Isiah Bets On “Pocket Jacks”, Again

I have longed considered Thomas’ player acquisition style as someone playing a high-stakes card game. Perhaps I might have to consider whether Isiah sees himself more as a poet or Scrabble player. Since he’s been in charge of the Knicks, he has acquired:

· Tim Thomas to go with Kurt Thomas

· Jalen Rose to go with Malik Rose

· Steve Francis to go with Stephon Marbury

· The Chicago connection of Eddy Curry and Quentin Richardson

· The Seattle connection of Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson

· Jared Jeffries to go with Jerome James

This year’s move of signing Restricted Free Agent, Jared Jeffries to the league’s MLE (mid-level exception) is reminiscent of how Isiah Thomas started last year’s off-season spending spree.

Last off-season at the start of the NBA’s Free Agent signing period, Thomas, the Knicks President of Basketball Operations, gambled that Jerome James would go from an underachieving Center to one worthy of the league’s MLE. That move did not turn out so well, even if one tries to pin the blame on Isiah’s subsequent play of adding Eddy Curry and coach Larry Brown with his “big slick” shenanigans.

James’ career averages, lack of motivation and fitness shouted someone not worthy of the MLE, but the Knicks needed height and girth. Jeffries’ situation is a bit more complex because his height, ball-handling, defensive ability and years of experience make the MLE a fair contract. Adding him to the team creates a logjam of players (David Lee and Renaldo Balkman) who can man both Forward positions defensively yet have the same offensive skill-set – athletic ball-handlers with suspect jumpshots.

Jeffries further solidifies the Knicks youth movement, but the team’s depth signals an upcoming trade, or another season of erratic lineups and player substitutions.