Apr 5, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd (5) gets off and makes a three quarter court shot at the end of the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden. New York Knicks defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 101-83. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

First here’s the list of the players who were on the 2011-2012 team that weren’t brought back for this season:

PG Mike Bibby 2013 Team: None
PG Baron Davis 2013 Team: None
PG Jeremy Lin 2013 Team: Houston Rockets
PG Toney Douglas 2013 Team: Houston Rockets/Sacramento Kings
SG Landry Fields 2013 Team: Toronto Raptors
SG Bill Walker 2013 Team: D-League
SF Renaldo Balkman 2013 Team: Philippine Basketball Association
PF Josh Harrelson 2013 Team: Miami Heat/Puerto Rican League
PF Jared Jeffries 2013 Team: Portland Trailblazers
C Dan Gadzuric 2013 Team: Venezuelan League
C Jerome Jordan 2013 Team: Philippine Basketball Association

When you really look at this team last year, they weren’t that talented. Besides your big guns, these weren’t players that translate into a championship roster and it showed when only four out of the 11 former Knicks are playing in the NBA. Grunwald knew he had championship players in Melo and Tyson and he did a masterful job bringing in the pieces to propel the Knicks. Let’s grade the Knicks offseason moves:

PG Jason Kidd: 6.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 37 FG%, 35 3P% 2012 Team: Dallas Mavericks

Jason Kidd wasn’t brought to New York and expected to put up his former All-Star numbers. He was brought here to do exactly what he is doing now, and that is to be a leader. Anthony has given Kidd full credit on how Kidd has shown him to mentally and physically prepare for games and to also have that championship mentality. Kidd started out hot this season but cooled down for a while. Kidd is still a threat on the court that rarely makes mistakes, will make the smart play, is unselfish, and isn’t a player you want to leave open. This signing worked out just as Grunwald envisioned it.

Grade: B

PG Raymond Felton: 13.9 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.2 RPG, 42 FG %, 36 3P% 2012 Team: Portland Trailblazers

After being dealt away from the Knicks in the blockbuster trade that brought Anthony to New York, Felton was brought back after a forgettable year in Portland. Felton played the best basketball of his career in New York pre-Melo and Knicks fans were excited to hear he was coming back after the team decided to let Lin walk. We saw how much he means to this team when he was injured and the Knicks’ got into a losing slump. Felton has been a great manager this season and is a huge part of this team’s success. I believe he will play a huge part in the Knicks’ playoff success. Grunwald hands down made the right decision signing the cheaper and more effective Felton over Lin.

Grade: A

PG Pablo Prigioni: 3.5 PPG, 3.0 APG, 44 FG%, 38 3P% 2012 Team: Spain

The 35-year old Argentinean rookie was very durable for Mike Woodson this year, playing in 78 games. Knicks fans didn’t know what to expect out of the unknown Prigioni, but it’s hard not to like him. He might be a NBA rookie, but he is a seasoned basketball veteran. Prigioni rarely makes mistakes, plays solid defense, and fills in his minutes nicely. Pablo’s game doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, but he does his job, no matter if it’s 18 minutes or eight minutes.

Grade: B

SG James White: 1.9 PPG 2012 Team: Italy

It seems like White was just roster filler but Woodson found something in him to start 15 games. White doesn’t bring much to the table and doesn’t have the capability to be an impact player on the Knicks. White’s time to shine was the Dunk Contest and he failed pretty miserably. Not much was expected out of White so he pretty much did what we all thought was going to do.

Grade: D

SF Ronnie Brewer: 3.3 PPG 2.2 RPG 2012 Team: Chicago Bulls

Brewer was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline but as a Knick he was featured in Mike Woodson’s starting lineup. Brewer is known for his defense, but his lack of offensive production and being any sort of offensive threat drove him out of town.

Grade: C-

Apr. 17, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Chris Copeland (14) looks to pass the ball around Atlanta Hawks power forward Anthony Tolliver (4) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 9892. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

SF Chris Copeland: 8.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG 47 FG%, 42 3P% 2012 Team: Rookie Season (Played five seasons in Europe)

It took a while for Copeland to fully get into Woodson’s rotation because of defensive and rebounding reasons, but the kid is a scorer. Copeland is going to get his minutes in the playoffs and I think he will make them count. We know defense is a huge difference maker come playoff time but if Copeland can come off the bench and get double digits, that’s all Woodson needs out of him. He is coming along now, but it was an up and down season for Copeland with his low playing time for a majority of it. Copeland fits his role well, not too high and not too low of a grade.

Grade: B

PF Kurt Thomas: 2.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG 2012 Team: Portland Trailblazers

The oldest player in the league started 17 games for the Knicks and played in 30 of them. Thomas had his moments during the year but wasn’t very effective and a serious threat. Thomas was cut just before the playoffs, so that gives you a feel of how much he really meant to this team.

Grade: C-

PF Rasheed Wallace: 7.0 PPG, 4.0 PPG 2012 Team: Retired

Wallace became a fan favorite with his gritty play and his three to the dome move, but Knicks fans didn’t see much of it. Sheed couldn’t get the body into basketball form and battled with injuries for 75 percent of the season. Wallace recently retired so it’s hard to give him a good grade. He was fun to watch when he played, but his impact on this Knicks season was insignificant. Grunwald didn’t get much out of this signing when it comes down to it.

Grade: C

PF Kenyon Martin: 7.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG 2012 Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Martin wasn’t an offseason move, but I will include him anyway because he has had a big impact. K-Mart was signed after the trade deadline partly because of injuries but he has asserted himself quite well. Martin is a tough dude down low and when he and Chandler are out there together, not many teams are going to out rebound the Knicks. Martin will play a big role for the Knicks and if he’s healthy, he will become a fan favorite for a long time if he can help the Knicks make a deep run.

Grade: B+

C Marcus Camby: 1.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG 2012 Team: Portland Trailblazers

Camby is a shell of his old self, but that still isn’t a valid excuse of his lack of production. His minutes and role on this team is obviously much less than he is accustomed too, but when he played it wasn’t like he was noticeable. Only playing in 24 games doesn’t help his cause and Woodson seemed to be very hesitant to insert him into any sort of consistent rotation.

Grade: C

Resignings

SF Steve Novak: 6.6 PPG, 41 FG%, 42% 3pt% Contract: 4-Years/$15 million

The Knicks couldn’t afford to let Novak walk after leading the league in three-point percentage in 2012 at 47 percent. Novak dropped out of the top 10 this season with 42 percent but it is very hard to duplicate success when it comes to shooting three’s. Novak feasts off open shots and he does well against below average teams. He rarely makes an impact in big games against stiff defenses, but for the price the Knicks got him for and the way he spaces the floor is a threat, it was a good deal.

Grade: B

SG J.R. Smith: 18.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 42 FG%, 35% 3pt% Contract: 2-Year/$5.7 million

It’s hard to picture the Knicks this year without J.R. Smith. Smith always comes off the bench but he plays starter minutes, with the third most played minutes on the team. He should win the Sixth Man of the Year award and is at times the Knicks best scorer on the court. Smith, along with Carmelo Anthony, carried the Knicks at the end of the year and were playing like the best scoring combination in the league at some points. Smith is sometimes a little wild with his shot, especially in the beginning of the season, but seemed to mature towards the end. He is a clutch player and is a leader on this team. For the money Smith is getting, his deal is one of the best in the NBA. He will likely opt-out after this season since his market value is pretty high so it will be hard for the Knicks to bring him back, but he has been one hell of a player in New York.

Grade: A+

I understand that these are the types of players Grunwald was restricted to going after so you can’t knock him. The Knicks finished with the best record they have had in almost two decades so he obviously put together the best Knicks team in a while. Overall these acquisitions worked out and most of these players will play huge roles in the playoffs.

By the time Grunwald was finished, the Knicks had the oldest roster in NBA history. It looked good at the time as the Knicks appeared to have great depth with a bunch of veterans who could play a role in the Knicks winning a championship.

Oct. 1, 2012; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Knicks executive vice president and general manager Glen Grunwald speaks to the media at the MSG Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

As Knicks head coach Mike Woodson put it: “Young players don’t win championships.”

As it turns out, neither do ancient players.

Grunwald’s strategy has backfired in a big way as the Knicks veterans have been often injured and they clearly don’t have the legs to compete with younger and more athletic teams.

Here’s a look at each move that Grunwald made and how it simply hasn’t worked out.

Marcus Camby (three years, $13. million): Even Camby was a  bit shocked that he got so much money and it has turned out to be a waste.  He was brought in to play a major role off the Knicks bench as a backup to Tyson Chandler, but similar to the first time around, Camby’s second stint with the Knicks has been marred by injuries. He’s played in only 18 games and when he has been healthy, has had trouble cracking Woodson’s rotation.

Coming into the season, there was much more expected than 10.6 minutes per game, averaging only 2.2 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Chris Copeland (one year, $473 K): I have no problem with Copeland being signed. He played his way onto the Opening Day roster and has done some nice things when given the opportunity.

Raymond Felton (four years, $14.8 million): Felton did a great job early on making Knicks fans forget  about the decision to allow  Jeremy Lin to leave for the Houston Rockets, but his play as of late might make you have to question the decision. It’s not that Lin is having a great season in Houston, but Felton’s play has dropped off that much.

His shooting has been erratic and the bottom line is that your point guard has to average more than 5.7 assists per game. Felton looked great running the Knicks offense the first month and a half of the season, but now there has to be serious questions of if he is the man for the job going forward. The Knicks are the worst team in the NBA when it comes to defending opposing point guards and Felton isn’t getting any quicker as he ages. He’s only 28 but has the look of a 35-year old.

Mar 9, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd (5) reacts against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks won the game 113-84. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Jason Kidd (three years, $9.09 million): Kidd was a big reason why the Knicks got off to such a great start, but hasn’t been the same player over the course of the past two and a half months. His shooting has completely fallen off the table as he couldn’t hit water right now if he fell out of a boat. He still brings the intangible that you would expect, but he has played over 27 minutes per game and seems to be tiring out.

Steve Novak (four years, $15 million): Novak cashed in after leading the NBA in three-point shooting a season ago. Now it looks like a bad contract. He’s still shooting over 40 percent from behind the arc, but averages only 6.6 points per game and has trouble getting off shots. Now that teams have game planned to take him out of the game, Novak offers very little value to this team.

Pablo Prigioni (one year, $474 K): No problem in adding a cheap third point guard and Prigioni has earned his money and then some.

J.R. Smith (two years, $5.6 million): If you can live with Smith’s poor shot selection and his antics, this is one deal that turned out to be a bargain. Smith is having a solid season scoring the ball and despite all of the things he does that makes you shake your head, he is a very valuable part of the Knicks bench. Maybe the only valuable part.

Kurt Thomas (two years, $2.7 million): Thomas doesn’t get his number called much, but when he is on the floor you know what you will get from him.

Rasheed Wallace (one year, $1.35 million): The Knicks were great when Wallace was in the lineup, but he’s taking up a roster spot and the Knicks have got only 20 games out of him this season.

James White (one year, $854 K): White is just one of those guys who takes up a roster spot and isn’t going to offer much. Whatever production you get from him is a bonus.  Being that he comes very cheap, you can’t complain too much.

When you look back at the offseason, this is Grunwald’s team, built the way Woodson wanted it and the plan has failed.

The Knicks have become nothing more than a mediocre team filled with aging veterans whose bodies have broken down and castoffs.

There’s nothing about this team right now that would suggest that they can get out of the first round of the playoffs. If that’s the case, then they have failed in a big way and the finger needs to be pointed at the general manager and the head coach.

What’s worse is the fact that there is nothing to build around.

The Knicks window to win with this group is a small one, likely this season and next.

Sure they bring back Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire (if ever healthy) and Tyson Chandler, but what else is there on this team to get excited about?

Many thought the Knicks could build around Iman Shumpert for the future, but that looks less and less likely by the game.

What they have tried to do hasn’t worked and there is no quick fix in sight for the foreseeable future.

For that, Grunwald needs to be held accountable.

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A majority of the time, what you have right now is what you are going to get for the remainder of the season out of most players.

Nov. 25, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Rasheed Wallace (36) on the court against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 121-100. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

With that being said, it’s a good time to take a look at how offseason acquisitions have impacted the team an through 14 games for the New York Knicks, you have to give general manager Glen Grunwald some credit as a few of his moves have impacted the team in a big way, most notably Jason Kidd and Rasheed Wallace.

I have always been a fan of more advanced stats to measure a player’s true impact to a team, which is why I am turning to John Hollinger’s PER, which comes as close as anything to measure a player’s all-around contribution to a team.

As you can see in the list below, both Kidd and Wallace rank among the Top 15 players to change team in the offseason in terms of PER.

Carl Landry (Warriors): 22.8

Goran Dragic (Suns): 22.6

Kyle Lowry (Raptors): 21.8

Jason Kidd (Knicks): 21.4

Andray Blatche (Nets): 21.4

James Harden (Rockets): 20.9

Dwight Howard (Lakers): 20.8

Louis Williams (Hawks): 20.4

Ryan Anderson (Hornets): 20.2

Ray Allen (Heat): 19.5

Jermaine O’Neal (Suns): 19.4

Jamal Crawford (Clippers): 19.0

O.J. Mayo (Mavericks): 18.6

Andrei Kirilenko (Timberwolves): 18.4

Rasheed Wallace (Knicks): 17.5

Kidd’s impact has especially been felt in a big way, as the fourth most productive player to change teams, having a greater impact on the Knicks than even guys like Harden, Howard, Anderson and others. Then there’s Wallace, who has earned a spot as the first big man of Mike Woodson’s bench. Considering he plays just slightly over 15 minutes per game, ‘Sheed’s PER speaks for exactly what he has brought to the team.

In comparison to other Knicks newcomers, Kidd and Wallace stick out the most, but the other guys have put up decent PER numbers, including: Ronnie Brewer (13.5), Chris Copeland (15.5), and Pablo Prigioni (11.6).

However not all new additions are producing good efficiency ratings as Kurt Thomas (7.3) and Marcus Camby (1.5) aren’t having much of an impact on the Knicks’ success, mostly due to the lack of playing time.

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According to New York Newsday’s Al Iannazzone the Knicks won’t be matching the three-year, $19-20 million offer sheet to the second-year pro from Stanford.

The Knicks are not matching the offer sheet to Landry Fields, his agent said.

— Al Iannazzone (@Al_Iannazzone) July 15, 2012

May 9, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks guard Landry Fields (2) dunks past Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the first half of game five in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

Fields certainly wasn’t worth over what was reported $10 million in the third year of the deal, but allowing Fields to walk means the Knicks are very thin at the 2-guard spot, especially with Iman Shumpert out until January with a knee injury. That means currently, J.R. Smith is the only healthy shooting guard on the roster.

The Stanford product was a good locker room guy and a young player that gave effort at both ends of the floor.

The Knicks’ reluctance to match is not shocking.  Fields, 24, had a solid rookie season after making the team roster as a second-round selection. But Fields took a step back last year as he averaged just 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He also saw his shooting percentages drop, hitting just 46 percent of his field goals and 25.6 percent of his threes.

As a rookie, Fields made 49.7 percent of his field goals and 39.3 percent of his shots from behind the arc, averaging 9.7 points on the season.

Fields is a player who did nothing special in a Knicks uniform, but could be counted on to do the little things. But in light of his sophomore slump it’s hard to justify paying him $19 million-plus.

Now general manager Glen Grunwald must find an alternative to Fields. One that will be able to bring it on the defensive end as well.

The only things in the Big Apple that is certain is that the Knicks roster is ever changing, they are getting older by the day and will be attempting to win a championship without the services of Fields.

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To be more exact, the history of the No.48.

Fot Knicks fans hoping that general manager Glen Grunwald gets a key contributor to the 2013 team then luck necessarily won’t be on the Knicks side as the No. 48 pick has produced a who’s who list of draft busts throughout the past 20 years.

Let’s go back in time and look at who has been selected with the N0. 48 pick.

As you will see, the only guy to really make an NBA career for himself has been Marc Gasol who has become a very nice player for the Memphis Grizzlies. In addition, the only other player to have a successful NBA career that came from the No. 48 spot was Cedric Ceballos, who was drafted in 1990.

May 11, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) questions a call in the first half of game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

2011- Atlanta Hawks, Keith Benson

2010: Miami Heat, Latavious Williams

2009: Phoenix Suns, Taylor Griffin

2008: Phoenix Suns, Malik Hairston

2007: Los Angeles Lakers, Marc Gasol

2006: Washington Wizards, Valdimir Veremeenko

2005: Seattle SuperSonics, Mickael Gelabale

2004: Sacramento Kings, Ricky Minard

2003: New Orleans Hornets, James Lang

2002: Memphis Grizzlies, Chris Owens

2001: Vancouver Grizzlies, Antonis Fotsis

2000: Philadelphia 76ers, Mark Karcher

1999: Milwaukee Bucks, Galen Young

1998: Cleveland Cavaliers, Ryan Stack

1997: Portland Trail Blazers, Alvin Williams

1996: Philadelphia 76ers, Jaime Feick

1995: Minnesota Timberwolves, Mark Davis

1994: Detroit Pistons, Jevon Crudup

1993: Portland Trail Blazers, Kevin Thompson

1992: Phoenix Suns, Brian Davis

1991: Utah Jazz, Isaac Austin

Yesterday it was announced that Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony made the All-NBA Third Team. The other members of the team were Rajon Rondo, Dwyane Wade, and Dirk Nowitzki.

There was some debate as to how Anthony made the team over other deserving forwards, which were fair. However, even in a below average season for ‘Melo, he averaged 22.6 ppg on 43% shooting, 6.3 rpg, and 3.8 apg, which are better numbers than many of his contemporaries.

Chandler’s accomplishments have been discussed and he was decidedly the third best center behind Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum who made First and Second Team’s, respectively.

The Knicks are supposedly investigating a conspiracy that left Bill Walker off the First Team.

A few days ago, Iman Shumpert was selected to the All-Rookie First Team. Shumpert felt slighted that he didn’t get invited to the Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend, but the selection to the First Team makes up for it.

Shumpert was tied with Kawhi Leonard and Brandon Knight for the fifth spot on the team, and they join Ricky Rubio, Kyrie Irving, Kenneth Faried, and Klay Thompson. The back-to-back selections of Shumpert and Landry Fields to the All-Rookie First Team marks the first time the Knicks have had two rookies make it in back to back seasons in over twenty years.

Likewise, earlier this week Tyson Chandler was snubbed from the All-Defensive First Team, but still made Second Team. Iman Shumpert also received some votes, but ultimately missed making either team.

In previous weeks, Shumpert also finished fifth in Rookie of the Year Voting (Kyrie Irving ultimately won), and GM Glen Grunwald finished sixth in Executive of the Year voting.

The Knicks are still waiting for official word on whether Steve Novak will make All-NBA Hair Gel First Team, and whether Jerome Jordan will make All-Jamaican First Team.

These awards and accolades only further prove that the Knicks have recognized, respected talent – it’s just a matter of putting it all together.

And for that, I’m happy to say I was wrong. Since the lockout ended (ugh, remember that thing?), Grunwald has done nothing if not turn a team with a solid core, but gaping holes into one of the deepest outfits in the NBA, brimming with talent.

It was announced this afternoon that Grunwald’s “interim” general manager tag has been removed and he will carry on as the team’s official GM. A move so smart and stable, it hardly seems like it would come from a franchise that tends to revel in drama and dysfunction. But Grunwald’s work speaks for itself.

When the lockout ended in early December, a free agency frenzy ensued, and the Knicks came away with one of the offseason’s biggest prizes: Tyson Chandler. Chandler was acquired in a sign-and-trade that involved the amnesty of veteran point guard Chauncey Billups. Though the move was questioned by some – the Knicks were left with a glaring hole at the point guard position – it has proven to be well worth the while. Chandler (with the help of Mike Woodson) has spear-headed revolution that installed a defensive culture unlike anything the Knicks have seen since Jeff Van Gundy stalked the sidelines. Chandler is also averaging a double-double (11.3 ppg, 10 rpg) and leads the league in field goal percentage (68.1%).

Grunwald recognized the Knicks’ hole in the back-court and added Mike Bibby (who while wholly unimpressive has given the Knicks depth), and acquired Baron Davis who the Cleveland Cavaliers released via the amnesty clause.

Of course, Grunwald’s biggest point guard snag was the least noted and the least celebrated at the time: Jeremy Lin. As everyone has surely learned by now, Lin was waived by the Golden State Warriors before the season began, claimed by the Houston Rockets, who then also waived him, and finally picked up by the Knicks once the regular season was underway. Though Grunwald surely did not see “Linsanity” happening, he had kept track of Lin ever since he worked out for the Knicks before the 2010 NBA Draft. It was Lin who turned the Knicks’ depressing season around and helped get them back into the playoff picture.

Grunwald was spurned by Shawne Williams in the off-season (he chose a bigger offer from the New Jersey Nets), and instead signed Steve Novak who was waived by the San Antonio Spurs. Novak has turned into the best three-point shooter in the NBA, shooting at a 46.8% clip from beyond the arc. The addition of J.R. Smith was due to savvy planning by Grunwald. After being turned down by Williams and other free agents like Jamal Crawford, Grunwald saved the Knicks’ “room exception” (a two-year, five-million-dollar offer) until Smith returned from playing in China. The Knicks in turn were able to offer more money to Smith than any other team. The additions of Novak and Smith have given the Knicks one of the most potent benches in the league.

However, the work that lies ahead of Grunwald won’t be any easier. This coming off-season, Jeremy Lin, Landry Fields, J.R. Smith (player option), Steve Novak, Jared Jeffries, Baron Davis, and Mike Bibby will all become free agents. The Knicks have “Bird Rights” to Landry Fields, which allows them to pay Fields as much as they like (also as much as he is eligible for – players essentially get raises for their allowed maximum salaries as they play longer in the NBA) regardless of cap space. Thanks to a provision in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Knicks will also be able to match any offer Jeremy Lin receives and are likely to keep him. However, they’ll have to use their mid-level exception to give Lin his due pay day, which lessens their chances of re-signing Novak and Smith who are likely to field bigger offers. Smith already appears to be headed in that direction.

When healthy, the Knicks are a team with incredible depth and talent, and that’s in large part due to the clever and keen financial dealings of Grunwald. Though his work is far from finished, it seems wise and just that Grunwald will be the man behind the scenes, working to bring the Knicks to the ultimate prize.