Big Apple Busts

If you hadn’t noticed, there’s a lot going wrong in New York City.

Well, it was anything but a holly, jolly Christmas for the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets were manhandled by a Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls squad 95-78, and the Oklahoma City Thunder practically flushed out the Knicks “faithful” with a 123-94 blowout in Madison Square Garden. I don’t know what Jason Kidd and Mike Woodson did to get on Santa’s naughty list, but they better hope the Easter Bunny has a playoff run hidden in his basket.

So I know what you’re thinking if you’re a fan of either team: stop, please, I can’t take any more of this season. I hear you, but it really is interesting to look at. Both these teams were expected to be contending for a birth in the NBA Finals. Now they’re scraping the bottom of their stockings looking for a playoff spot. It’s like the Grinch stole their talent — and the roast beast. Though neither team wants to make excuses, they both have some good ones.

The Nets have a rookie head coach in Kidd, who despite his NBA pedigree, is still learning the ropes of being on the bench full-time. Kidd’s team — if it really is “his” team — has an already aged roster and a point guard who’s probably wishing he was back in Salt Lake City. It’s difficult to demand respect from guys who were your peers a few months ago. And, as if it couldn’t get any worse, the Nets lost their franchise center Brook Lopez for the year, who broke the same foot he had to have surgically repaired to replace a screw put in it after he broke his foot the last time.

New York’s injury woes are far worse than the Nets’. After Tyson Chandler broke his leg early in the season, the Knicks had to go without their defensive anchor until midway through December. Raymond Felton is out again, this time suffearing a groin injury. He could be out a month, which begs the question if the Knicks should have pulled the trigger on Kyle Lowry. Plus, it’s worth mentioning that Amar’e Stoudemire’s entire career in New York has been injury plagued. He is by no means the same player New York signed in the 2010 off-season. Oh yeah, did I mention Carmelo Anthony sprained his left ankle Monday? He had to watch from the bench as the Oklahoma City “brought the Thunder.”

It’s been established this season is, at the very least, frustrating for both franchises. But it’s always about the future, right? If only Isaiah Thomas knew that before he traded the Knicks’ 2004 and 2008 first-round picks for Stephon Marbury. Essentially, he gave up Luol Deng and Derrick Rose for Marbury. You’re welcome, Chicago. That worked out nicely for you. Let’s get back to the future and all that “it’s not over yet” non-sense.

Even if New York and Brooklyn pull out a magical run this year, does any one think they can actually beat Indiana or Miami? Don’t even credit that question with an answer.

Let’s fast forward to the end of next season. The 2015 free agency class is going to be stacked with talent. A short list includes Rajon Rondo, Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Marc Gasol. New York will only be on the hook for about $13 million — total. Stoudemire gets that just for eating his Fruit Loops in the morning. Chandler, Stoudemire, Anthony and Andrea Bargnani are all set to come off the books — re-signing Anthony will be New York’s priority. The point is the Knicks will be throwing dollars like they turned 21 and hit the lotto in the same night. J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton have player options for the 2015-16 season that total out to about $11 million. If New York decides to ship one, or both, of them out then that’s more money to throw at free agents.

Now for the Nets, it’s a little bit difficult. Joe Johnson and Deron Williams are set to make about $25 million and $21 million respectively in 2015-16. Again, barring a trade, spending money will not be as easy for the Nets — despite Mikhail Prokhorov’s willingness to burn through his piggy bank. Lopez is also due about $17 million in 2015-16, so either they wheel and deal or they ask the government for a bail out. Neither seem likely. Who wants to trade for a center who’s feet look like they’ve been driving Fred Flintstone around town? Lopez needs to prove he can stay healthy if his stock is going to get back up to where it was before this most recent injury. Plus a 35-year-old Johnson is going to find himself in a similar situation as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett found themselves in this year. He’ll most likely need to be inserted into an already stacked lineup as a sixth man candidate. Johnson isn’t exactly Kobe Bryant, who has proven he’s a mental and physical beast. The player with the most value is Williams, but isn’t he supposed to be the franchise player? The Nets will have to consider rebuilding or retooling if they want to become serious contenders.

This 2014 draft is going to be another wash for both franchises. The Knicks traded its first-round pick to Denver for Anthony. Brooklyn sent its first-round picks, for this year and the near future, to the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks. Imagine if New York’s pick was the first overall pick. The Knicks 2014-15 roster could have featured Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Carmelo Anthony and Andrew Wiggins/Jabari Parker. Isn’t the what-if game fun?

Oh yeah, let’s not forget both teams are going to have head coaching questions to answer. Kidd is less likely to be fired this season than Woodson because it’s his first year on the job, and he’s learning on the fly. Woodson, however, only earned the job because he took a Mike D’Antoni train wreck and taught it how to play defense. The problem is now the team can’t play offense. That, children, is called irony.

It’s too soon to say either team is out of the running, but the first half of the season is typically good at forecasting the second half.

So Nets fans, just be patient and hope Kidd finds a way to turn Williams into an MVP candidate overnight. Knicks fans, pray LeBron James decides he wants to retire in MSG and working for Trident Layers.