3toheadmelo wrote:Irving is intent on living in the New York area and a person close to the All-Star point guard says he prefers the Brooklyn Nets over the Knicks because he has concerns about Knicks’ management, including ownership.
Durant is a tricky one, because not signing him may be the smarter play. He’ll likely miss all of next season and when he returns he’ll be 32 years old and coming back from a major injury. And who even knows if Durant would have trust in the Knicks’ medical staff to spearhead his rehabilitation. The Knicks recent track record with injured All-Stars – that would be Kristaps Porzingis – has been spotty.
Durant needs a good medical team next season more than he needs a strong supporting case. Leonard had both in Toronto. Coincidentally, the physiotherapist credited for helping Kawhi regain his form and manage the regular season under a “load management” plan is Toronto’s Alex McKechnie. That would be the same Alex McKechnie that Phil Jackson wanted to hire when he became Knicks president.
McKechnie had worked with the Lakers when Jackson coached there and the two grew close. However, Dolan wouldn’t allow Jackson to hire McKechnie, who would have been in charge of the team’s medical staff. So McKechnie, who viewed the move as a demotion, passed.
It was a minor disagreement at the time but it had major ramifications. It was also an example of Dolan interfering to the detriment of the franchise. Last week, in what should have been an innocuous celebratory press conference for first-round pick RJ Barrett, became its own unnecessary controversy when the Knicks were fined $50,000 by the NBA for not allowing the New York Daily News to attend.
this is such a hit piece.
