NEW YORK — The Nets being swept by Boston, and the circumstances surrounding that embarrassment, leave the Knicks with the unique and previously unheard-of opportunity to project an air of stability moving forward.
That’s right, New York’s Most Dysfunctional Franchise, brought to you by James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan, has, at this moment in time, lost that dubious distinction to the underachieving, high expectation, Brooklyn Nets circus.
There are ways to quantify this assertion. Like, what’s more disconcerting? Kyrie Irving trumpeting his “co-management relationship” with the Nets organization? Or Knicks boss Leon Rose, in a business-as-usual move, trying to “control” the message by granting one season-ending interview to the MSG Network, the team’s propaganda arm?
There are just too many questions surrounding the Nets. These queries will create a perception of chaos fueled by negative content and sensationally ominous back pages. Nets owner Joe Tsai and GM Sean Marks already have done everything to appease Irving. Where did it get them? What did it get them? An early playoff exit? A well-earned reputation for being weak executives unable to manage one of their superstars?
Irving repaid them by delivering his own brand of agita on and off the court. Like when he used a combination of finger gestures to clap back at Boston’s bad-mouthing fans. Irving didn’t channel his anger, if there truly was any, by doing anything inspiring on the court. Something that might have produced one measly win in the first round.
Irving saved his passion for his Twitter feed and postgame media conferences. Perhaps that’s his definition of “co-management.”
Why would anyone think the Nets brain trust will do anything but take a similar laissez- faire attitude with Ben Simmons, whose back problem and mental health issues kept him from playing in the first round? Indeed, the last time Simmons played was in 2021, in Game 7 of the conference semifinals as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. And no one on the Brooklyn side can guarantee Simmons will even be ready to play next season.
The Knicks have nothing close to resembling the Nets (Irving or Simmons) in the dysfunction department. Nor do they have Kevin Durant, the scoring machine and Nets stabilizing force. Still, after the Celtics gave Durant fits with their bump-and-grind defense, even his performances will come under magnified scrutiny next season.
That expectations will be low for the Knicks headed into the 2022-23 season is a plus. Only one Knick, Julius Randle, is a spotlight magnet. And all this stuff surrounding the Nets made boss scribes forget about the Knicks not making the playoffs and Randle’s “disappearance” down the stretch.
And after seeing the way Steve Nash coached in the Celtics series, will Tom Thibodeau’s media detractors now admit they’re glad Dolan, Leon Rose & Co. have — so far — stayed the course, sticking with their coach?
At least Thibodeau fostered the notion of stability and hope. And that’s much better than those clouds of dysfunction that have found a home above the Barclays Center.
