemistry and trying to get the team to play defense. Nevertheless, the Knicks will be a better team than they were last season. They will have huge contributions from Carmelo Anthony and Tim Hardaway Jr., as well as improvements from Amar'e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert.
With that being said, the Knicks should have an entertaining season. They will most likely start off slow, but they will pick up steam quickly. Once they learn the Triangle, they will excel and become a tough Eastern Conference team with an explosive offensive ability. Overall, their 2014-2015 NBA season will be the first step towards building a dominating franchise for years to come.