A few days after Mike D’Antoni took a very public shot at the Daily News’ Frank Isola, the Knicks lost their 40th game of the season Friday night to the Bosh-less Toronto Raptors. Hardly one to come to the aid of a Daily News colleague, the Post’s Peter Vecsey observed the prickly side of the D’Antoni/Donnie Walsh tandem by suggesting the former “appears to need a few sessions with Ray Handley on how to handle the New York media.”
It’s kinda been apparent the Knicks have been in comprehensive tank mode since Zach Randolph (All-Star) and Jamal Crawford (leading sixth-man candidate) were given away.
What, D’Antoni wasn’t really on board with Walsh’s “master plan” when he accepted $24 million for four years? Why is he acting like the consummate sore loser, as if he didn’t know the first two seasons were going to get fragged? Why so grumpy when his tactics and techniques, or lack thereof, is questioned, as if he’s Phil Jackson and is above being challenged?
Had Walsh selected his draft picks more prudently and chosen a path of resistance vs. concession, the Knicks’ current starters would be Randolph, David Lee, Brook Lopez, Brandon Jennings and Crawford . . . and they would own their own first-rounders in 2011 and 2012 instead of the distant hope of landing James, Wade or both.
Any dimwit knows enough to offer LeBron and Wade max contracts. What happens if they are off the market? Walsh is 0-2 in the draft and D’Antoni, when doubling as Suns general manager, gifted Marcus Banks $4.5 million per guaranteed for five years.
These are the two Knicks in charge of evaluating free-agent talent.