Category Archives: Wilson Chandler
Q: Are the New Jersey Nets still in the Melo sweepstakes?
A: They believe they are, because that is what they are being told by the Nuggets and by Anthony’s camp. But the reality is that they are out of it and have been for a long time, and it behooves Denver to create the illusion that other destinations besides New York are still in play. New Jersey still has the best offer sitting on the table that suits the Nuggets’ primary need — to make any Anthony trade a rebuilding trade. But the trade has not happened because Anthony will not sign an extension with New Jersey. He is trying to leverage his way into being dealt to New York.
Q: What pieces do the Knicks have that the Nuggets would want?
A: Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Landry Fields, along with Eddy Curry‘s expiring contract. Denver also wants at least one No. 1 draft pick…They’d ship Gallo, Randolph and Curry in a heartbeat, but they are reluctant to trade Fields, who the Nuggets especially covet. One factor that both teams will have to consider: Fields, a second-round pick, is only on a two-year contract (the second year is a team option), then he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
This is the part that is very confusing to me…
the Knicks are confident they can sign Anthony as an unrestricted free agent next summer if they do not acquire him in a trade. That being said, they’d prefer to trade for Anthony now and lock him up through 2014-15
That seems more than contradictory. Here’s what I continue to hear. The Nuggets obviously prefer Fields because of his talent and his contract, but the Knicks are completely against moving him in a deal that includes both Gallinari and Chandler. And if it’s me, based on all the little things he’s shown the ability to do, I’d be hesitant to include him at all. Do-it-all glue players are not very easy to find, but, to be fair, are easier to find than offensive superstars.
And as far as the Nets are concerned, I maintain that the reports that the latest Nets deal has any impact on a Melo deal moving forward is far more more about competitive journalism than actual truth. It’s a no-brainer deal for the Nets, who are building and moving forward whether they feel like they have a shot at Melo or not.
Wilson Chandler is a scorer. He can make shots from a ton of spots on the floor. I talk to scouts all the time who say one of the most important things about identifying scorers are where they can get their shot from. Chandler is particularly adept at knocking down off wing 3s, which is a skill not often found from players 6’8.
We’ve often talked about how D’Antoni-type players can stretch the defense and shoot near 50% from the field. Chandler is at 47% for the season and is shooting a career-best 37% from 3. Now, there are times where Will takes ill advised shots (or Will advised shots) and that often affects his percentages.
Will gets his three point looks in transition, and off of the pick and roll. It’s simple, Raymond Felton and Amar’e Stoudemire simply get more people open. Here’s a clip from a David Lee/Chris Duhon pick and roll.
How many times did we see this? But take notice…who else was open? No one. That happened often over the last two years where Duhon wouldn’t have any other options BUT Lee.
Just another example of how the system benefits a player who can take advantage of space when it’s created for them. It maybe THE biggest reason why the team has had so much success offensively early.
With the Knicks primed to make a push towards 2010 free agency and despite getting off to a modest, yet encouraging start early in the 2008-09 campaign, Donnie Walsh 
pulled the trigger on several deals that meant sending Jamal Crawford and Zack Randolph out of New York. The naysayers hated the deals because it meant the Knicks weren’t looking to improve the roster, they were looking to improve their chances at a star player thus giving up and throwing in the towel.
Two years later, they have a star, although it’s not the one they were aiming for, with the potential of adding another.
Many fans cried that the Z-Bo/Crawford combination and surrounding cast would have made the playoffs, to which I disagree. And even if they did, who cares? That team needed an overhaul from top to bottom and fans are ecstatic now that they got it. If you’re a frequent guest to TKB, you’ve been here for this ride, and one we’ve tried to pave based on the plan.
Now comes talk of the possible trade for Carmelo Anthony and the timely reports, albeit late, of Melo’s intentions of only extending in New York. Don’t expect any activity yet for a few reasons in my opinion. One being what I just mentioned. You never make a deal when the team is on a high, and what a high this group is on. The Knicks have to come down at some point, you’d think, and with it you have got to expose what the team needs moving forward. Is this a playoff team? And if fans are convinced, can they compete and win a round in the playoffs? Playoff basketball is a different animal. A different game entirely. It’s why veteran leadership and experience are so important. Melo brings that.
Right now nothing is broke so there’s no fix needed, unless it’s moving Anthony Randolph, which, contrary to my own two cents and logic, sounds like it’s getting closer and closer to happening. Houston has been part of discussions as have several Western Conference teams including San Antonio, but nothing serious to this point. The team, through another source close to the situation, has also informed me that Bill Walker‘s time here could be on short notice dating back to the summer when he skipped several “optional” work outs. Walker has talent, but has had difficulty staying focused over the summer because of chaos within his inner circle the source claims.
As far as Melo is concerned several sources have told me for some time that Walsh has more affinity for the ex-Cuse star than does D’Antoni. Stars win in this league and right now the Knicks have a real bright one, and serious momentum heading into the next two games. If the right deal is there to improve the team, as Walsh would say himself, it will be made, but things are very good right now in KnickLand. How long will the winning last is anyone’s guess, but what remains clear for now is that the Knicks are in no rush to upset the Big Apple Cart just yet.
Would you expect anything other than good, old-fashioned patience?
Where: DC
When: 7 pm
Starting Lineups
New York (14-9)
PG- Raymond Felton
SG- Landry Fields
SF- Danilo Gallinari
PF- Wilson Chandler
C- Amar’e Stoudemire
Wizards (6-15)
PG- Hinrich
SG- Arenas
SF- Serafin
PF- Thornton
C- Booker
John Wall is questionable tonight so we’ll see what happens on that front. The Wizards are 6-15 without a road win, meaning they are 6-3 thus far at home. They have athletes and can score. The Knicks did a great job early in the season, much like they are doing now, they just kept scoring and scoring and what was once a close game ended up being a big Knicks win.
And everyone remembers this.
<embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/T3PDxjuRT8A?fs=1&hl=en_US” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”380″ height=”285″></embed></object>
I agree very much with the high IQ scribe who works for Newsday.
With the lack of consistency from Toney Douglas, Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, the Knicks need an automatic jump shooter. I also think they need someone to attack the rim at will, but a shooter is certainly a need as well.
And obviously, the Knicks could use some depth up front. Their front line is starting to look like the Giants offensive line.
Roger Mason just simply hasn’t made shots. Should he get one more look? Andy Rautins may be worth a look as well, but it’s clear he’s not in a position to succeed in other elements of the game just yet.
Bill Walker seems to want to step in and be that 3 point bomber and he loves and can make the top of the key 3, but hasn’t done it enough to garner more minutes.
So the question becomes where are the shots coming from? Is Azubuike the guy? I mean, I’ve read and heard his practice workouts made him seem like a retired player. He needs time, and I wouldn’t bank on much contribution right away. Towards February? Yes. But will he get the reps and the opportunity if it’s not working out for him right away?
How about adding Devean George, Kenny Thomas or Mikki Moore?
George only played 45 games last year and he learned to be a spot-shooter. He’s 33 and has big game, shot ability. Automatic from the field he is not…but who is?
Moore would add a great mid-range element, insurance and some size up front.Thomas is a pro’s pro who would provide great post defense and, again, toughness.
Again, I don’t anticipate any roster moves, but if the Knicks are serious about the playoffs, they need to inject some players who are available who have playoff experience.
Just some food for thought.
Via my main man Sebastian Pruiti
Getting stuck under the basket is never a good idea. But Fields does a good job of getting over the screen and STAT overplays the hedge. This is the Knicks small lineup and is a tremendous issue because Gallo or Chandler will not protect the basket against a player with any size or athletic ability.
So everyone has the reasons why the Knicks are struggling. The system stinks, the coach can’t make adjustments, Amar’e's not a 5, the defense is lacking. At this point, all these things are true, but let’s dig a little deeper.
Every time I watch Felton in transition, he either puts his head down to the rim where he either finishes or struggles to. Otherwise, he makes the decision to make a pass just over half court, which is too far for anyone to make a decision BUT shoot.
He has to get deeper in the court. If he gets to the foul line in transition, it makes it easier to find wings and makes it easier for them to finish. Think your basic 3 on 2 drill that you ran at every level you played at. Outlet, get to the foul line and either continue to the rim, pull up for a jumper or kick out to the wings running full speed.
When the Knicks need a basket, they isolate Amar’e at the foul line and he has to use his dribble. Never a good thing. He forces too much and misses too many shots in close. Run the pick and roll below the foul line.
Or why not give Amar’e the ball in the high post and run cutters back door more?
When a run starts they have to find ways to make baskets. They can’t take poor shots. That’s a sign of panic. Chandler does it, Douglas does it and Gallo does it.
Speaking of Gallo, he can be a little tougher under the basket defensively.
Just a few things I see…but we know what it takes to win. Stay close and close, which has easily been their biggest weakness this season.
1. Toney Douglas. (Last week: 6.) If the Knicks had just held on to their third-quarter lead over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon, Toney Douglas might have made the back page of a tabloid this week. (In a good way.) Douglas struggled with his shot Sunday, but he was unstoppable in wins over the Bulls and Wizards, including a career-high 30 in the eye-opening win over Chicago. Douglas’s struggles against the Sixers showed just how important to this team he has already become; he’s the second-leading scorer and he leads in steals. Obviously, Douglas won’t hold this spot all season — or probably even for a week — but so far, it’s clear that when Douglas’s shot is falling, the Knicks win.
2. Amar’e Stoudemire. (Last week: 2.) Amar’e should probably have the top spot on these rankings every week, but we’re gonna make him earn it. As Seth from Posting and Toasting put it Sunday, the loss to the Sixers was precisely the type of game in which the Knicks needed their superstar to be a superstar. The Knicks weren’t hitting from the arc; it would have been a nice time for the $100 million power forward to take over. It’s not fair to ask Amar’e to make up for all his teammates’ occasional issues, but hey: That’s why he gets paid the big bucks. We’re all still waiting for the Amar’e Effing Stoudemire game. more.
Chandler fell from 1st to 5th…Gallinari is 6th.
So I was just watching some video on ESPN as they took a look into the Duke program. Coach K tells his players that 90% of their screens are non-existent because of a lack of contact on the defender. This is essential for off the ball screens, but also is a key factor to on ball screens as well.
The Knicks were one of the first teams to implement the “pick and slip” when they would show Patrick Ewing far from the basket only to have him wait for the on-ball defender to go on the high side and Ewing would “slip” to the basket usually for an uncontested dunk.It would work because the “hedging” defender would be stuck between hedging and staying with Ewing. The Knicks would isolate that side of the floor in a two man game.
In this video, in plays #7 and #1 exhibit the pick and slip. What the Knicks do a great job in the half court of not isolating the floor in a two-man game, they run it from top of key. They bring the corner offensive player from the corner to above foul line extended so that if the weak side defender helps, the kick out is wide open. More ground to have to cover in order to “close out.” It creates more half court space, which as we know is so key. Fields has made that shot, but it’s meant for Gallinari and Chandler. If the make that shot, they are impossible to defend offensively.
But what I’ve noticed a lot, and I can’t find video on it so I’ll try to explain, is that Felton or Douglas never run their man off the screen, which has caused a stall in the Pick and Roll. Watch for that tonight. Amar’e needs to set better screens in order to free himself. Mozgov has been limited in making contact because they always call a foul on him. The guy who’s been the best at it thus far has been Turiaf.
Getting the ball to Amar’e closer to the basket in transition and in the pick and roll also needs to be a priority.
Thanks to two straight strong performances the Knicks are now +5 in overall point differential, placing them 9th in the NBA. Only 12 teams in the entire league can say the same thing. The combined records of the 8 teams in front of the Knicks?
35-7
The Knicks are also creeping up on a positive +/- rebounding differential as well. They are securing 43.40 rebounds per game vs. 43.80 they are giving up. Their 43 per game has them a very respectable 9th in the NBA.
After 5 games they are 11th in overall offense and climbing and also climbing in overall defense where they are 7th in the league.
Individual stats
Assists: Felton (7.4…T-10th)
Steals: Douglas (2.4…T-7th)
Blocks: Chandler (2.2…T-6th…STAT…2.0…Turiaf…2.0…T-9th)
Double Doubles: Felton (T-15th)
Stats via nba.com and basketball-reference.com
← Older postsNewer posts →
