Huge-Ish Week for Our Knicks and Rangers

It's a big week for both of our MSG teams.   Let's start with the Knicks, because big changes with them could start tomorrow.

Tomorrow is June 23, and that's the day Carmelo Anthony has to opt in or opt out of his Knicks contract.  Everyone thinks he's opting out.  Let him.  Willis Reed wouldn't, and that's my standard of what a Knick is.   I will say this, however, if he does opt out, the Knicks should not involve themselves in any S&T's that don't bring back a wealth of unprotected picks.   And speaking of picks, the Knicks don't have any for Thursday's draft as of this moment, but I have a sneaking suspicion they will either add some in the meantime, or we'll discover a player or two was picked for them after the draft  - like Nate Robinson was years ago.   It's also possible that the Knicks could start naming assistant coaches.

In the past ten or twelve years ago, the Knicks have gone through the Starbury phase, the Zach Randolph phase (which perhaps shouldn't have been preempted) and the Melo phase.   And what do we have to show for it?  It's time to build a team.

Alright, the Rangers have been the more successful MSG franchise for awhile, and the reason they have been has been good draft, and a few savvy prospect trades.  Werek for Lindberg hasn't paid off yet, but Gomez for McDonagh is a high point of the Sather era.

The Rangers, because of some trade imbalances are going into this year's draft with no first rounder (or next year, too), and they won't make the first of their 4 picks until late in round 2.  That takes strength away from their good drafters, and puts it in the hands of the NHL scouts.  I think it's largely the same team of scouts doing both things, but, their strength is clearly the draft.

Anyway, it wouldn't surprise me if the Rangers made a more or two to get more picks this year.  I also feel like there's a decent chance the Nash will be traded now or by the deadline.

As with the Knicks, the Rangers are best when they are a team, not a name.