Writes the Daily News’ Frank Isola and Kevin Armstrong, “Ideally, the Knicks would have Nash as their starting point guard next season with Jeremy Lin serving as the understudy. The addition of the two-time MVP would go a long way toward making the partnership of Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony a successful one.”
The N.Y. Knicks have had issues all season at PG. Steve Nash can help solve most of them. Photo: Danny Moloshoki/Reuters
We totally agree. And we understand why Amare Stoudamire has begun making his pitch for Nash public.“Everyone knows that Steve loves New York and that New York loves Steve,” Stoudemire told The New York Daily News. “I love Steve. It would be great to have him here next year.”
The move just makes sense! Think about it…Without Nash next year, Jeremy Lin, who will probably be $5 million richer this summer when he’s offered and accepts the mid-level exception from the N.Y. Knicks, would ultimately be the starting PG. So with an aging and broken down Baron Davis more than likely getting set to retire after blowing out his knee during the Miami series, that would leave Toney Douglas and Mike Bibby, assuming they’re still with the Knicks, to back up Lin.
It would also leave one of them to become the starter in case Lin should experience any after affects from his surgically repaired left knee or suffers any other injury. Then it would be a case of history repeating itself wouldn’t it? If the 2011-2012 season has taught the Knicks anything, it’s that they need an authentic and productive point guard on the floor if they have any hopes of being successful.
Enter one Steve Nash. He’s experienced and is the epitome of a floor general the Knicks so desperately need. He clearly would not need to play 40 minutes a night with Lin coming in off of the bench. And Lin, who’s been quietly compared to Nash, would represent a great spark with fresh legs which is just what the doctor ordered.
Picking up Nash would also solve T.M.P. (The Melo Problem). If you remember, Anthony wasn’t too thrilled with Linsanity because with Lin on the floor the ball didn’t go through him; it was either distributed or Lin drove the lane or took jumpers. Nights like Wednesday in Game 6 when Carmelo took 31 shots and Amare 7 won’t happen with Steve Nash playing the point. When Amare was in Phoenix the tandem of Nash, Marion, and Stoudamire worked pretty successfully and there’s no reason to believe it wouldn’t flourish with Nash, Melo, & Amare.
Lastly, there is an intangible that Nash brings to the table that will prove to be invaluable to the Knicks as a whole, and that’s his leadership. I would expect Jeremy Lin to be a much better and smarter point guard under Nash’s tutelage, and since presumably the starting role will be his at some point, what better teacher could he possibly ask for besides the future Hall of Famer?
FANTASY FURNACE 
I believe Nash to the Knicks would work, his age wouldn’t be a problem because he clearly has mileage left. However I do have an alternative to Nash less splashy but just as effective in Andre Miller. Has alot left in the tank as well and played with Melo in Denver and is a leader as well as Nash. Nash might not come cheap and Miami could be a factor in get either pg. If Nash decides to play elsewhere Miller would be someone I’d want for the Knicks
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True, Miami will go after Nash agressively and with those guys to distrubute to, Nash could almost just close his eyes and it would end up in one of their hands.
I like Miller too. Nash last year scored 3 more points and had 4 more assists per game than Miller so you would go down a bit in class, but Denver does have Ty Lawson already in place there making Miller expendable. I don’t know anything about Millers current contract but if he were to come to the Knicks, I would rather see him as Lin’s back up than the other way around. Lin, although he didn’t play an entire season, was on the floor about the same as Miller but scored 5 more points a night, went to the free throw line more, and had more steals and threes. Their assists are about the same.
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Good points here. The one thing that makes me wary about Nash to the Knicks is that I don’t know how successful he’ll be in Mike Woodson’s offensive system. Unlike D’Antoni and Gentry during his Suns time, Woodson’s offense is most set on isolation based offense where the best player/matchup on the floor dominates the ball (Melo). This is a big difference than the pick and roll based system that Nash has run with great success. Melo isn’t nearly as effective in the pick and roll based offense, he likes the iso offense where he can dominate and hold the ball. I don’t see Nash as being the greatest fit if Woodson keeps his iso based offense.
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I would hope that now that the season is over Woodson will reconsider the status quo as far as Melo is concerned. If the Knicks have an chance at competing in the league next year, the ball simply cannot continue to pass through Carmelo. Game 2 and 6 of the Miami series, both losses, Melo took 57 shots. Chandler & Amare are not enough of the offense when Melo goes off like that. Game six Amare took 7 shots!
Woodson is a good coach and not stupid. He saw the Knicks rattle of 8 straight wins with Melo on the bench with a groin injury. They (the Knicks) are better when there is a facilitator on the floor and the only way, in my opinion, for melo & Amare to coexist is to have a Nash-like PG on the floor. Sometimes coaches need to make adjustments in the way they coach based on his personnel on the floor. He cannot afford to give Melo ISO’s all the time. The Knicks game plan should not be all about Melo and what he needs. It should be about all five players on the floor together and what’s the best way for them to win. Melo is already a liablility because he does not know how to play defense.
I agree with you that if D’Antoni was still on board and Nash were to get picked up it would make for a much smoother transition. Woodson will have to bend to be successful with this group.
Thanks for a great comment! Let me know if what I’ve said sounds viable/logical…
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