After a confusing and disappointing 2016/17 season that saw the Knicks mixing and matching the triangle offense with Jeff Hornacek‘s more fast-paced system, the team will head into next season focused solely on the triangle. And that means that one or two members of the club’s “big three” may not be back.
As Marc Berman of The New York Post and Frank Isola of The New York Daily News detail, Hornacek didn’t come right out and say that players like Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose, who aren’t particularly fond of the triangle, won’t be Knicks next season. However, he hinted that those veterans may have to change their views on the triangle — otherwise, Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills “will look at other guys.”
Asked about the Knicks’ offense, Anthony admits that he liked the faster and more free-flowing approach that the team had earlier in the season, per Berman. “We kind of slowed down, started settling it down,” Anthony said. “Not as fast. The pace slowed down for us — something we had to make an adjustment on the fly with limited practice time, in the course of a game. Once you get into the season, it’s hard to readjust a whole system.”
Rose is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, so – triangle or no triangle – there’s a decent chance he’ll land elsewhere. As for Anthony, his aversion to Jackson’s system is one reason why the Knicks have considered moving him, but he’ll have to waive his no-trade clause for a deal to happen.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Although he has suggested in the past that he’ll seek a lucrative contract in free agency, Rose said on Wednesday that he’s “not even thinking money” as his free agency approaches, according to Berman. “I’ve got more than enough money saved. If I stopped playing basketball now, I’ll be alright. I want to win,” Rose said. “I want to be happy and feel at peace with myself wherever I’m at. But being at the negotiating table, you never know. I’m not going to negotiate with people where money is the No. 1 thing I’m asking for.”
- Now a member of the Wizards, Brandon Jennings spoke to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News about why things didn’t work out for him in New York. One major factor? “I didn’t really understand the triangle,” Jennings said. “I think that was my biggest thing. I really didn’t understand it.”
- With the Knicks taking a longer look at their young players down the stretch, rookie big man Marshall Plumlee will see more minutes. As Berman writes for The Post, Plumlee is hopeful that he can carve out a role as an effective defender and rebounder off the bench.
Phil Jackson, Melo and Drose are Knicks issues. They are winning more headlines than games. I believe if they are gone then the Knicks will be back on track.
I agree on Phil Jackson, he needs to go and take his old triangle offense with him… I’m 50-50 on Rose… But Carmelo stays… Once Carmelo goes to the bench, their scoring is almost nonexistent… Without Carmelo, the Knicks might be able to win 10 to 15 games a season… But honestly, as a Knicks fan who watches every single game, their main problem is the lack of defense… No defense, no wins, period.
Paying Melo $28 M per year for his “scoring” is the primary reason why the Knicks suck. Get rid of him and build a better team.
Yawn. The reason the Knicks aren’t good is the lack of defensive effort.
I just hope Porzingis can handle the pressure of being the #1 on the team this early. Because for their own sake, Melo and Rose should leave New York ASAP.
Phil is just using the triangle as a tanking method.
See this is why guys like Brandon Jennings should have gone to college. He would have learned how to be coached and learn to understand how to actually play basketball and run an offense. Most of these guys in high school are just getting by on their athleticism because that is all they need at that level. But you need more than just athleticism at the college level and especially the pro level. You learn the intricacies of the game and are held accountable for them.
To be fair, even with understanding of it, a player like Jennings wouldn’t be effective in running the triangle. Most PGs in the league right now don’t fit into it because they’re slashers. Not to mention the game has moved on towards faster paced offense.
If you want to blame this on anyone, blame it on Phil for assembling such a team and then demanding they play a system which doesn’t suit it (not to mention that confusion is normal considering they forcibly changed their offensive schemes midseason and started having “triangle clinics”).
Derrick Rose has nothing to do with why the Knicks are terrible. Phil Jackson, Melo and Hornacek are the reasons. When they were winning games and went on that streak and they above 500 after 25 games? That never happened before Derrick Rose played in the garden
Derrick Rose is also part of the reason why the Knicks won’t be good. He’s not the sole reason they’re terrible nor is he a big reason (James Dolan, Phil Jackson, the triangle, and Hornacek are the main reasons in my opinion) but he’s not going to push the needle for them either. At this point in his career, Rose is best suited for a backup rotational guard role or a starter that is surrounded by shooters and a good defensive backcourt buddy. He can’t be relied upon anymore to be the star that he was pre-ACL injury nor can he really be relied upon to run an effective offense for the majority of the game.