Knicks All-Decade Team: Starting five, coach, and honorable mentions

SNY's Ian Begley names the top Knicks of the last 10 years

12/17/2019, 10:00 PM
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The end of the decade has not been kind to the Knicks, as the team won just 17 games last season and are currently 6-21 through the first 27 games of this season. 

In fact, the entire decade has been a tough one for the Knicks, who have only mustered three winning seasons during the 10-year span, with all three coming to start the decade from 2010-13.

And while the Knicks are once again looking for a new direction on the court after the firing of David Fizdale, there were some key players who did their best to help get things back on track during the last 10 years. 

 

Here is a look at Ian Begley's All-Decade Knicks team:

Head Coach: Mike Woodson (2011-14)

After serving as an assistant under Mike D'Antoni for the Knicks' first 42 games of 2011-12 season, Woodson took over as the team's head coach following D'Antoni's resignation.

Woodson stuck with the Knicks for the next two seasons, leading them to a 54-28 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference in 2012-13. But the Knicks fell back to a sub-.500 team the next season, leading to Woodson's firing. Woodson's 109 regular-season wins are far and away the most by any Knicks coach during the decade, and he's the only head coach to lead the team to a playoff win during that span (7-10 playoff record).

Point Guard: Raymond Felton (2010-11, 2012-14)

Felton originally joined the Knicks as a free agent signing in 2010. In 54 games with the Knicks that season, Felton averaged 17.1 points per game and 9.0 assists in D'Antoni's up-tempo offense. The Knicks then made a huge splash, acquiring Carmelo Anthony from Denver, and Felton ended up with the Nuggets in the deal. His numbers diminished with the Nuggets, and after one season with the Portland Trail Blazers, Felton was traded back to the Knicks. 

Overall, Felton played parts of three seasons with the Knicks, averaging 13.4 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game in 187 games (all starts). 

"Jason Kidd ... was fantastic for that one year, but my thing was, it was only one year, and Ray Felton was here in (Amar'e Stoudemire's) first year, and he was part of that driving force behind that 12-13 team," Begley said. "Just more of a sustained run of success here in New York for Ray than Jason." 

Shooting Guard: JR Smith (2011-15)

The always-entertaining Smith joined the Knicks midway through the 2011-12 season following a brief stint playing in China during the NBA lockout. He instantly became a factor off the Knicks' bench, scoring 12.5 points per game to help the Knicks into the playoffs.

His best season with the Knicks came during the team's 54-win 2012-13 campaign, as he averaged 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game off the bench. For his efforts, Smith was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Ultimately, Smith played parts of four seasons with the team, averaging 15.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He was also a 36.9 percent three-point shooter during his time in New York.

Small Forward: Carmelo Anthony (2011-17)

Acquired in a trade with Denver in February 2011, the Brooklyn-born Anthony took the city by storm during his seven seasons in the Big Apple. 

An All-Star selection in each of his six full seasons with the Knicks, Anthony averaged 24.7 points per game during his time as a Knick, shooting 36.9 percent from beyond the arc. He also averaged 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. 

In September 2017, Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, ending his tenure with the Knicks. As successful as Anthony was from an individual standpoint, the Knicks won just one playoff series during Anthony's time with the team.

Power Forward: Kristaps Porzingis (2015-19)

The 7-foot-3 forward from Latvia was drafted by the Knicks fourth overall in the 2015 draft, and wasn't a popular choice at the time, according to fans, anyway. 

But Porzingis' talent on the court proved to be undeniable, and he seemed to get better and better every season as a Knick. Named to the All-Star team in 2017-18, Porzingis averaged 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists that season, but a torn ACL against the Bucks ended his season, and ultimately, his Knicks' tenure.

In January 2019, Porzingis asked for a trade and was eventually dealt to the Dallas Mavericks. In 25 games with the Mavericks this season, Porzingis has averaged 17.2 points, and 9.0 rebounds.

"Obviously Porzingis was on some terrible Knick teams, so you can't talk about wins and loses there, but he had the city excited, I think more so than Amar'e Stoudemire," Begley explained on The Thread.

Center: Tyson Chandler (2011-14)

After helping the Mavericks win an NBA title in 2010-11, Chandler was acquired by the Knicks via a sign-and-trade. Instantly, Chandler improved the Knicks interior defense, and over the course of three seasons, Chandler averaged a double-double as a Knick, averaging 10.2 points and 10.1 rebounds, to go along with 1.2 blocks per game. 

Chandler made the All-Star Game as a Knick in 2012-13, but his tenure with the team came to an end after three seasons, as the Knicks traded him back to the Mavericks.  

Honorable Mentions

Amar'e Stoudemire (2010-15)

After eight electric seasons with the Suns, Stoudemire played parts of five seasons with the Knicks, making the All-Star team in 2010-11. Some injury issues slowed Stoudemire down from the player he had been in Phoenix, and while he ultimately helped attract other star players like Anthony to want to play in New York, he was never quite what the Knicks had in mind when they acquired him.

"You look at Amar'e Stoudemire and he had a strong, what, three months, four months? And then the Carmelo trade happens. ... He had a tremendous run, but then look at what happens. Carmelo comes, they're a bad fit," Begley explained. "You look at the best season they had (2012-13), (Stoudemire) was hurt for most of that year and then Carmelo moved to the four and they really thrived without Amar'e." 

Jeremy Lin (2011-12)

One word: Linsanity. The point guard came from seemingly nowhere to burst into stardom with the Knicks in February 2012. After hardly seeing any playing time during the team's first 22 games, Lin scored 25 points against the Nets on Feb. 4, beginning a stretch of six-straight games with at least 20 points, leading the Knicks to a 6-0 record.

Pablo Prigioni (2012-15)

Prigioni didn't have a lengthy NBA career, but he was a valuable point guard for the Knicks during his three seasons with the team. Prigioni averaged 3.9 points and 3.0 assists as a Knick.

Steve Novak (2011-13)

The best pure shooter the Knicks have had over the past 10 years, Novak shot 44.5 percent from beyond the three-point line during his two seasons in New York.

Lance Thomas (2014-19)

Thomas never put up big numbers, but he was a pivotal role player for the Knicks, and brought some leadership qualities to the Knicks' locker room. Thomas averaged 6.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in five seasons with in New York.

"If you talked to coaches, talk to people in the organization, I think things fall apart even worst than they did over the last three, four years in that locker room if there's no Lance Thomas there," Begley said.

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