Around the Offseason, Take 2

[thebuzzardman]

I think there’s hope for Fiz. I was a big fan of the Memphis team he coached that took the Spurs to 6 games. We’ll just have to wait and see.

That Memphis team was brutal offensively though. I was a fan of them because they were just scrappy and embraced the whole grit and grind mentality but that's really how they survived in games, they made them ugly. Offensively they had a lot of struggles and it wasn't pretty basketball to watch by any means. What made them interesting was their 4th quarters, it was always a wild one from an intensity standpoint, but not necessarily from a skills and execution standpoint.

I'm hoping the Knicks can become a lot more dynamic offensively than those Grizzlies ever were

In fairness to Fiz, those teams weren't that offensively gifted or deep after Conley and Gasol, right? It wasn't that long ago, so just going from general impression; didn't look up the roster on bball reference.

This team seems to have more depth of options on offense, if not the proven guard of Conley or well established big of Gasol.

Another way to guage Fiz's coaching acumen, I guess.

He can't be bad as a coach when he seems to have a lot of supporters in the league. Maybe it's just if he's actually good, instead of average. Oh well - an average coach who the players like is a good thing too, when the team has talent, which one day the Knicks might get - the team has the flexibility and the picks to have some chances at it, so that's a good thing. Plus whatever develops from who is on the team now.

[Buttah304]

I think there’s hope for Fiz. I was a big fan of the Memphis team he coached that took the Spurs to 6 games. We’ll just have to wait and see.

That Memphis team was brutal offensively though. I was a fan of them because they were just scrappy and embraced the whole grit and grind mentality but that's really how they survived in games, they made them ugly. Offensively they had a lot of struggles and it wasn't pretty basketball to watch by any means. What made them interesting was their 4th quarters, it was always a wild one from an intensity standpoint, but not necessarily from a skills and execution standpoint.

I'm hoping the Knicks can become a lot more dynamic offensively than those Grizzlies ever were

In fairness to Fiz, those teams weren't that offensively gifted or deep after Conley and Gasol, right? It wasn't that long ago, so just going from general impression; didn't look up the roster on bball reference.

This team seems to have more depth of options on offense, if not the proven guard of Conley or well established big of Gasol.

Another way to guage Fiz's coaching acumen, I guess.

He can't be bad as a coach when he seems to have a lot of supporters in the league. Maybe it's just if he's actually good, instead of average. Oh well - an average coach who the players like is a good thing too, when the team has talent, which one day the Knicks might get - the team has the flexibility and the picks to have some chances at it, so that's a good thing. Plus whatever develops from who is on the team now.

We need RJ to blossom into an elite prospect. Like Sham always says it’s incredibly hard to win in this league without premier talent - in fact multiple players. I do believe RJ has the overall skill set and drive to be who we think he can become. Let’s see what happens. I’m hoping we’ll look back and say now that’s a player you can build a team around.

[thebuzzardman]

That Memphis team was brutal offensively though. I was a fan of them because they were just scrappy and embraced the whole grit and grind mentality but that's really how they survived in games, they made them ugly. Offensively they had a lot of struggles and it wasn't pretty basketball to watch by any means. What made them interesting was their 4th quarters, it was always a wild one from an intensity standpoint, but not necessarily from a skills and execution standpoint.

I'm hoping the Knicks can become a lot more dynamic offensively than those Grizzlies ever were

In fairness to Fiz, those teams weren't that offensively gifted or deep after Conley and Gasol, right? It wasn't that long ago, so just going from general impression; didn't look up the roster on bball reference.

This team seems to have more depth of options on offense, if not the proven guard of Conley or well established big of Gasol.

Another way to guage Fiz's coaching acumen, I guess.

He can't be bad as a coach when he seems to have a lot of supporters in the league. Maybe it's just if he's actually good, instead of average. Oh well - an average coach who the players like is a good thing too, when the team has talent, which one day the Knicks might get - the team has the flexibility and the picks to have some chances at it, so that's a good thing. Plus whatever develops from who is on the team now.

We need RJ to blossom into an elite prospect. Like Sham always says it’s incredibly hard to win in this league without premier talent - in fact multiple players. I do believe RJ has the overall skill set and drive to be who we think he can become. Let’s see what happens. I’m hoping we’ll look back and say now that’s a player you can build a team around.

Pretty much. Bare minimum he has to become a true #2 option.

[spree2kawhi]

In fairness to Fiz, those teams weren't that offensively gifted or deep after Conley and Gasol, right? It wasn't that long ago, so just going from general impression; didn't look up the roster on bball reference.

This team seems to have more depth of options on offense, if not the proven guard of Conley or well established big of Gasol.

Another way to guage Fiz's coaching acumen, I guess.

He can't be bad as a coach when he seems to have a lot of supporters in the league. Maybe it's just if he's actually good, instead of average. Oh well - an average coach who the players like is a good thing too, when the team has talent, which one day the Knicks might get - the team has the flexibility and the picks to have some chances at it, so that's a good thing. Plus whatever develops from who is on the team now.

We need RJ to blossom into an elite prospect. Like Sham always says it’s incredibly hard to win in this league without premier talent - in fact multiple players. I do believe RJ has the overall skill set and drive to be who we think he can become. Let’s see what happens. I’m hoping we’ll look back and say now that’s a player you can build a team around.

Pretty much. Bare minimum he has to become a true #2 option.

After all, Argentina wins without any top talent, Toronto won with only one, the Pistons with mostly defense. That's key: defense.

[HEZI]

I think there’s hope for Fiz. I was a big fan of the Memphis team he coached that took the Spurs to 6 games. We’ll just have to wait and see.

That Memphis team was brutal offensively though. I was a fan of them because they were just scrappy and embraced the whole grit and grind mentality but that's really how they survived in games, they made them ugly. Offensively they had a lot of struggles and it wasn't pretty basketball to watch by any means. What made them interesting was their 4th quarters, it was always a wild one from an intensity standpoint, but not necessarily from a skills and execution standpoint.

I'm hoping the Knicks can become a lot more dynamic offensively than those Grizzlies ever were

In fairness to Fiz, those teams weren't that offensively gifted or deep after Conley and Gasol, right? It wasn't that long ago, so just going from general impression; didn't look up the roster on bball reference.

This team seems to have more depth of options on offense, if not the proven guard of Conley or well established big of Gasol.

Another way to guage Fiz's coaching acumen, I guess.

He can't be bad as a coach when he seems to have a lot of supporters in the league. Maybe it's just if he's actually good, instead of average. Oh well - an average coach who the players like is a good thing too, when the team has talent, which one day the Knicks might get - the team has the flexibility and the picks to have some chances at it, so that's a good thing. Plus whatever develops from who is on the team now.

They really weren't so I don't blame Fiz for that at all. I think Fiz is a better coach than people on this board give him credit for.

[BKlutch]

My argument is not that fiz didn’t suck. He did. It’s that the nets established anything defensively before this past year. Even throwing up endless 3s because you watched Dantoni do it is not exactly genius level coaching. The nets as a well oiled machine is a kind of an overblown narrative. They had a young point guard who went crazy for his next contract more than anything else.

The Nets were playing fast and shooting 3's well before D-Lo got there. I don't know why you are bringing up defense as if it invalidates anything, but they also got better defensively each year under Atkinson.

I'm not talking about results though. I'm solely focused on identity.

Playing fast and shooting 3's is not a novel identity by any means, but it was one they were able to execute. They knew who they were.

Fizdale missed that very low mark.

d-lo is what made them successful though. an identity that doesn't lead to success is kind of meaningless. i mean, the triangle was an identity.

i just don't like them as an example of great basketball execution at work. their pr machine has been working overtime for a year now. i've never seen a .500 team get so much praise.

anyway, back to fiz since this is the point you're trying to make. you're right, he didn't establish an identity, or a rotation, or a starting lineup, or anything. so he's either the worst coach of all time or he was just looking for ways to tank. i thought the former early on but now i tend to think it must be the latter. if it goes like this again he'll be on the hot seat. i can't imagine they'll be a 3rd year of that. 2 seems like the limit.

Right about the Nyets and right about Fiz.

[BKlutch]

I think there’s hope for Fiz. I was a big fan of the Memphis team he coached that took the Spurs to 6 games. We’ll just have to wait and see.

There are widely differing points of view about Fiz here. Both you and Mecca will at least have to wait until the season before the season begins before you know who is right.

Me, I'm hoping you are. But either way, I want this issue decided this year.

[thebuzzardman]

I think there’s hope for Fiz. I was a big fan of the Memphis team he coached that took the Spurs to 6 games. We’ll just have to wait and see.

There are widely differing points of view about Fiz here. Both you and Mecca will at least have to wait until the season before the season begins before you know who is right.

Me, I'm hoping you are. But either way, I want this issue decided this year.

I've bashed him plenty and was pretty frustrated at the style of play, but assuming as another poster said, premium on attacking the basket was the culture being developed, than more talented players and the ability to make the correct reads and cuts off that could/should happen this year.

I don't expect some awesome team, but 35 wins and relatively decent quality basketball shouldn't be a stretch. Then maybe .500 and 40-41 wins with some luck, lack of injuries etc.

[BKlutch]

I think there’s hope for Fiz. I was a big fan of the Memphis team he coached that took the Spurs to 6 games. We’ll just have to wait and see.

There are widely differing points of view about Fiz here. Both you and Mecca will at least have to wait until the season before the season begins before you know who is right.

Me, I'm hoping you are. But either way, I want this issue decided this year.

I've bashed him plenty and was pretty frustrated at the style of play, but assuming as another poster said, premium on attacking the basket was the culture being developed, than more talented players and the ability to make the correct reads and cuts off that could/should happen this year.

I don't expect some awesome team, but 35 wins and relatively decent quality basketball shouldn't be a stretch. Then maybe .500 and 40-41 wins with some luck, lack of injuries etc.

I'd project up to 35 wins, and agree with a ceiling of 40 if everything goes as well as possible and one or two guys really outperform their expectations. That's not impossible, but it's not likely.

What I most want to see is the young guys finding their way and a path forward for improving over the next few years, a team style develop, a (partially) regular rotation so we can identify which pieces aren't performing as well and look to the draft and FA to plug our holes in the future. But the way we played last year and given the number of new guys this year, we can't say right now what the team should look like.

[thebuzzardman]

Not around the NBA, but off topic, but interesting video (there's a part 2 after)

Watch on YouTube

[HerSports85]

LMAO this **** so funny

Read on Twitter

[Clyde_Style]

LMAO this **** so funny

Read on Twitter

I'll wait for the KD Coaster night

[JBreezeNY]

LMAO this **** so funny

Read on Twitter

Do teams usually do this? That’s kinda odd

[Knicksfan1992]

LMAO this **** so funny

Read on Twitter

Rent free

[thebuzzardman]

LMAO this **** so funny

Read on Twitter

Shouldn't it be a cast or some other medical device?

[HerSports85]

LMAO this **** so funny

Read on Twitter

Do teams usually do this? That’s kinda odd

Maybe I haven’t been paying attention, but I never seen a team giveaway jerseys at a game

[HerSports85]

Read on Twitter

[stuporman]

It seems like this YouTube 'coach' is unaware that they are using a system like the Rockets and how D'Antoni uses his guards...

Oh and now there will be almost 10,000 Knick fans with Nets Kyrie jersies to creatively destroy on social media...

[DOT]

LMAO this **** so funny

Read on Twitter

Do teams usually do this? That’s kinda odd

Maybe I haven’t been paying attention, but I never seen a team giveaway jerseys at a game

I mean, maybe a few, but 10,000?

Barclays only has like 17,000 seats, so like 60% of a full house will get one

Or, as Nets fans call it, a sold out arena

[malik959]

LMAO this **** so funny

Read on Twitter

Do teams usually do this? That’s kinda odd

Maybe I haven’t been paying attention, but I never seen a team giveaway jerseys at a game

In other words " hey we only filled 5 seats soooo were giving away Non Authentic jerseys to get people to come!"