I plays with a fearlessness that anybody can admire

The NBA is about winning, just like every other sport It is also about entertainment. The 2009-2010 New York Knicks are as exciting as a Joe Lieberman speech. That’s why they swung and missed with free agent Allen Iverson. Team president Donnie Walsh confirmed the decision early Friday at the team’s training center. The Knicks are not a very good team; the 2-9 start is not quite playoff material. The Knicks are already six-and-a-half games back of the Celtics in the Atlantic standings The Yankees have as many wins this month as the Knicks. The defense has been abysmal, giving up almost 110 points a game I could go on but I’ll spare the Knick faithful In other words, the Knicks are going nowhere this season.

It is painfully obvious that the front office is hoping to jump in a time machine and set the date to July 2010. They could also go the Austin Powers or Eric Cartman route and freeze Donnie Walsh till July In other words, this is a complete throw-away season. So when a player like Iverson is coming off the scrap heap, eager to prove all the doubter wrong, you HAVE TO GET HIM. The guy has been a top-10 talent for the past decade-plus in the league His highlight reel is a mile long A.I plays with a fearlessness that anybody can admire.

His signing would have no direct impact on the Knicks plans to pursue a superstar free agent next summer But it’s more than that The Knicks need a star, a recognizable name. It’s safe to say that most people could not name three players on the current squad. The Knicks have few players on the team that excite the crowd Maybe Nate Robinson, but that’s even a stretch Putting a player like A.I. on the Knicks would insert some instant energy in the team and fans. If the Knicks didn’t play in Madison Square Garden, the team would be playing in front of half empty arenas on a nightly basis. With Iverson drawing the attention of opposing defenses, there would be better scoring chances for Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and David Lee There would also be some short-term disruption. Either Chris Duhon or Toney Douglas would lose a starting job.