Note: Sportsnet.ca will unveil a team preview every day from Oct. 1-30 counting down in reverse order where we believe the teams will finish.
The aging Knicks enter at No. 7:
2011-12 record: 36-30 (Division: 2nd Atlantic; Conference: 7th Eastern) .
Key additions
Ronnie Brewer (Signed from Bulls); Marcus Camby (Acquired from Rockets); Raymond Felton (Acquired from Blazers); Jason Kidd (Signed from Mavericks); Pablo Prigioni (Signed from Caja Laboral); Kurt Thomas (Acquired from Blazers); Rasheed Wallace (Signed),James White (Signed from Scavolini Pesaro).
Key subtractions
Toney Douglas (Traded to Rockets); Landry Fields (Signed by Raptors); Dan Gadzuric (Traded to Blazers); Jared Jeffries (Traded to Blazers); Jerome Jordan (Traded to Rockets); Jeremy Lin (Signed by Rockets).
Key player: Iman Shumpert
Iman Shumpert? Yes, Shumpert was drafted 17th overall last season, but he finished fifth in rookie voting which goes to show you how solid his season was. The team is thin on the wings and will need him back as soon as possible as he serves as a defensive stopper.
Outlook
Will the pieces ever fit together in New York City or is this just another Knicks team that looks better on paper than on the floor?
Carmelo Anthony will once again be the key factor in deciding that.
If his game is on, he is a lethal scorer that is almost unmatched but as good as he can be at the offensive end, he can be just as detrimental on the defensive end.
His strong showing in London proved that he may just be better off playing power forward, but then what happens to Amare Stoudemire?
Stoudemire’s decline seems to have gone hand-in-hand with Anthony’s arrival, although questionable fitness combined with being a player who relies on athletics more than skill are the more likely culprits.
Tyson Chandler, Steve Novak, JR Smith and Iman Shumpert all return but they will be surrounded by a whole host of new faces.
Jeremy Lin has moved to Houston but has been replaced by Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd who may be better fits with the current roster. Felton will start but Kidd may provide something more important to this team as he is a well-respected leader around the league.
Marcus Camby was acquired from Houston and the team signed Kurt Thomas as well to provide some muscle on the frontline although both players are on the wrong side of 30 and it remains to be seen how much they will actually contribute.
The late addition of 38-year-old Rasheed Wallace, who has not played in a couple of seasons, completed an offseason in which the Knicks roster aged almost five years (average age), becoming the oldest team in NBA history. There’s something to be said for adding veteran leadership but when your key players are already around 30, how much more do you need?
A year ago, the Knicks struggled as the team was rocked by injuries and has still not had time to gel. With a proper training camp, this aging Knicks squad should move up the standings and challenge Boston for the Atlantic Division title.
Prediction:
50-22 (Division: 1st Atlantic, Conference: 3rd Eastern).
Are the New York Knicks too old to compete for an NBA title?
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