I just got back from a family vacation at a beach I have been going to with family and friends for about 32-33 years now. What was always a nostalgic trip for me has spilled over to my kids now that they are the ages I started going. A lot of the trips I remember individually but most blur together. We went a little early this year, as most years we went in early August.
The 2001 trip especially stood out. No reason in particular, just sort of remember the trip as being extra fun and memorable, at the height of my age excitement for the things we were doing and all of that. But I do remember during that trip, my dad grabbed a NY Post and I read all about Shandon Anderson being finalized to the Knicks. There were no smart phones and access to internet on the trip, so that article was my only resource to that information while being away.
Shandon Anderson represented the idea of the most average player in the NBA. He was average height and weight, a true Wing, league average shooting for the time, started about 1/3 of his career games, but mostly held the role of 7th-8th man. Always a rotation player but always replaceable. During his prime he earned the MLE. Definition of average. He was acquired using Glen Rice, and Rice had been acquired a year earlier as the primary return for Patrick Ewing. So in a way, Shandon Anderson was the outcome of the early downfall of the team in the early 2000s. I always liked the idea of him, but watching him was very frustrating. The hitch on his shot especially stood out. This forum started a month before that trade, so you can easily go back to page 1 and work your way up a bit and see some of our early discussions around Anderson and other trade targets at the time.
Anyways it’s strange to say, but when I go on this yearly trip, I think about all of the great memories I had as a kid, those fun memories now being made with my own kids…and Shandon Anderson.
But there was hope........2001 was about undoing the contracts and getting ready for a new age of starphuch!
Shandon was to be the cornerstone of mediocrity and perhaps a rebuild.
The natives grew restless and Isiah came to town.
Well, it was better than "The Summer of Sam"!
Your kids have it better now! Thx for sharing.
Trading for Shandon Anderson wasn't the problem. It was trading for him and signing him to a 6 year contract. Same for Eisley. Their NBA tenures didn't warrant that level of commitment.
But those days only make the deep playoff run we experienced last season, and hopefully many many more over these years make it that much sweeter.
Knicks added so many mediocre players during that era to try and stay above water. Anderson, Eisley of course. And I remember I was excited when they signed Clarence Weatherspoon to the MLE. But then once Sprewell was traded and Houston and LJs careers were cut short due to injures, the Knicks should have done a full rebuild. The league had such an infusion of young talent year after year. Drafting was easier then than it is now in my opinion. Those years from 2002-2010 were so tough. And we talked about it nonstop here wondering when it would turn around. I remember still being so excited of the Houston, Sprewell and Camby trio at the beginning of it all, and it just wasn’t meant to last.
Knixkik wrote:Knicks added so many mediocre players during that era to try and stay above water. Anderson, Eisley of course. And I remember I was excited when they signed Clarence Weatherspoon to the MLE. But then once Sprewell was traded and Houston and LJs careers were cut short due to injures, the Knicks should have done a full rebuild. The league had such an infusion of young talent year after year. Drafting was easier then than it is now in my opinion. Those years from 2002-2010 were so tough. And we talked about it nonstop here wondering when it would turn around. I remember still being so excited of the Houston, Sprewell and Camby trio at the beginning of it all, and it just wasn’t meant to last.
Perhaps they do the rebuild but they went starphuch with Antoinio McDyess. He comes to knicks healed and blows his other knee out. They sign him in the summer of 2003
Plays 18 games. By December Layden is fired and Isiah slithered in. We had Mutumbo who was still pretty good. Next to Dice? With H20 is not awful. I know from reading Layden did not want to do the Marbury trade but was the before after Dyess goes down? If Dyess who was really good then does not break and they add Marbury maybe things are different? We will never know. Isiah leveraged it all and we had an epic disaster.
Anderson and Eisely were thought to be ready to step up. Not sure by design to lead the team but perhaps as role or trade assets? It was what it was.
Knicks that year win 39 games despite two presidents, and three coaches. Chaney, Herb, and Lenny all coached that year. Bad times.
Time passes more slowly when you’re younger, so it felt like we were going to be stuck with Howard Eisley and Shandon Anderson for the rest of my life!
So maybe undersized PF for that era. 6’5-6’7 guys who could score in the post but couldn’t do much else. Weatherspoon, Harrington, Mo Taylor, Sweetney, Malik rose. And I remember wanting Danny fortson too.
Wooing Brian Grant from Portland when we did not have real cap space, trying to force them to a sign and trade when we had few players to entice them with!
Shanderson = beginning of the sh t times
Knixkik wrote:Knicks added so many mediocre players during that era to try and stay above water. Anderson, Eisley of course. And I remember I was excited when they signed Clarence Weatherspoon to the MLE. But then once Sprewell was traded and Houston and LJs careers were cut short due to injures, the Knicks should have done a full rebuild. The league had such an infusion of young talent year after year. Drafting was easier then than it is now in my opinion. Those years from 2002-2010 were so tough. And we talked about it nonstop here wondering when it would turn around. I remember still being so excited of the Houston, Sprewell and Camby trio at the beginning of it all, and it just wasn’t meant to last.
I despised the McDyess trade when it happened. Traded what could have been Amare who was the best HS player that year plus Camby for a physical PF with a broke knee. Weis over Artest also befuddled me.
And then to top it all off we didn’t tank the 2003 season when LeBron, Melo, Bosh and Wade were all in the draft. That was not fun. Definitely a preview of what the jets would become.
Knixkik wrote:So maybe undersized PF for that era. 6’5-6’7 guys who could score in the post but couldn’t do much else. Weatherspoon, Harrington, Mo Taylor, Sweetney, Malik rose. And I remember wanting Danny fortson too.
Fortson could rebound and do nothing else. Weatherspoon was a homeless man’s version of Anthony Mason. Layden actually gave that guy a 5 year contract. Just think about it.
These were absolutely traumatic times.
That was definitely the signing that started a series of head scratching moves.
None of those guys were floor raisers. In fact they made a hole in the floor when they arrived.
Nalod wrote:Wooing Brian Grant from Portland when we did not have real cap space, trying to force them to a sign and trade when we had few players to entice them with!
I remember Portland wanting Camby and Sprewell for Grant. And looking back what did he ever actually do ? He was sort of sold as something he wasn’t.
Seems like this was only a few seasons ago. Where is that superman with the garbage bag cape. What's his name, one good playoff series (was it with the Sonics?) and we signed him to be our center. He like doughnuts, that's all I remember.
ramtour420 wrote:Seems like this was only a few seasons ago. Where is that superman with the garbage bag cape. What's his name, one good playoff series (was it with the Sonics?) and we signed him to be our center. He like doughnuts, that's all I remember.
Jerome James? This was the era of using your MLE each year and trying to find a good starting center which was considered so value in those times.
Shandon Anderson has a ring with the 05'-06' Miami Heat!
Never underestimate the power of an ex-knick! LOL....
Shandon played 245 games with us in 4 seasons. Started just 52 with 37 coming in one season.
Avg 21 min per game.
August 10, 2001: As part of a 3-team trade, traded by the Houston Rockets to the New York Knicks; the Dallas Mavericks traded Kyle Hill to the Houston Rockets; the Dallas Mavericks traded Howard Eisley to the New York Knicks; the New York Knicks traded Muggsy Bogues to the Dallas Mavericks; and the New York Knicks traded Glen Rice to the Houston Rockets. Dallas also received a trade exception from Houston.November 9, 2004: Waived by the New York Knicks.
November 14, 2004: Signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat.
Glen Rice played just 20 games for Rockets following year at age 34. His knees were about done with us.
Following season he played 64 games avg 24 min scoring 9 pts per.
The Ewing Deal revisted:
eptember 20, 2000: As part of a 4-team trade, traded by the Los Angeles Lakers with Travis Knight and a 2001 1st round draft pick (Jamaal Tinsley was later selected) to the New York Knicks; the New York Knicks traded Chris Dudley and a 2001 1st round draft pick (Jason Collins was later selected) to the Phoenix Suns; the New York Knicks traded Patrick Ewing to the Seattle SuperSonics; the Phoenix Suns traded Luc Longley to the New York Knicks; the Seattle SuperSonics traded Emanual Davis, Greg Foster, Horace Grant and Chuck Person to the Los Angeles Lakers; and the Seattle SuperSonics traded Lazaro Borrell, Vernon Maxwell, Vladimir Stepania, a 2001 2nd round draft pick (Eric Chenowith was later selected), a 2001 2nd round draft pick (Michael Wright was later selected) and a 2002 1st round draft pick (Kareem Rush was later selected) to the New York Knicks.
Given Ewing was toast and his contract had some time left on it there was no way were going to win any trade.
His lone season in Seattle at age 38 he did play 79 games, avg 26min per. Context: His last allstar season was age 34 in 96-97 at age 34 and was 2nd team all NBA. Signed a 4 year $68 million contract with New York (NYK). His year with Seattle he had 14mm left on his contract.
Ewing should have finished his career with the Knicks. We were never going to get any value for him and it wasn’t right. I liked the idea of Glen Rice but as stated he was about done.
Knixkik wrote:ramtour420 wrote:Seems like this was only a few seasons ago. Where is that superman with the garbage bag cape. What's his name, one good playoff series (was it with the Sonics?) and we signed him to be our center. He like doughnuts, that's all I remember.
Jerome James? This was the era of using your MLE each year and trying to find a good starting center which was considered so value in those times.
Yes, him! Thank you. My mind has forgotten him as a defensive strategy to keep my sanity as a fan
Nalod wrote:Shandon Anderson has a ring with the 05'-06' Miami Heat!
Never underestimate the power of an ex-knick! LOL....
Shandon played 245 games with us in 4 seasons. Started just 52 with 37 coming in one season.
Avg 21 min per game. August 10, 2001: As part of a 3-team trade, traded by the Houston Rockets to the New York Knicks; the Dallas Mavericks traded Kyle Hill to the Houston Rockets; the Dallas Mavericks traded Howard Eisley to the New York Knicks; the New York Knicks traded Muggsy Bogues to the Dallas Mavericks; and the New York Knicks traded Glen Rice to the Houston Rockets. Dallas also received a trade exception from Houston.November 9, 2004: Waived by the New York Knicks.
November 14, 2004: Signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat.
Glen Rice played just 20 games for Rockets following year at age 34. His knees were about done with us.
Following season he played 64 games avg 24 min scoring 9 pts per.
The Ewing Deal revisted:
eptember 20, 2000: As part of a 4-team trade, traded by the Los Angeles Lakers with Travis Knight and a 2001 1st round draft pick (Jamaal Tinsley was later selected) to the New York Knicks; the New York Knicks traded Chris Dudley and a 2001 1st round draft pick (Jason Collins was later selected) to the Phoenix Suns; the New York Knicks traded Patrick Ewing to the Seattle SuperSonics; the Phoenix Suns traded Luc Longley to the New York Knicks; the Seattle SuperSonics traded Emanual Davis, Greg Foster, Horace Grant and Chuck Person to the Los Angeles Lakers; and the Seattle SuperSonics traded Lazaro Borrell, Vernon Maxwell, Vladimir Stepania, a 2001 2nd round draft pick (Eric Chenowith was later selected), a 2001 2nd round draft pick (Michael Wright was later selected) and a 2002 1st round draft pick (Kareem Rush was later selected) to the New York Knicks.
Given Ewing was toast and his contract had some time left on it there was no way were going to win any trade.
His lone season in Seattle at age 38 he did play 79 games, avg 26min per. Context: His last allstar season was age 34 in 96-97 at age 34 and was 2nd team all NBA. Signed a 4 year $68 million contract with New York (NYK). His year with Seattle he had 14mm left on his contract.
What I never understood is why we didn't just trade him to the Lakers? Should have just done a straight up deal for Glen Rice and let Pat go win a championship. Either that or just waive his contract and let him walk away on his own.
