Wow.
The New York Knicks are a mess. Let’s not mince words. They’re 12 games under .500, outside the Eastern Conference’s ugly playoff picture and now pursuing unrealistic trades like a child pursues oversized lollipops in a candy store.
But don’t worry, because at least Mike Woodson is safe(ish). Raymond Felton, on the other hand, is not.
According to the New York Daily News’ Mitch Lawrence, Woodson is standing on firm ground while Felton remains situated on wafer-thin ice:
It was hardly a surprise on Monday night that when the Knicks returned to the practice court for the first time since last week, Mike Woodson was putting his team through its workout at Rhodes College here and Raymond Felton was still manning the point guard position.
At this point, Woodson is considered to be on much firmer ground than Felton, who has had a bad season and again is the subject of trade talk with the NBA trade deadline on Thursday at 3 p.m.
Felton will be running the show on Tuesday when the Knicks begin the post-All Star break part of the season against Memphis, with the defending Atlantic Division champs having only 30 games to play their way into the postseason.
“There’s no question that the Knicks want to upgrade that position,” one Eastern Conference executive said on Monday night. “That’s their top goal.”
No surprises there. Well, maybe a little bit.
Woodson has been the subject of ridicule and fan-fueled frustration because of how poorly the Knicks are playing. Everything from his lineups to his late-game decisions to why he sometimes doesn’t wear a tie has been dissected from every angle imaginable.
Lack of mid-season coaching options should keep him in New York, unless the Knicks fall completely out of the playoff picture. Long-shot candidates like Tom Thibodeau—coach of the Chicago Bulls and resident super-duper long shot—Jeff Van Gundy and Phil Jackson are nothing more than fantasy prospects at this point. If the Knicks make a change, assistant coach Herb Williams may find himself running the show for the rest of this season. Williams, while a respected sideline figure, isn’t going to instill additional confidence in the fans.
Keeping Woodson at least limits speculation. The Knicks won’t be accused of not searching for a new coach if he’s in “power;” attentions will be turned to his continued presence. While far from ideal, the latter is a better alternative to the former.
Felton, meanwhile, is on the chopping block. With him playing so poorly, it’s unlikely teams are lining up to acquire him. He is at least on a reasonable contract, money that a contending team may not mind paying him to backup its starter.
Lawrence also confirms various other reports that stated the Knicks were looking into the Atlanta Hawks’ Jeff Teague and Toronto Raptors’ Kyle Lowry, the latter of which is considered a Thibodeauian long shot. The Raptors don’t appear inclined to deal him and if they were, it would likely take a king’s ransom since he’s playing at an All-Star level.
Leading into the Feb. 20 trade deadline, it’s looking more and more like the Knicks will stand pat in terms of significant, roster-shaking moves, from the coaching staff to player personnel.
Other rumors are bound to surface between now and 3 p.m. ET Thursday, so be prepared. But don’t expect anything to come of them, unless fate and Lady Luck prove to be siding with the Knicks for a change.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
