CSKA Moscow guard Ron Baker commented on the recent developments that are taking place on the New York Knicks, the team he began his professional career with.
The Knicks were reported to be hiring agent Leon Rose as president and Baker believes it can be the beginning of a new era for the club.
“It looks like they are cleaning house,” Baker told Eurohoops. “Leon Rose is one of the agents I’ve known from the NCAA. I’ve seen he got the president’s job, congrats to him. I’ve known Leon since I got into the league. I think he’s well-equipped and ready to take on a big task.
“He’s gonna get players there eventually. He’s been in the business for years and I think it might be time for them to be up on the rise,” Baker later added.
Baker also talked about the difficulty the Knicks have had to sign top free agents in offseason.
“[James] Dolan didn’t have anything to do with the team when I was there either. He had like a board of directors helping him. I don’t really believe in players not wanting to go to New York because of Dolan. I’m not a big believer in that. New York is the flower of basketball. That’s where basketball has grown the most in the world. I think free agents are attracted there regardless of who the owner is,” Baker said.
https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/1021046/ron-baker-i-dont-really-believe-in-players-not-wanting-to-go-to-new-york-because-of-dolan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter
Headline makes you think he's angling for a job at MSG at some point.
The flower of basketball? 
He just doesn't believe in "groupthink". There's a lot of that going around. Of course in Dolan's case it's well-deserved. But he has a player perspective rather than a media or fan perspective so i see no reason to attribute ulterior motives to him. Do players really care who signs the checks? They should want someone willing to spend.
Just a few sensitive types like Irving and KD are the guys we're saying didn't want Dolan. But that's a cop-out. They didn't want the pressure of delivering a chip to long-suffering Knicks fans. They know there's no pressure in Brooklyn.
It is a cop-out to blame Dolan for Kyrie and KD. Those primadonnas won't ever win anything in BK. Enjoy them.
jrodmc wrote:Headline makes you think he's angling for a job at MSG at some point.
The flower of basketball?
He is a published and acclaimed writer. 
http://www.krakenbooks.com/toobig
From the small towns of northwest Kansas, Ron Baker has reached the pinnacles of basketball. He led Scott City to a state high school championship. He was a star player in the best era of Wichita State basketball history. He was even a member of Team USA in the Pan Am Games.As he begins his journey to the professional level, Ron's first children's book offers some encouraging words to young readers — You're Too Big To Dream Small.
jrodmc wrote:Headline makes you think he's angling for a job at MSG at some point.
The flower of basketball?
Remember him giving a shout out to the Koch brothers in a player interview. Does sound like Baker is angling for an opportunity in the corporate world.
wow a guy who was so insanely overpaid likes Dolan
just a reminder but this is the guy phil and his scouts were looking at when fred van vleet was standing there right next to him.
for that i say thanks! :)
djsunyc wrote:just a reminder but this is the guy phil and his scouts were looking at when fred van vleet was standing there right next to him.for that i say thanks! :)
To be honest, so was most of the country. Ron was mocked as a late first-rounder/early second rounder by some at the beginning of that year.
Jmpasq wrote:wow a guy who was so insanely overpaid likes Dolan
This dude played less than 30 games and netted 8.5 mill talk about hitting the jack pot
knicks1248 wrote:Jmpasq wrote:wow a guy who was so insanely overpaid likes Dolan
This dude played less than 30 games and netted 8.5 mill talk about hitting the jack pot
its not like he played 52 games or started 13, showed some good metrics his rookie year to get that contract.
Was he over paid. Of course. You have hindsight.
Was he worth it? Nope. Was it a failure? Perhaps.
Do you let him walk and he does well elsewhere then complain we should have signed him? Of course.
Nalod wrote:knicks1248 wrote:Jmpasq wrote:wow a guy who was so insanely overpaid likes Dolan
This dude played less than 30 games and netted 8.5 mill talk about hitting the jack pot
its not like he played 52 games or started 13, showed some good metrics his rookie year to get that contract.
Was he over paid. Of course. You have hindsight.
Was he worth it? Nope. Was it a failure? Perhaps.
Do you let him walk and he does well elsewhere then complain we should have signed him? Of course.
It wasnt hidsight for me. I mocked that deal from day 1. He was a min contract player at best. Why the Knicks decided to set up Baker for life I have no idea. His ceiling was 10th man
His larger claim to fame will probably be that back in the day, on this forum, TripleThreat thought he should be the starting PG.
For real. 
I defy anyone on earth to find someone worried years ago that Ron Baker was going to possibly do well somewhere else.
And Chinese basketball and children's literature doesn't count.
jrodmc wrote:His larger claim to fame will probably be that back in the day, on this forum, TripleThreat thought he should be the starting PG. For real.
I defy anyone on earth to find someone worried years ago that Ron Baker was going to possibly do well somewhere else.
And Chinese basketball and children's literature doesn't count.
For a brief period, Baker was the best choice because he gave up the ball, unlike some of the other PGs on the roster at the time. What did Baker in was that he wouldnt attempt at shot, or a layup. He was a decent 3pt shooter in college, couldnt even get a mid range shot out of him.
