The New York Knicks are 4-13 so far this season with little hope of competing for a playoff spot. That's not a shot at the organization; most teams in their position would struggle as well. Phil Jackson is only in his first season as an executive, and rookie head coach Derek Fisher is mere months removed from playing professionally. The Knicks have not had the time nor the resources to implement the triangle offense and construct a team of their liking.
But the team does own a first round pick in 2015, as well as considerable cap space (Marc Gasol, anyone?) Significant changes are coming in New York, but which players should be kept to see the turnaround, and which players should the Knicks' front office wave goodbye to?
Stick Around:
Carmelo Anthony - I mean, duh. Anthony is obviously the best player on the team and just signed a $124 million contract. He's "The Guy." His willingness to accept the triangle and learn from Jackson and Fisher makes him even more of a no-brainer to build around.
Jose Calderon - Great teammate, great passer, great shooter. Yes, he's a liability on defense and no, the triangle offense doesn't exactly need a ball-dominant point guard. Calderon may be past his prime and out of 50-40-90 seasons, but the positives he brings on and off the court still outweigh the negatives.
Amar'e Stoudemire - Okay, so the Stoudemire mega contract didn't exactly work out. But re-signing the big man to a more favorable deal could prove valuable to the Knicks. Give Stoudemire credit for working his way back from knee injuries to average 12.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in just 25 minutes per game this season. The Knicks can use a steady, scoring big man off the bench. Stoudemire fits that bill.
Iman Shumpert - Shumpert, like Stoudemire, is also on an expiring contract. Even though Shumpert hasn't lived up to expectations, he's still a big guard who can attack the basket and shoot, while also demonstrating excellent defensive skills. Shumpert is the exact type of valuable role player good teams like to keep around.
Cleanthony Early - He's barely played this year as a rookie, but if last year's NCAA tournament was an example of what Early is capable of, then the Knicks would be wise to keep the young and promising wing on the payroll.
Wave Goodbye:
J.R. Smith - Enough is enough. Smith hasn't adjusted to the triangle offense at all. He's undisciplined, and has had multiple behavioral issues in New York. We're a long way removed from the "Sixth Man of the Year" version of Smith. A low-efficiency scorer who rails against the system is not what New York needs right now.
