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1999 NBA Finals
Knicks make NBA Finals in a 1999 lockout shortened season and lose to San Antonio Spurs in 5 games (4-1). Picture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_NBA_Finals -
Beginning of the End
Instead of letting him finish the last year of his contract, Knicks trade franchise center Patrick Ewing to Seattle. Viewed by many as disrespect to the 15-year veteran who gave his all to the franchise. This trade added $90 million in payroll through 2004, starting the downward spiral of the franchise. From this moment on, the New York Knicks would have constant salary cap issues. Picture: https://dailyknicks.com/2014/08/29/new-york-knicks-three-worst-trades-franchise-history/4/ -
Allan Houston's Huge Contract
Despite the fact that no other team had offered more than $75 million, Houston was signed for six years and $100 million by then-general manager Scott Layden in a move that made very little sense to anyone. Houston went on to play two fantastic seasons before injury hit and he started to struggle. In the end, he couldn't even play in the last two years of the contract but was still paid the remaining $40 million on his deal. -
No More Playoffs
After not advancing past the first round in the 2000-01 season for the first time in the decade, Knicks fans saw something they hadn't seen in 15 years - missing the playoffs. These lowly Knicks fired head coach Jeff Van Gundy after a 10-9 and finished with Don Chaney going 20-43 in the 2001-02 season. Picture: http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/sports/Jeff-Van-Gundy-Will-Be-Rooting-From-the-Booth.html -
Camby for McDyess
On draft day in June 2002, the Knicks trade Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson, and the seventh overall pick (Nene Hilario - A player very similar to Antonio McDyess) in the 2002 draft for Antonio McDyess. McDyess gets injured in the preseason and only plays 18 games – posting mediocre numbers in points and rebounding. McDyess would later become one of the better 6th men in the league for teams like Detroit and San Antonio.
Photo: www.gettyimages.es -
Sprewell Gone Too
Knicks trade Latrell Sprewell to the T-Wolves, acquiring Keith Van Horn. The trade reportedly happened due to Knicks owner James Dolan's personal feud with crowd favorite Sprewell. Van Horn didn’t even last a year in NY as he was eventually shipped out mid-season while Sprewell helped to lead the T-Wolves to their first Western Conference Finals in 2004. Photo: http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/latrell-sprewell-choke-head-coach-priceline-commercial-video-david-robinson-020916 -
Isiah Thomas - Worst GM Ever
When Isiah Thomas took over as the Knicks GM in 2003, the Knicks were 39-43, good enough for a playoff spot. By the end of the 2006 season, they had the league's highest salary -- $126 million, more than twice the NBA's salary cap and almost $30 million more than the second-place team, the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks. Thomas was not fired as GM. He was instead promoted, becoming the team's coach as well as GM. -
Isiah Thomas - Worst GM Ever pt 2
He remained the Knicks' coach even after his sexual harassment case cost them $11 million. In his final season in 2008, the Knicks went 23-59, not having made the playoffs since his first year. Photo: http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Isiah+Thomas/Houston+Rockets+v+New+York+Knicks/DfybJ0Z22uE -
Another Stupid Trade
NY trades Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Charlie Ward, Maciej Lampe, and two first-round draft picks to the Suns for Cezary Trybanski, Penny Hardaway and Stephon Marbury. Knicks went on to tie their previous record for loses with 23 wins - TWICE. Every coach butted heads with Marbury until the team finally cut him in 2010. Penny Hardaway rarely played due to injury.
Photo:http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/stephon-marbury-comments-knicks-carmelo-anthony-nba-playoffs/1tagztvi9yywo1biapexzqb5r4 -
The Great Eddy Curry
NY send Tim Thomas, Mike Sweetney, Jermaine Jackson, 2006 1st round pick (LaMarcus Aldridge), the right to swap 2007 1st round picks (Joakim Noah), and 2007/2009 second round picks to the Chicago Bulls for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis. In 2006-07, Curry played well averaging 19 points and 7 rebounds per game earning him a long-term contract. Curry then only played in 69 total games the next three seasons due to heart and weight problems and legal issues
Photo: http://мсцентр.рф/eddy-curry.php -
Here Comes Jalen Rose
The Knicks acquire Jalen Rose from the Toronto Raptors for Antonio Davis, cash and a first round draft pick. Rose was highly ineffective during his short tenure with the Knicks and was a salary cap problem, since he was set to make 15.7 million that season and 16.9 million the following year. Photo: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/jalen-rose-fab-nba-espn-fame-arrested-march-suspicion-drunken-driving-article-1.117192 -
More Money Down the Drain
Knicks trade Trevor Ariza and the expiring contract of Penny Hardaway to the Magic for Steve Francis, despite the fact that Francis still had two years left on his maximum-salary deal. During his short tenure with the Knicks, Francis seemed broken down and uninterested in being part of the team. Trevor Ariza became a NBA champion with the Lakers while Francis faded out quickly from the spotlight and league.
Photo: http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-060225-26 -
Knicks Break Coaching Legend
Even Larry Brown couldn't do anything about these Knicks. A month removed from leading the Detroit Pistons to the NBA Finals in 2005, Brown signed a 5-year, $60 million dollar contract with the Knicks, a contract unheard of for an NBA coach. With the highest payroll and the highest paid NBA coach, the Knicks had one of their worst season's in team history, going 23-59.
Photo: http://blog.champssports.com/the-knicks-and-4-reasons-why-its-so-hard-to-win-in-new-york/ -
The Twin Towers Experiment - Randolph/Curry
Knicks trade Channing Frye and Steve Francis to the Portland Trailblazers for Zach Randolph. Randolph was a double, double machine that was supposed to be the other half to the Knicks version of the twin towers. In Randolph’s lone full season with the Knicks, the team won 23 games and it looked like they would be stuck with his large contract beyond 2010 before eventually dealing him to the Los Angeles Clippers. Photo: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ -
Continued Futility
Knicks Records Over the Next 5 Seasons: 2007-08
23-59 2008-09
32-50 2009-10
29-53 2010-11
42-40 2011-12 * Lockout Shortened Season
36-30 Photo: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/keep-calm-we-know-the-knicks-suck/ -
A Rare Bright Spot
During 2012-13 NBA season the Knicks went 54-28 making the playoffs as a 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks would even win a playoff series before losing to the Indiana Pacers in 6 games in the second round. Photo: http://hoopeduponline.com/2013/09/10/new-york-knicks-2012-2013-player-capsules/ -
Andrea Bargnani!
Knicks trade for Andrea Bargnani in exchange for for Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, their 2016 1st-round pick, and two future 2nd-round picks. Bargnani, the No. 1 pick of the 2006 draft, was coming off two poor seasons in Toronto, playing a total of 66 games due to injury, while shooting shooting poorly, playing porous defense and was one of the worst rebounding big men in the NBA. After winning 54 games the season before, NY won just 37 games in 2013-14 . Photo: redrockbasketball.com -
All-Time Low
Despite adding 11 time NBA Championship winning coach Phil Jackson as Director of Basketball Operations, Knicks set franchise record for fewest wins in a season with a measly 17. Photo: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/phil-jackson-knicks-president/story?id=22955518
