Knicks Clear House, Randolph Gone Too

At the beginning of the season, with many of Isiah Thomas' players or should I say losers, were still on board. One might have wondered if the New York Knicks are really serious about rebuilding. Now, after they shipped out Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph in a matter of hours, there's no doubt left. Pain, losses and scandals from the recent history seem forgotten. It's the true beginning of a new era in New York. The Knicks under Donnie Walsh have set the sights on the future, on superstar free agents and potential championships after 2010.

Crawford went to Golden State for Al Harrington and Zach Randolph along with Mardy Collins was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas. All the contracts the Knicks received in those deals will end either in 2010 or before and it will help them to get way under the cap that year, a summer in which the likes of LeBron James, Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade are looking at potential new homes. While losing Randolph and Crawford, the two best scorers they had, may hurt them in the next one and a half years, no Knicks fan around the world will shed a tear as these guys were symbolic for the team's demise in recent years. We don't have to go into detail but it was evident that the group of franchise cornerstones former GM and coach Isiah Thomas assembled, Randolph, Crawford, Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry, wouldn't take this team anywhere. Under new coach Mike D'Antoni they might have made the first playoff round this year. But this time around the Knicks aren't about playoff berths or short term success. Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni are serious about winning, real winning, which in the NBA equals only one goal: Championships. A lot of stuff needs to happen, sure, but with a plan on their minds and pieces falling into place, things haven't looked better in New York in almost a decade. And now Mike D'Antoni's comments that are shown on the video screen before every home game at Madison Square Garden don't seem that far fetched anymore. He talks about bringing championship ball back to New York. And after last night, we surely believe him...