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Knicks have officially entered full-tank mode

By Robby Sabo

Mar 18, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks new president of basketball operations Phil Jackson at a press conference at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks new president of basketball operations Phil Jackson at a press conference at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports /
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Phil Jackson and the Knicks have now fully entered tank-mode with the news of Iman Shumpert and JR Smith getting shipped to Cleveland.

What we witnessed tonight in NBA-land was a clear case of three different franchises coming together to further their own unique organizational goal. All three teams involved in the Monday night three-way deal feel they did just that.

For the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder the goal is simple: get better now and make a run at the 2015 NBA Championship. For Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks, it’s also simple yet so transparent: officially and fully enter tank mode, despite the New York media’s past claims that it was an impossibility to do so in this market.

After all, it’s a tough task competing with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jackson is no dummy. He’s been around long enough to realize this one absolute truth about the NBA: to truly turnaround a franchise you must increase your odds and assets with an eye towards the NBA Draft. Remaining in the middle of the pack just allows you to die a slow death year in and year out.

By taking both Iman Shumpert and JR Smith off the court during warm-ups tonight and sending them on the next flight to Cleveland, he unloaded the $6.4 million owed to Smith next season. Not only will it increase his odds at the number-one overall pick come spring of 2015 as even more dreadful play should be expected, but it increases the odds to land free agent to be, and opponent tonight, Marc Gasol.

Not only does it clear more cap space, but including the luxury tax, the initial total savings being bandied about is more than $20 million.

Along with Carmelo Anthony, only Jose Calderon, Pablo Prigioni, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Cleanthony Early are on the books for next season.

The Knicks have also reportedly acquired a second-round pick from Cleveland in the deal. While on the surface it seems like a brush off the shoulders, it’s just another asset in Jackson’s pocket that could loom useful come a critical time.

Other free agents to be in the summer of 2015 include DeAndre Jordan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Goran Dragic, Jeff Green, Kevin Love and of course, which didn’t matter last summer, LeBron James. The last four on the list all have player options.

The tough thing the Knicks need to deal with is Anthony’s age, as he’s not getting any younger. The thing they will thrive on though is the flexibility they now possess as the eventual cap-space coming after the departure of Amare Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani will allow Jackson to pick and choose from both the 2015 and 2016 classes. He can also weigh his decisions on how the 2015 draft turns out as finally they possess their own first-round pick.

Despite leading the league in futility, with a record of 5-32, for the first time in a very long time the Knicks have a plan and a future full of possibilities to choose from by way of free agency and the draft.

With the news that the 76ers knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, Knicks fans can’t help but wonder: maybe the Zen-Master’s plan is already taking shape.

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