Knicks Close To Mike Bibby?

Knicks Close To Mike Bibby?

Last year, Bibby was dealt to Washington after showing signs of seriously slowing down.  After forgoing his entire salary for this year in an effort to be bought out by the Wizards, Bibby went on to become the starting PG of the Miami Heat.  His role with Miami fluctuated due to inconsistent, and at times, terrible play.  Bibby was ultimately benched late in the finals series because he was ineffective on the court.

In the wake of letting go of Chauncey Billups (which is not official quite yet), the Knicks are desperate for some sort of stability at the point.  We all saw how Douglas responded to being the team’s starting PG last year.  Sure he will show glimpses of being able to handle the job, but at this point, can the team really trust him to be at the helm for an entire season?  As far as Iman Shumpert is concerned, I expect him to see minutes this year along with Douglas, but like Douglas, the Knicks cannot afford to hand a rookie the keys to their team, not when the team has a legitimate chance to vie for an NBA title.

That is not to say that Bibby is the right guy, but he has two qualities that the Knicks should covet in their PG: 1) experience and 2) shooting ability.  Bibby is a veteran who understands the rigors of the league.  He understands the ebb and flow of how the NBA game works from the PG spot.  He is not a pure facilitator, but he can be a stabilizing force if he is in shape.  Bibby is also a very good three point shooter, having shot well over 40% from deep last season and over 38% for his career.  With Melo and STAT needing shooters to surround them when there are double teams, Bibby can be a serious help to that end.  We all saw how big of a need that was during last season, especially in the playoffs.

Frankly, Bibby looked shot at the end of last season, but he is only 33.  If he is in shape, his style of PG play may very well fit in with the style of offense that this team intends to play.  According to reports, Mike D’Antoni is intent on running this offense through Carmelo Anthony, and if that is the case, Bibby will not be needed to break down defenses as much.

For the minimum, which is what I would expect the Knicks to offer, I understand this move.  After all, when it comes to signing player for that price, the pickings are slim.  Some people will mention Baron Davis, but he has yet to be amnestied.  Others will mention Gil Arenas.  Is he that much better of an option at this point?  Maybe, maybe not.

About Chris Alvino

Chris Alvino grew up in Crestwood, NY. He graduated from Regis High School in 2005. There he played both basketball and baseball. Chris is currently a student at Boston College, where he practices with the varsity Women's Basketball Team (... seriously). Chris has been a Knicks' fan for years and can literally talk about them all day long, every day of the week. Chris enjoys writing on this blog and seeing what everyone out there has to say about it.

 Knicks Close To Mike Bibby?