Read More: Carmelo Anthony (F – NYK), Raymond Felton (G – POR), Mike Bibby (G – NYK), Tyson Chandler (C – NYK), Chauncey Billups (G – LAC), Jamal Crawford (G – POR), Jared Jeffries (F – NYK), Renaldo Balkman (F – NYK), Amare Stoudemire (F – NYK), Devin Green (G – NYK), Danilo Gallinari (F – DEN), Bill Walker (G – NYK), Chris Hunter (C – NYK), Toney Douglas (G – NYK), Jerome Jordan (C – NYK), Landry Fields (G – NYK), Josh Harrellson (C – NYK), Iman Shumpert (G – NYK), New York Knicks

SB Nation New York will be running a five-part season preview of the 2011-12 New York Knicks, culminating right before the start of the season on Christmas Day.

Part I: The Stars

Part II: The Non-Stars

I was originally going to devote a section of this five-part preview as “The Bench”, but I opted to go with “The Non-Stars”. The reasoning behind that is fairly simple: outside of Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler (who we discussed in Part I), what’s the difference between who’s on the bench and who starts at the guard positions – likely Landry Fields and Toney Douglas? I’m not going to make a mistake and say that the rest of the Knicks roster isn’t important, because it is. It’s actually very important, and one of the players were look at in this Part II we’ll discuss in-depth in another section of the preview, The X Factor (oh, the anticipation!). But the three most important Knicks are the stars. What everyone else does will go a long way towards where the Knicks eventually end up this season, but those three should be looked at separately. That’s what we’ll do in this section as we zero in on the rest of the Knicks’ roster. 

Toney Douglas

Douglas is going to battle rookie Iman Shumpert and dinosaur veteran Mike Bibby at point guard. Mike D’Antoni has pretty much said it’s his job to lose, but with the way Douglas played in the playoffs in Chauncey Billups’ absence last year, it’s not a given that he won’t lose the job. Douglas is way more of a combo guard than a true point. D’Antoni has insinuated that he’ll look to run the offense more through Anthony, using him as a point-forward.. If that is indeed the case, the most important thing Douglas can do is knock down shots from distance. Right now, the Knicks lack a bit of outside shooting (further explained by their pursuit of Jamal Crawford), and Douglas will need to pick up that slack.

Landry Fields

What a strange season last year was for Landry Fields. It pretty much boiled down to pre-trade Fields and post-trade Fields, and post-trade Fields wasn’t very good. In the Knicks’ final 17 games last year, Fields hit double digits in points just five times. It’s strange because Fields isn’t a player that demands the ball or needs it to be valuable. He’s a good rebounder for a guard and a solid defender. Maybe the trade coincided with Fields hitting the rookie wall towards the end of the season. Maybe he just meshed better with Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, etc. It could probably go either way for Fields this year. Like Douglas, Fields will need to knock down shots from the perimeter, which he did quite well last year (to a very solid Effective Field Goal Percentage of .568). Fields has to find his niche on this team soon or three years from now we might be having the “What the hell ever happened to Landry Fields?” conversation.

Mike Bibby

I’m directly on the fence with this signing by the Knicks. Bibby can still hit form behind the arc, which the Knicks desperately need, especially off the bench. To me, the effectiveness of Bibby for the Knicks rests with D’Antoni and how he uses him. With the crazy schedule this year, Bibby can’t be playing a ton of minutes, almost ever. Why can I see D’Antoni forgetting this, falling in love with Bibby’s range, and having nights where he plays 30 minutes? I’m having nightmares of Tyson Chandler getting in foul trouble and D’Antoni putting out a lineup of Bibby-Douglas-Bill Walker-Anthony-Stoudemire (a team that would struggle to defend five traffic cones) for an extended period of time. If D’Antoni uses Bibby effectively — 15-20 minutes a night in the right situations — I think he can be a valuable piece. He fits the “cheap veteran who still does one thing very well” mold that a lot of winning teams have. Let’s hope he doesn’t wear down before the playoffs.

Iman Shumpert

Shumpert seems like the absolute anti-D’Antoni player. Every scouting report I’ve read talks about his athleticism first, and his offensive ability second. Which is completely fine, by the way. I just wonder if D’Antoni will find enough minutes for a guy who doesn’t give the team much offensively. If so, I think Knicks fans could fall in love with Shumpert, who from all accounts is an athletic freak and a great defender.

Bill Walker

Is Billy Walker really still on the Knicks? Jeez. He’s going to get minutes too, given the crazy schedule. He’ll hit his share of threes and that’s about it.

Jared Jeffries

Jeffries is a solid rotation forward who knows the system and the coach loves. He was always coming back to the Knicks, so deal with it. And really, as long as he’s not the intended receiver during a crucial last possession in a playoff game with a one score deficit, then everything will be okay. With Tyson Chandler and Jerome Jordan in tow, Jeffries slots in as the backup to Stoudemire. He won’t play nearly as much as he has in the past under D’Antoni, so he’ll solely be in there to take charges, grab some rebounds and use up fouls. Which is about all he can do anyway, so this is a good thing.

Jerome Jordan

The Knicks have brought Jordan over from Slovenia, as he’s been based in Europe  since the Knicks acquired his right on Draft Day 2010. Comparisons have been drawn to last year’s 7-foot project Timofey Mozgov. This is going to sound strange, but if Jordan can give the Knicks what Mozgov showed towards the middle of the season (enough for some really strange people to complain about his inclusion in the Carmelo trade), the Knicks would sign up for that in a heartbeat. When was the last time the Knicks had two legitimate 7-footers at center? What other team in the NBA has that? We don’t have any reason to believe Jordan has supreme talent or will be a huge difference maker, but for a team that used Jared Jeffries at center a lot over the past few years, having more legit size cannot be looked at as a bad thing.

Renaldo Balkman

I guess it’s actually possible given the schedule we’re going to see this year that Balkman may actually get some minutes. It won’t be a lot though, and that’s positive, since Renaldo Balkman lacks all the requisite skills that a real NBA player possesses.

Josh Harrellson

New York Knicks fans, meet your version of Brian Scalabrine. The Garden will go NUTS when Harrellson comes into blowout games.

Chris Hunter and Devin Green

The Knicks simply signed these guys to fill out their roster so that they could meet league guidelines and take part in the season.

So as you can see, the play of the Knicks’ stars is going to be extremely important. The few cogs outside of Anthony, Stoudemire and Chandler are Douglas, Fields, Shumpert and Bibby. Each have question marks heading into the season. There have been rumors floating around that the Knicks are interested in Michael Redd. If Redd has anything left in the tank, it’s a low-risk move that’s worth making. You can never have too many shot-makers, and the Knicks still do need some. I’d expect the Knicks’ roster towards the middle of the season to look a bit different, as they’ll continue to try and acquire some much-needed depth. But with the regular season fast-approaching, these are the guys they’ll go to work with.

The New York Knicks took a huge step towards helping Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony pursue an NBA title this year. On Saturday, the team completed a trade to acquire center Tyson Chandler from the Dallas Mavericks. The sign-and-trade deal nets Chandler a four-year $56 million contract, making him one of the highest paid centers in the league.

In exchange for Chandler, the Knicks sent center Ronny Turiaf to the Washington Wizards and guard Andy Rautins to the Mavericks. The Mavericks were doing this deal with the intent to get something out of losing Chandler, and they also gain a 2013 protected second-round pick from the Knicks .

In order to clear room on the roster, the Knicks had to pay the salary of Turiaf , making it a really enticing deal for the Wizards. The Knicks also had to use the new amnesty clause on point guard Chauncey Billups to free up the $14.2 million he is owed for this year. Now Billups will get a chance to sign with any other team in the league. Possibly with a grudge that will show itself when he plays against New York this year.

It’s too bad that the team had to part ways with Turiaf , as he was probably the hardest working player on the team last season. It was just another price to make sure they got Chandler though, which in itself raises expectations for the center this year. There are certainly many more moves needed this offseason because the Knicks are very short on roster players.

As it stands, the starting lineup for the 2011-12 season is Chandler at center, Stoudemire at power forward, Anthony at small forward, Landry Fields at shooting guard and Toney Douglas at point guard. Not exactly mind-blowing depth for the Knicks, but there were rumors that Mike Bibby was also set to join the team as another point guard. The rest of the bench consists of Renaldo Balkman and Bill Walker for now.

Getting Chandler is a big step towards fixing the defense for New York, and this is a team that definitely is ready to compete in the Eastern Conference again. The roster has got to stay healthy though, because there are no good back-ups to move into the starting lineup if any injuries befall the Knicks.

More From YCN :

A Look at Knicks Roster

Salary Cap Impact on Knicks

Chris Paul to New York

Source:

Full Knicks Schedule

New York Knicks Website

*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a fan of the New York Knicks that has followed the team since the days John Starks, Charles Oakley, and Anthony Mason instilled their defensive will on the rest of the league.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

With rumors swirling again about his desire to play for the New York Knicks, Chris Paul appears to be bracing for a season unlike any of his other six seasons with the New Orleans Hornets. On the same day Paul participated in his first volunteer workout at the Alario Center since the 149-day lockout ended, a report came out in Yahoo! Sports on Thursday saying his agent told the Hornets the All-Star point guard would not sign a contract extension and wants to be traded to the Knicks.

But two league sources confirmed after the story broke that Paul’s agent, Leon Rose, never made the request to the Hornets.

“It is just rumors; you can’t control it,’’ Paul said. “It’s always going to happen, and it’s part of the game. I’m just happy to be back with my team.’’

Whether the Hornets trade Paul or he opts out after this season remains unknown. Paul has yet to disclose his plans, and Hornets General Manager Dell Demps was not available the past two days to address the situation.

But sources indicate the Hornets still aim to sign Paul to a long-term extension. However, the Hornets have listened to several trade offers from teams interested in acquiring Paul.

Publicly, though, Paul appears as if he expects to remain with the Hornets. Earlier this week at a charity event in New York, Paul said his heart remains in New Orleans.

“Right now, we only have five people on the roster,’’ Paul said. “I think our most important thing right now is trying to figure out what guys like D. West are doing, too. He’s like a brother to me. I’ve never played a season without him, so (I’m) trying to communicate with him as much as possible.’’

Paul said Thursday he’s had conversations with Hornets forward Trevor Ariza on how they can get their team better, and that’s important right now.

Yet, if Paul indicates he is not interested in a long-term deal to remain in New Orleans, Demps is likely to pursue the best trade offer available that would give the team maximum value in return to keep the franchise from having to rebuild as Cleveland was forced to do when LeBron James left in free agency to join the Miami Heat. The Cavaliers finished 19-63 last season under former Hornets coach Byron Scott.

Desiring talent to make another playoff run, it does not appear beneficial for the Hornets to trade Paul to the Knicks. The Knicks gave away most of their assets to obtain Carmelo Anthony in an extend-and-trade deal last season.

The Knicks are not likely to part ways with forward Amare Stoudemire or Anthony. After those two, the Knicks’ next best player is 35-year-old point guard Chauncey Billups, who likely doesn’t fit in the long-term plans Demps and Coach Monty Williams would have if Paul is no longer around.

If Paul opts out at the end of the season and goes to the Knicks, he would earn $4 million less than the $17.7 million left on his deal for the final year with New Orleans.

Paul has made frequent trips to New York the past several months because he was a member of the players association’s executive committee that took part in labor negotiations with the league.

“I’ve been back and forth to New York 18 times this summer, and I was engulfed in all that,’’ Paul said. “I just now had time to actually see my family and actually take a deep breath and realize I’m finally getting a chance to play basketball.’’

The Paul-to-the-Knicks speculation has been swirling since he suggested at a toast during Anthony’s wedding in 2010 that he and his close friend should team with Stoudemire to formulate a Big Apple trio that’s similar to the Miami Heat’s trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, who made it to last season’s NBA Finals but lost to the Dallas Mavericks.

Since the first day he joined the Hornets in 2005, Paul has aimed to win. He has suggested in the past that he wants to win now instead of having to wait.

Paul has leverage to scare off some teams the Hornets could pursue trading him to because of the threat of not signing an extension. If he’s traded to a team and decides not to sign an extension, that franchise would have him for this season before he could opt out.

There was an ESPN report Wednesday saying Paul would not sign an extension with the Celtics if he was traded to Boston.

John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3407.

The New York Knicks should work hard to bring back guard Roger Mason(notes) for the 2011-12 NBA season. Mason is one of the free agents that could leave the team, but the front office should try hard to bring him back for the veteran’s minimum. He is the type of role player that could play a lot of minutes off of the bench, and with the salary cap restrictions that the Knicks might face this year, it is important to get talented players who want to play for the team.

Mason played in limited action for the Knicks during the 2010-11 season, but that was because coach Mike D’Antoni simply didn’t give him enough minutes. Those minutes increased in the playoffs though, as Mason would average 18.3 minutes per game in three games against the Boston Celtics. He averaged 6.3 points and 1.3 rebounds per game, and helped eat up some of the minutes at the guard positions for the team.

Mason isn’t going to get called a superstar player, but that shouldn’t stop fans from wanting to see him in a Knicks uniform again. He is a big threat from three-point range, hitting on 38 percent of his shots from behind the arc during his career. He made 5-of13 (39 percent) during the playoffs for the Knicks, and that could definitely serve as a nice weapon for the team to spread the floor this year.

If the Knicks can get Mason to come back at a cheap contract rate, then there is really no downside to keeping him on the roster. The Knicks only have nine players under contract as the offseason begins, and that should make it clear that the team needs to add a bit of depth. They will have players like Chauncey Billups(notes), Toney Douglas(notes) and Landry Fields(notes) eating up the guard minutes most of the time, but Mason can provide a spark off the bench and during practice that could aid the team if an injury or foul trouble occurs.

It’s time for the front office to make a smart move and get Mason back for at least one more season at the veteran’s minimum before another team starts showing an interest.

More From YCN :

Knicks Open on Dec. 25

A Look at Knicks Roster

Salary Cap Impact on Knicks

Chris Paul to New York

Source:

New York Knicks Website

*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a fan of the New York Knicks that has followed the team since the days John Starks, Charles Oakley, and Anthony Mason instilled their defensive will on the rest of the league.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

New York Knicks fans will get an early chance to enjoy the team this season. With the NBA lockout coming to an end, it looks like the season will begin on Dec. 25 (Christmas Day). There are three games on the current NBA schedule for that day, and one of them features the Knicks . If the league decides to keep the league schedule as it appears for that day, it will allow fans a very early (primetime) look at how the team stacks up this season.

If we believe indications from the league that the NBA is going to try for a 66-game schedule this year and that the lockout has come to an end, then it is finally time to get excited about the Knicks again. On Dec. 25, the Knicks are on the schedule to play the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are in the early game for NBA coverage on Christmas Day, and could stay the first game in a pretty big tripleheader .

The Knicks made pretty big strides in the 2010-11 season thanks to the free agent signing of Amare Stoudemire(notes) and then the trade for Carmelo Anthony(notes). The team won seven of their last 10 games in the regular season, clinching the No. 6 seed in the 2011 Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Knicks fell short against the Celtics in the first round though, and it turned into an early offseason for the club. Injuries took a toll on the Knicks though, as Stoudemire was hurt and point guard Chauncey Billups(notes) missed time in the playoffs.

Now all three stars are back for the new season, and hopefully they have kept in good shape during the lengthy offseason. If there are only 66 games in the 2011-12 schedule, then it raises how important each game is. As such, the new players that New York is able to sign will play a very significant role on the team.

Making it to the NBA Playoffs was a good goal for last year, but with two superstar players on the roster now, it’s time to make it deeper into the postseason. The Miami Heat appears like the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, but the Chicago Bulls are also retaining a roster that won 62 games last year. It will remain tough among the elite teams in the East, but New York looks good enough to compete. Winning it all will depend on how much the roster can improve in the next month.

More From YCN :

A Look at Knicks Roster

Salary Cap Impact on Knicks

Chris Paul to New York

Source:

New York Knicks Website

*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a fan of the New York Knicks that has followed the team since the days John Starks, Charles Oakley, and Anthony Mason instilled their defensive will on the rest of the league.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.