Last June, Derrick Williams turned down a player option with the Knicks and then was surprised when the team didn’t re-engage with him on talks about a new contract. The former No. 2 overall pick ultimately signed a one-year deal with the Heat for the exact amount he would’ve earned in New York, but finds himself without an NBA home again this week after being cut by Miami to make room for Okaro White.
Although the Knicks don’t currently have an open spot on their roster, they would have some interest in re-adding Williams if he clears waivers, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.com. There’s no guarantee of a reunion between Williams and the Knicks, but the veteran forward does still have “some fans” within the organization, per Begley.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Joakim Noah has become close with Carmelo Anthony this season, and would like to see Anthony remain in New York through this year’s trade deadline, as Marc Berman of The New York Post details. Noah is also hoping that team management won’t give up on this season to focus on the long-term future. “We’re not there,” Noah said. “We’re a team that we have to stay in the moment and stay focused. I know what this jersey means to everybody in this locker room.”
- In the wake of an ugly home loss to the Lakers, Knicks president Phil Jackson remains silent, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. As things continue to go south for the team, Jackson has allowed the situation to “spiral out of control, adopting the organizational attitude of passing off responsibility,” in Bondy’s view.
- Berman hears from a source that Jackson is “miserable” with the Knicks’ losing record, but the New York Post scribe says that’s no excuse for Jackson’s behavior. According to Berman, Anthony has every right to exercise his no-trade clause if that’s what he wants to do, and Jackson should stop trying to run the star forward out of town.
Tough position, damned if you do or don’t, need structure New Yorkers deserve better. The Mecca of Hoops
Phil please just go away, now!!!
this is from a lakers fan, Phil is a terrible gm. Best coach ever in my opinion but man outside of porzingis what has he done positively?
Phil bought Sixers 2nd round draft pick and used it to draft Willy Hermangomez who is better all around player than KP
No he isn’t.
let’s relax a little bit there harvey
Phil is the one who gave Melo the no trade clause. From what I have read, Phil was the one who put it on the table. Melo wasn’t even asking for it. I know the flaws in Melo’s game but I think he is a piece they should keep despite his contract being burdensome. Phil is the one who needs to go. There is no proof that he is a good GM. The only move he made that worked was Porzingus. He is a big part of the problem. Please remove him.
As I see what is going on is the fact Phil Jackson must have told Jeff to TANK the season. Why else would the team keep Noah as the starting Center with little return. Noah is making stars out of centers on other teams. Jeff needs to put Willy in at starting Center and have O’Quinn as first in as backup. Willy is on fast track to starting and either way playoffs or not he should be this teams starter getting minutes with KP6. Next I would move PG Jennings in as starter and move Rose over to starting SG. Lee can be 6th man off pine. One thing has got me; How Phil did not push for Chassen Randle to be brought up from D League in place of another player. Chassen is a better 2 way player then Ron Brown, Jeff’s clone.
Randle was destroying the D-League particularly during the time frame when Sasha Vujacic was seeing minutes for the Knicks. WHO WOULD LET THAT HAPPEN??
Melo is a scapegoat and Phil is not a great GM. Great, glad we got that out of the way.
What GM (or ex-player since that is a hot new thing) would be able to make the Knicks a better team?
Riley had the Knicks as contenders when he was there.
Would not mind D Williams back on Knicks. It will not happen because The Phil and Jeff show is in full TANKING mode. This is also the reason Phil wants Melo and Rose out. Nobody is taking Noah off Phil’s hands.
The Knicks would show a winning record if Jeff allowed it to happen. The fact he still has Noah still starting. Rose still at point and not moved over to shooting guard so Jennings can move into starting position at point guard. The team needs more minutes for the best players. If Henning was starting point on regular shift he would be doing about 9 assists a game with Rose still doing 4 to 5 a game with better flow to the game.
That backcourt would be laughable defensively and Rose has never played the 2 guard in his career
Phil needs to leave. He’s done nothing but ruin the Knicks. He’s is the luckiest guy in the NBA for drafting KP6 and it working out. Knicks need new management! A levelheaded GM would mean KP being on a Knicks roster that features good players, not has beens! Carmelo should stay, he’s very good but he needs more tools. Melo should slide to PF while Porizingis moves to Center. Then they’d be set, all they’d need is a playmaking PG
Leave KP6 at power forward. Willy H. is the center of the future. Willy is not being given the full opportunity while being blocked by Noah. Noah has lost more then a step and has problems with the arm he damaged last season. As it really looks now, Phil has Jeff TANKING the season. That’s the real reason Phil has been pushing Melo out the door. Phil want picks and player space for new or younger players. Phil made the mistake of not doing a make good contract deal with Noah like he did with Jennings. As far as Rose he should be able to handle the SG position with less put on him to also distribute the rock. This also puts Henning as the main distributer and will raise the assist levels from him.
Gains Jr. Phil’s top adviser from what I’ve read lobbied heavily for Ndour over Chassen Randle. Unfortunately, even now Nndour continues to ride the pine collecting a check, as he contributes nothing during games whatsoever (not even during garbage time). Knicks let Randle get away who is now in Philly on a multi-year contract who they could have played extremely well with this year as a combo guard; in tandems of he and Rose and/or either Jennings. Jeff also seems to be outright culprit; him having hung on to Ron Burgundy to live out some personal father/son experience at Randle’s expense who has proven more developed. Randle was ready to help Knicks in backcourt as: defensive ball stopper, passer, and scorer.
Anyone who saw last night’s game vs. the Lakers can tell that there is something wrong with the culture of the team. No one plays defense, and it seems like no one really cares except Brandon Jennings (who isn’t a great defender, himself, but at least gives full effort), and Hornacek seems incapable of finding the right combination of words and actions to motivate the team. I would argue that Jackson needs to be pressured to step down (although implausible), Hornacek and Rambis need to go, and Melo needs to be traded this summer. Give Noah some authority, inspire him to be a team leader and maybe get something out of that massive contract, and let Rose walk. And there is not a single team in the league that should be running out Sasha Vujacic, Mason Plumlee, and Ron Baker on a consistent basis, although the latter two are big-effort guys. The Knicks are terrible because they’re constructed terribly – it doesn’t seem like a difficult idea to grasp, but Phil Jackson seems like he just doesn’t care.