Go New York, Go New York, Go!

Amar’e was wrong, the Knicks aren’t back. If Carmelo Anthony is at the center of a press conference in the immediate future, sporting the orange and blue, then maybe STAT’s statement wasn’t too far off…but for right now it’s safe to say the Knicks are still very much a work in progress.

With that said, the summer of 2010 has been a successful summer for the Knicks. Sure, LeBron and Wade are going to be playing together in South Beach instead of 45 minutes from Rockaway Beach, but anyone that thought LeBron was coming to New York was truly dreaming. To put things in perspective, the Knicks got the best big man available, the best point guard they’ve had since Doc Rivers (sorry Steph), a real up-and-comer who has been said to be on the same level talent-wise as guys like Michael Beasley and Lamar Odom, and several role players who should thrive in Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo offense.

Will they be a playoff team? Maybe. Will they be better than they’ve been the last five seasons? Definitely. While Knicks fans are probably a little sad to see David Lee go, they now have three players capable of grabbing rebounds instead of one undersized big. David Lee is probably the only real Knick since Allan Houston, but in all due respect, that’s less because of David Lee’s capabilities and more because of the lack of talent the Knicks have showcased over the last decade. And while the names filling out the Knicks roster spots this year aren’t overly impressive, they’re the guys that Donnie Walsh and D’Antoni feel comfortable running with.

It took two years for Walsh and D’Antoni to overhaul the overrated, overpaid roster that he who shall not be mentioned put together, and they deserve a chance to work with the guys that they actually brought in. And while it doesn’t seem that this team is the team they have in mind for the long haul, they have some good pieces that will contribute and give New York a different feel.

Amar’e Stoudemire is something the Knicks have never had. Yes, he’s 25, has had two major knee operations and a freak eye injury but he’s no Antonio McDyess. He isn’t made of glass, he isn’t soft, and he isn’t afraid of the challenge of playing in New York. He is athletic, he is VERY skilled, he is familiar with D’Antoni’s offense, and he has experience playing in meaningful games. I can’t lie, I’m a little nervous about his knee, but after the surgeries he’s had he hasn’t skipped a beat. Every season STAT comes back better, more aggressive, and hungrier. He wants to be one of the best in the NBA and plays like it, unlike another big who relies on twitter and youtube for publicity, but has only been to the playoffs twice in seven seasons and has never won anything, and also plays away from the basket because he’s the softest 6-11 in basketball (cough Chris Bosh cough). Amar’e is in another league than David Lee and is the most talented player the Knicks have had since Patrick Ewing, straight up.

Speaking of David Lee, while it’s sad that he wasn’t in the Knicks future plans, Donnie Walsh made a great move by signing him and trading him to Golden State. They lost a very good Knick, but got back Kelenna Azubuike who is a well-rounded wing player coming off of knee surgery, Ronnie Turiaf who is a less skilled but more athletic Charles Oakley, and Anthony Randolph who really is the wild card of this trade. As I mentioned earlier, Randolph’s name has been thrown around with the likes of Lamar Odom and Michael Beasley as he’s a taller player, but very athletic and very skilled. Randolph’s entering his third year in the league and many believe he’s due to breakout, especially playing for offensive friendly Mike D’Antoni.

And then there’s Raymond Felton. As many remember, Felton was the third point guard drafted in the 2005 draft after Chris Paul and Deron Williams. And while Paul and Williams have become probably the two best point guards in the NBA, Felton’s almost faded into obscurity in Charlotte. Although you don’t hear much about him, his numbers haven’t been bad and maybe a change of scene is all he needed. He won in college and with the freedom of the 7 seconds or less offense you have to like he chances of being more effective, I mean, Chris Duhon averaged 12 and 8 in this system and he’s Chris Duhon. Even though he isn’t the best shooter, Felton will have other shooters on the floor with him so he isn’t pressured to shoot like other D’Antoni guards have in the past.

The Knicks will also bring back emerging youngsters like Toney Douglas, Bill Walker, Wilson Chandler, and 2008 lottery-pick Danilo Gallinari, to go with big men Earl Barron and Eddy Curry's contract. Hoping to learn from this core of veterans will be second round draft picks Andy Rautins, a good shooter who's JJ Redick at best, Landry Fields, a Pac-10 superstar who will probably fill the role of hustling rookie, and Jerome Jordan, who probably won't see the floor if he even makes the team.

When you add up all the pieces it doesn't quite equal 90's New York basketball, but this team has to give Knicks fans a hope that they're in for better days. The roster is still a work in progress, and with how aggressive Walsh has been, days are definitely brighter in the basketball mecca of the world. That is, as long as he who shall not be mentioned stays out of the picture.