As it has been rumored for the past couple of days, the Knicks officially released forward Kurt Thomas to free up a roster space, which they used to sign 6’10″ center Solomon Jones.

Jones, most recently with Liaoning of the Chinese Basketball Association, averaged 15.8 points and 10.4 rebounds this season in China. He most recently played with the New Orleans Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers in 2011-12.

Jones is a seven-year NBA veteran, which also includes stops with the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers. In 268 career NBA games, Jones has averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

There was talk of the Knicks coming to terms on a deal with James Singleton earlier in the week, but that deal fell through due to a procedural holdup with his Chinese team. He could not get FIBA clearance, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley.

League source: #Knicks deal w/James Singleton fell though due to a procedural holdup with his Chinese team. He could not get FIBA clearance.

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 12, 2013

Mar 18, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; New York Knicks power forward Kurt Thomas (40) goes up for a layup during the second half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. The Knicks won 90-83. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Jones is more of a  shot-blocker and better defender than Singleton and at 28, he instantly becomes one of the youngest players on the team.

Singleton is a bit of a more versatile player who can do a lot of things better than Jones, but Jones adds some more size to the Knicks bench.

Jones is signed through the remainder of the season, which makes him eligible for the postseason roster.

He could be in uniform as early as tonight as the Knicks play in Cleveland. If he is, it is entirely possible that he could start at center.

Grunwald made a statement about Thomas, who is one of  the classier guys in the league (via Alan Hahn):

“Once it became clear that he would not be able to return this season, and due to a rash of injuries to our big men, we felt that it was important for us to free-up a spot on our roster.”

“We thank Kurt for all that he has done. I have the utmost respect for Kurt as a player and as a man.”

“Kurt’s contributions to the Knicks have been immeasurable. From the first day of training camp to the last game against the Utah Jazz, Kurt has been a key contributor to our team. The team’s success this season has been driven by veteran leadership on and off the court — it is something that cannot be quantified or read in a box score.”

As they prepare to face the Chicago Bulls Thursday night at the United Center, the Knicks need to find a way to get some more healthy bodies in time for the playoffs as they will be taking the floor without the likes of Amar’e Stoudemire, Kenyon Martin, Tyson Chandler, Rasheed Wallace, Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas.

With that in mind, it looks as if the Knicks are making a roster move to get just a little healthier.

According to the New York Daily News’ Fran Isola, the Knicks will release the injured Thomas to clear a roster spot that they will use to sign free agent James Singleton.

Kurt Thomas will be released to create a roster spot for James Singleton, Daily News has learned. KT will have right foot surgery next week

— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) April 10, 2013

April 9, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Wizards forward James Singleton (3) gets a rebound during the game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Wizards win 113-85. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks, currently the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, will make the roster shuffle roughly three weeks after Thomas suffered a stress fracture in his right foot. With Thomas, the Knicks’ roster had been full at 15 players. ESPNNY.com reports that the Knicks and Singleton have reached agreement on a contract so that he would be playoff-eligible.

Singleton, a 6’8″ forward, has played parts of five seasons in the NBA, recently with the Washington Wizards in 2011-2012.

He played the 2012-2013 season in China with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, averaging 15.1 points and 11 rebounds in 21 games.  During his NBA career, Singleton has played in 243 games with three different team, averaging 3.9 points and 3.7 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game.

Thomas was the oldest player in the NBA this season at 40 years old and averaged 2.5 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10.1 minutes per game.

He was expected to be sidelined two-to-four weeks after an MRI in March revealed an acute stress reaction surrounding a chronic stress fracture in the navicular bone of his right foot, but The Daily News has reported that he will have surgery next week.

It’s sad to see Thomas get released while he is injured, but the Knicks needed to add some size and length badly.

Singleton may not be the best talent in the world, but right now the Knicks need healthy frontcourt bodies and he can fill an immediate role.

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The good news is that All-Star center Tyson Chandler is expected to miss only a week with a small bulging disk in his cervical spine (neck area).

Feb. 27, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) celebrates after winning the game 109-105 against the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

The bad news is that Chandler could miss up to four or five games in that span, which include Atlantic Division battles against the Toronto Raptors (twice) and Boston Celtics.

Chandler has missed the past two games with the neck problem which was confirmed by an MRI on Tuesday. He also suffered a bone contusion in his left knee during the Knicks’ loss March 13 to the Nuggets.

The Knicks have gone 1-1 with Chandler on the sidelines, but going without the backbone of their defense for the next four or five games will be extremely difficult.

It will be even more difficult considering he won’t be the only one out.

According to the Knicks, Kurt Thomas is also expected to be out two to four weeks with an acute stress reaction surrounding a chronic stress fracture in his right foot.

That leaves the Knicks frontcourt very shorthanded as both Amar’e Stoudemire and Rasheed Wallace will miss the remainder of the regular season as well.

With that being said, expect to see a lot of Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin and Chris Copeland for the foreseeable future.

One thing is for sure and that is the Knicks need big bodies, but there are two problems with that.

First of all there isn’t much out there to go and get. Secondly, the Knicks have refused to waive Wallace, which is something that could be considered again given the injury situation.

But for now Mike Woodson will have to try and patch things together- something he is used to by now.

Woodson should get a bit of good news though as Carmelo Anthony is supposed to return to the Knicks lineup Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, but who knows how healthy his knee is at this point.

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With Rasheed Wallace, Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony already on the shelf, the Knicks will now be without Kurt Thomas as well.

Thomas was injured in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, the Knicks fear that the 40-year old Thomas could miss the remainder of the season with a stress fracture. He also reports that Thomas will have an MRI when the team returns to New York following the final game of what has been a miserable five-game road trip, Monday night in Utah.

Knicks fear Kurt Thomas may have a stress fracture which would end his season. He’ll go for an MRI on his right foot when team returns home.

— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) March 18, 2013

Knicks head coach Mike Woodson has been using Thomas in the starting lineup as the oldest player in the NBA has seen his minutes increase as of late thanks to the rash of injuries.

While Thomas isn’t the best player at his age, he does have value in terms of a veteran defender and rebounder.

Now the Knicks thin frontcourt is even thinner with only Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin as current healthy bodies.

With Thomas on the shelf, I would expect the Knicks to look to add a big body as soon as possible.

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That change is a simple one and it involves starting Marcus Camby at the 4 instead of Kurt Thomas.

December 28, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; New York Knicks center Marcus Camby (23) holds onto the ball before falling out of bounds against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings defeated the Knicks 106-105. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The Knicks have been getting off to slow starts defensively and have been getting crushed on the boards, both areas that Camby will help improve.

Defensively he gives the Knicks another shot blocker and a big presence next to Tyson Chandler.

Chandler had to spend the entire Portland game scrambling to make up for teammates mistakes. Having Camby behind him will allow him to do that more freely without allowing easy baskets in the paint.

When it comes to rebounding, the Knicks were outrebounded by the Blazers 26-13 in the first half Tuesday night.

Thomas just doesn’t add the same presence that Camby does.

Woodson started Camby instead of Thomas during the second half Tuesday night and the Knicks outscored the Blazers by seven when both Chandler and Camby were on the floor together the first seven minutes of the third quarter.

“I thought from a defensive presence it was pretty good in terms of protecting the interior of our defense and rebounding the basketball,” Woodson told ESPN’s Ian Begley of the Chandler-Camby pairing. “It’s something we’ve struggled with a little bit this season. I definitely liked what I saw, yes.”

The Knicks defense has not been very good as of late and Woodson has the luxury of turning to a guy like Camby to help in that regard.

Camby is a guy who hasn’t received a whole lot of minutes after missing training camp with a calf injury and then missing more time with a foot injury.

Now that he is healthy, Woodson needs to give him the opportunity and inserting Camby into the starting lineup is the way to go.

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Camby’s disappearance from the rotation upon returning from a training camp injury was odd. Many speculated that Camby had either done

Nov. 9, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Marcus Camby (23) waits for a rebound against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

something to anger Mike Woodson or an injury was being covered up. According to Steve Popper, the latter was true as of this morning right until the news actually broke.

While Camby’s medical issue with his hooves (one that causes pain and inflammation at the bottom of the foot) is troubling, it also is not the back-breaking type of issue that probably would have been imagined at the start of the season. As mentioned, Camby was hardly getting playing time to begin with – and when he was, he was only effective half of the time – and the Knicks have a fair amount of other options. Tyson Chandler’s play of late warrants extra time on the court; if Rasheed Wallace doesn’t bark at referees anymore, he’s been fairly productive; Chris Copeland was a boost of energy this past Sunday; Kurt Thomas is still alive, as Seth Rosenthal points out. Amar’e Stoudemire’s return is not too far off either.

Going forward, however, it would be nice to get Camby back and healthy, as he could play a vital role for the team. The Knicks gave him a three-year contract and gave up a number of pieces in the sign-and-trade to acquire him (two backup big men, a backup point guard, and draft picks). Furthermore, the above-listed big men options, excluding Copeland, are all fairly aged themselves (basketball players are not like fine wine or liquors) and might not be dependable as the season wears on. If Camby can recover, he’d be a nice healthy option to have off the bench.

Should the Knicks not find a role for him as the season goes forward, however, it is possible that Camby could be used as trade bait for another team. It’s early, and the thought of a trade is about as unappealing as ever, but there is always a market for backup centers.

In the meantime, it’d just be nice to see Marcus rest up and recover quickly, hopefully with a future role in the rotation waiting for him.

Mar 7, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Kurt Thomas (40) during the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Timberwolves won 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE

So far we’ve seen James White at No. 479 and Pablo Prigioni come in at No. 437. That brings us to Kurt Thomas, who was next on the list at No. 325.

The Knicks acquired Thomas as part of the sign-and-trade that brought point guard Raymond Felton back to the Big Apple.

Thomas, at close to 40-years old, took a big hit in the rankings, dropping 71 spots from a season ago when he clocked in at No. 254.

Despite his age, Thomas can still have some value coming off the bench for the Knicks. He only averaged 3.0 points and 3.5 rebounds last season for the Portland Trail Blazers, but did have decent Per 36 averages of 7.2 and 8.4.

However the Knicks won’t need Thomas to score. he’s a veteran that knows his role and that will be to spell Amar’e Stoudemire and possibly Tyson Chandler. When Thomas is on the floor his job will be to rebound and play defense, something he can still do effectively at his age.

Thomas brings leadership and intangibles to the Knicks, most notably toughness, something the Knicks’ second unit lacked a season ago.

Thomas won’t play major minutes this season for the Knicks, nor would the Knicks want him to, but Thomas could provide a little bit of value throughout the 2013 season.

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Apr 7, 2012; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Raymond Felton (5) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. The Bucks defeated the Trail Blazers 116-94. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Point guard Raymond Felton won’t be the only player this season making his return to the Big Apple as former Knick Kurt Thomas will also be donning a Knicks jersey in 2013 for the second time in his career.

Until we see Felton on the court with the rock in his hands, there will be some questions surrounding Felton that will remain unanswered until then. Will Felton be in shape? Can he perform at a high level in Mike Woodson’s offense? Those are questions that we can speculate on, but we really just don’t know the answers to at this time.

One question that we do know the answer to right now is concerning Felton’s motivation for the 2013 season.

Thomas recently spoke with ESPN’s Ian Begley and had the following to say:

“He’s definitely motivated, he’s definitely excited, he definitely wants to come back to New York,” Thomas, who was dealt from Portland to New York along with Felton in a sign-and-trade. “He’s looking forward to this season.”

Felton will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders this season and be expected to perform at a higher level than the player that averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 assists, and shot only 41 percent from the field for Portland last season. The Knicks are hoping they got the Felton that averaged 17 and nine in 2011 for the Knicks before being dealt to Denver as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade.

In addition, there is the fact that Felton is replacing fan favorite Jeremy Lin, which like it or not, is some added pressure on Felton’s shoulders.

The fact that Thomas says Felton is motivated is great news for the Knicks as a player with a chip on his shoulder can be a dangerous one.

The rest of the questions won’t be answered until Felton actually steps on the court with his new teammates, but the fact that he is motivated and has something to prove is great news to hear, as everything else should just fall into place for the Knicks point guard.

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Yes, teams like the San Antonio Spurs, or Boston Celtics, or Dallas Mavericks in 2011 have relied on their veteran players to carry them home, but Woodson almost seemed to dismiss the importance of youth. For instance, the reigning champions, the Miami Heat, were carried by their Big 3 who, except for Dwyane Wade (30), are below 30-years old. Their Finals opponents, the Oklahoma City Thunder, hardly have rotation players sniffing 30 years of age.

In his Knicks Fix last week, Alan Hahn outlined the average ages of NBA championship teams since 2007, all of which were under 30-years old. With the additions of players like Marcus Camby, Jason Kidd, Kurt Thomas, and Pablo Prigioni, the average of the Knicks’ roster is 31-years old. That’s not to say that they are too old to contend, but their depth is reliant upon some players with a lot of miles on their legs.

The Knicks’ starting lineup is not particularly old – Raymond Felton is 28, J.R. Smith is 26, Carmelo Anthony, 27, Amar’e Stoudemire, 29, and Tyson Chandler, 29 – but their bench depth will rely on the health of some pretty old players. If a member of the Knicks’ starting lineup were to get hurt (especially at point guard or upfront), the Knicks could find themselves in a tight spot playing heavy minutes to some older veterans.

Furthermore, in an NBA that is evolving more and more into a position-less and a more open game, the Knicks’ veteran signings have made them slower and far less versatile with very players on their roster able to play outside of their given roles. Whereas the Miami Heat may very well run out a lineup this year featuring entirely wing players – Wade, LeBron James, Ray Allen, Chris Bosh, and Rashard Lewis – the Knicks may not have the versatility to match-up with such a lineup.

(And of course, it is fair to compare the Knicks with the Heat seeing as how these Knicks were built to take down those Miami foes).

So, have the Knicks gotten too old this offseason? We certainly can’t say definitively until the season gets underway, but they have taken an old-school approach to the game that may turn out to be out-of-date with the new-school NBA.

Adding experience is one thing. Adding aging veterans is another issue altogether.

May 3, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd (2) drives the ball past Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Derek Fisher (37) during the first half of game three in the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

Signing a 38-year old Steve Nash, who is still playing at a high level, was viewed as a risk. Instead the Knicks added a 40-year old Kidd, a 40-year old Kurt Thomas and a 38-year old Marcus Camby. These guys make the Knicks a better team, but they are also guys who have seen their best days in the NBA pass them by.

On paper, the Knicks could be too old to contend for a championship.

If the Knicks lose Jeremy Lin, which is a possibility, only guard Iman Shumpert will be under the age of 25 and he’s out until at least January. That’s a problem.

However, while it would be nice to have some good young athletes to keep up with some of the younger more athletic teams in the NBA, the age of the Knicks shouldn’t be the problem that some are making it out to be.

Only Camby, Kidd, Thomas and Pablo Prigioni right now are over the age of 30 and they won’t be playing major roles on the 2012-13 team. Camby and Thomas make the second unit much tougher to score on and Kidd gives Mike Woodson an outstanding decision maker with the ball.

Looking at the rest of the Knicks: Amar’e Stoudemire is 29, although his body would suggest he is 45. The you have Carmelo Anthony (28), Tyson Chandler (29), Raymond Felton (28), Steve Novak (29), J.R. Smith (26), Shumpert (22), James White (29) and Chris Copeland (28).

Age shouldn’t be a huge issue with this Knicks team.

If I have one problem with this roster, it’s not age, it’s athleticism. But the Knicks should be better in just about every aspect of the game than they were a year ago.

Does that make them title contenders?

I won’t go that far yet, but if this Knicks team doesn’t contend for a championship in 2013, it won’t be because they are too old. It will be because they aren’t good enough to do so.

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Well, there is one clear way to move past all the uncertainty, and that’s by forecasting. At this point in time, I think Knicks fans are split down the middle on the Jeremy Lin situation. Some are willing to move forward without the dynamic point guard, while others still believe matching the offer is the best course of action for the team. Me? Personally, I understand both sides of the story. I’m totally going to remain on the fence. You can convince me to choose a side, but until you do, I’ll let the pundits do what they do best, which is letting their opinions be known

For me, I’m more obsessed with trying to figure out how Mike Woodson is going to play the pieces he does have. Just what will his rotation look like moving forward in 2012-13?

Keep in mind, Iman Shumpert is likely to miss the beginning of the season after having knee surgery during the 2012 Playoffs. So, for the sake of this article, he will start the season on the end of the bench, and we will look at who will be in orange and blue come opening night.

The Starters - 

Point Guard – Jason Kidd – 2011-12 numbers: 6.2ppg, 5.5apg, 4.1rpg, 36.3 FG%, 28.7mpg (with Dallas Mavericks)

Kidd was brought on to be the stabilizing force in the Knicks rotation. He has played with a wide variety of players, and has historically been a winner in his career. Many believe Kidd will find the perfect balance between getting Carmelo Anthony his touches, while re-energizing Amar’e Stoudemire’s game inside. Add in the fact that Kidd is still a sharp-shooter from deep (35.9% from 3 last year), J-Kidd should be able to provide the defense and leadership while playing crunch time minutes for the Knicks.

Shooting Guard – J.R. Smith – 2011-12 numbers: 12.5ppg, 2.4apg, 3.9rpg, 40.7 FG%, 27.6mpg

Smith slides into a starting spot for the Knicks because of the injury that will sideline Shumpert at the beginning of the season. Smith’s going to be destined for the Sixth Man on this team, as he is the perfect Irrational-Confidence-Guy that can come off the bench and score in bunches. He’s a bit of a dead end as far as ball movement goes, but I think a full year with the team and practicing with the regulars, he should be able to find his niche easily.

Small Forward – Carmelo Anthony – 2011-12 numbers: 22.6ppg, 3.6apg, 6.3rpg, 43.0 FG%, 34.1mpg

This may be the make-or-break season for ‘Melo. The Nets are talking a big game in Brooklyn, and he’s already called the contract Jeremy Lin received from Houston “ridiculous”. At times, the media blamed a lot of the Knicks problems last season on Carmelo’s play. This will be his first true full-season in MSG, and he has a lot of proving wrong to do in order to restore the shine on his star.

Power Forward – Amar’e Stoudemire – 2011-12 numbers: 17.5ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.0bpg, 48.3 FG%, 32.8mpg

A lot of people have been critical of Amar’e's play last season. I’ve gone as far to say that if the Knicks still had their amnesty clause, there would have to be some serious consideration about using it on Stoudemire. He seemed worn out by playing D’Antoni minutes in the two season he’s been a Knick, and battled injury after injury last year. The best news for STAT, the Knicks have a lot more depth inside that will spell him minutes he doesn’t need to be on the floor. I’m very eager to see what STAT has to offer next season. He will be the X-Factor for determining how high the Knicks can climb.

Center – Tyson Chandler – 2011-12 numbers: 11.3ppg, 9.9rpg, 1.4bpg, 67.0 FG%, 33.2mpg (2011-12 Defensive Player of the Year)

Chandler was the anchor for the Knicks inside. He led the defensive renaissance the Knicks experienced after Mike D’Antoni was let go. He will be expected to do more of the same on defense next year, but will get more help from the players the Knicks have added this off-season. The team didn’t anticipate the things he did on offense last year, and will likely continue to work under the notion that Chandler is in town for key rebounds, blocked shots, disruption on defense and easy put back slams. Anything more would be, well, unfair.

Sixth Man – Raymond Felton – 2011-12 numbers: 11.4ppg, 6.5apg, 2.5rpg, 40.7 FG%, 31.8mpg (with Portland Trail Blazers)

The big question moving forward post-Lin will be which point guard starts for the Knicks. My guess is Kidd will get the starting assignments, but Felton will play more minutes. Felton can flex to play shooting guard alongside Kidd at times, and will head the second unit at the point. Felton averaged career-best numbers when he was in New York for half a season playing alongside Amar’e before being part of the Carmelo package. I don’t know if Felton will ever reach that high again, but I fully expect him to put up better numbers than he did last season, even if he sees a dip in playing time.

Bench – C Marcus Camby – 2011-12 numbers: 4.9ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.4bpg, 44.6 FG%, 22.9mpg (with Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets)

Camby is going to give the Knicks something they haven’t had in a very long time, a true back-up big. Playing Jared Jeffries off the bench as their main big had put the Knicks at serious disadvantages in critical moments in big games. Having Camby gives the Knicks a huge security blanket if Tyson Chandler gets into foul trouble. While there is still a drop off defensively from Camby to Chandler, it isn’t as evident as it was last year from Chandler to Jeffries. Having a second 7-footer on the team is a huge addition.

Bench – F Steve Novak – 2011-12 numbers: 8.8ppg, 1.9rpg, 47.8 FG%, 47.2 3-pt%, 18.9mpg

Outside of Jeremy Lin, Novak was the biggest surprise the team had last season. He led the league in 3-pt percentage, and hit some critical shots from the corner when the team needed them most. There were games where he was just lights out and would put up 15-20 points off the bench almost exclusively from beyond the arc. He isn’t much of a defender, but has the flexibility to play both the 3 and 4. With players like Landry Fields and Jared Jeffries no longer with the team, Novak is likely to see some more minutes next year and play a bigger role in the offense.

Bench – G James White – 2011-12 numbers: spent the season in Europe

White was called one of the most athletic players in the Euro leagues last year and he will see some minutes early in the season, especially before Shumpert is healthy. We know he’s super athletic, but we’re not certain how his game will translate to the NBA. I don’t think anyone is expecting him to perform like Landry Fields did, or even Bill Walker in spurts last year. But, that’s not what the Knicks need. All they need is a player that provides significant depth to the bench and can hold his own defensively.

Bench – F/C Kurt Thomas – 2011-12 numbers: 3.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 0.6bpg, 46.5 FG%, 15.2mpg (with Portland Trail Blazers)

Thomas is here to stabilize the locker room and serve as a mentor to Amar’e Stoudemire. His role on the team will be seen more off the court than on it, but he is going to be very important to the coaching staff. I’m excited to have him back in town, and he’s another big body the Knicks have in case of injury.

Bench – PG Pablo Prigioni – 2011-12 numbers: played last season in Argentina

Prigioni is, uhm, a very old rookie. The Knicks front office clearly sees value in adding him to the end of the bench, and he is very experienced as far as leading an offense. I’m uncertain what he’s going to provide to the team, but its going to be worth watching.

Injured – G Iman Shumpert – 2011-12 numbers: 9.5ppg, 2.8apg, 3.2rpg, 40.1 FG%, 28.9mpg

Shumpert burst onto the scene towards the end of last season, playing critical end-of-game minutes. He’s proven to be a top class perimeter defender that can hold his own against some of the league’s best. The Knicks desperately needed his presence last year during the playoffs. Once they lost Shump, any hopes of them knocking off the Heat went out the window. He’s a huge part of the Knicks present and future, really the only young, controllable player the Knicks have on roster. He is going to get better the more he plays, and he should be in the starting rotation once he returns to health. How he continues to develop his game will determine a lot about the team.

There are a couple of important events that took place before I found out about the sign-and-trade. The first, the Mets lost. That’s all I’m going to say about it, because I said so. The second, we made a collective decision to go out to the bars after the shows to blow off some steam from work.

That’s what brought me to a bar in Savannah properly named “World of Beer”. Literally, this place has 500+ different types of beer and enough TVs to make your mind melt. The first one, naturally, was showing Mets highlights. Beer me. Next thing I know, I look up and the ESPN feed flashes “Developing Story: Felton to Knicks in sign-and-trade, Lin out”.

Say whaaaaaaaaaat?

The story shows the details of the sign-and-trade. Knicks send F Jared Jeffries and the Dan Gadzuric contract to Portland for Felton and F/C Kurt Thomas.

Say whaaaaaaaaaat?

Felton’s contract is likely going to be a three-year, $9-$10 million dollar contract. Coupling that with Jason Kidd’s similar contract, the Knicks had seemingly priced themselves out of the Jeremy Lin sweepstakes. The same player the team had said they would match an offer sheet of up to “$1 billion” and head coach Mike Woodson called his starting point guard going into the season as recently as Wednesday.

Whoa! I’m the same guy that wrote no more than 10 days ago about how the Knicks were prepared to match Lin’s offer sheet. The team officially received the paperwork from the Rockets, meaning they will have to make a decision by 11:59PM Tuesday. At this point in time, there are a lot of people saying they won’t match, but there is still skepticism among well-informed media members that the Knicks could still match.

Felton could, in theory, play some shooting guard for the Knicks if the team did elect to bring back Lin. But, the team must be concerned with the salary the Rockets slapped on the young point guard. The team is offering him more than $1 million for every start he made last year.

I will say this, though. Props to the Knicks for softening the blow of potentially losing Jeremy Lin with bringing back one of the all-time favorites. Age be damned, I challenge ANY Knicks fan to tell me their not excited to see ol’ reliable, Kurt Thomas, back in the orange and blue. We are much more prepared today than we ever were to finally compete for that 1999 title!

Joking aside, if Kurt Thomas can’t mentor Amar’e Stoudemire, nobody can. He’s the OG of the mid-range jumper. He defines getting the most out of his talent and abilities. He doesn’t have to play one minute on the court for this team to make a difference. The leadership he brings and the wealth of knowledge he has about this league is what is important here. Thomas and Jason Kidd are not only going to play roles on this team on the floor, they’re also going to be an extension of the coaching staff. I have never in my life been so excited for an 11th or 12th man on the roster.

Hard fact: the Knicks aren’t better today than they were yesterday. No player on the market had the type of ceiling and potential that Jeremy Lin brought to the point guard position. Playing at their highest levels, Raymond Felton will be a downgrade from Lin.

However, if the goal is to find a point guard that will better distribute the ball to the stars and shooters, Felton is probably better equipped than Lin. The team will look to get 8-10 assists a night from Felton, and any scoring he provides will be nice, but not anticipated. Felton may fit the puzzle a little better than Lin did, even if its a drop off in talent.

And, we got Kurt Thomas back. We’re so old that this could be fun…right?

April 15, 2012; Sacramento, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Raymond Felton (5) controls the ball against Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas (22) during the first quarter at Power Balance Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

Felton and Thomas, both former Knicks, were acquired for forward Jared Jeffries, center Dan Gadzuric, a 2016 second-round draft pick and the rights to two European players.

Already with Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni at the point, the acquisition of Felton is very interesting as Jeremy Lin signed his offer sheet with the Houston Rockets on Friday night. That has led to rampant speculation that the Knicks will not match the three-year, $25-plus million offer to Lin.

Felton’s deal with the Knicks is for three-years and $10 million and neither he nor Kidd can be traded until December 15.

Felton was not acquired to be a third-point guard, so you can see why there’s the speculation surrounding Lin.

The former North Carolina product played his best basketball during his seven-year career, averaging 17.1 points and 9.0 assists during his 54 games in the Big Apple in 2011, before being included in the Carmelo Anthony trade. But that was in Mike D’Antoni’s offense which was suited great for Felton.

However in the 81 games since then (with Denver and Portland), Felton’s number dropped to 11.4 points and 6.5 assists per game. His field-goal percentage also dropped to 40.7 percent and his three-point percentage to 30.5 percent.

In addition to Felton, the Knicks also landed Thomas, who will fill the role Jeffries had off the bench last season. Thomas will be 40 next season and averaged only 3.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game a season ago (his 17th), playing a a little over 15 minutes per night for the Blazers.

With the addition of Thomas, Camby and Kidd, the Knicks have added 118 years of age to their roster.

In addition, the loss of Landry Fields and possibly Lin means that Iman Shumpert is the only Knicks player projected to be on the roster who is under the age of 25.

Lin’s offer sheet was delivered to the Knicks Saturday, and the team has until 11:59 p.m. ET Tuesday to match Houston’s offer.

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In coming up with these rankings, I took into account time spent in a Knicks uniform, overall production and how well the team performed. For instance a legend such as Patrick Ewing doesn’t make the cut, being that the only season of the 2000′s that Ewing spent in a Knicks uniform was 1999-2000. The same goes for Larry Johnson, as while he had a great run in New York, he only averaged 10.3 points combined in 2000 and 2001.

With that being said, let’s take a look at the Top 10 New York Knicks players of the 2000′s.

May 6, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) reacts on the court against the Miami Heat during the first half of game four in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

Didn’t Make the Cut: Ewing, Johnson, Charlie Ward, Tim Thomas, Nate Robinson, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler

10. Tyson Chandler (2012): Chandler’s only spent one season in the Big Apple, but it was a big one, averaging 11.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Despite only wearing a Knicks uniform during this past season, he makes the list for winning Defensive Player of the Year and for the overall impact he had on a team that made the playoffs.

9. Stephon Marbury (2004-08): Here’s a guy whose name I was hoping to never have to type again as I was not a big Marbury fan, but he did average 17.6 points and 6.9 assists in a Knicks uniform, including a big 2005 season in which he averaged 21.7 points and 8.1 assists. Yet he was never able to prove he was a winning-type of point guard at anytime in his NBA career.

8. Jamal Crawford (2005-09): Crawford started for the Knicks initially and then was reduced to a bench role under Larry Brown, but still put up solid numbers, averaging 18.0 points and 4.4 assists in a Knicks uniform. The Knicks never made the playoff though during Crawford’s run in New York.

7. Marcus Camby (2000-02): Camby went onto greater things during his NBA career, but had a solid stop in New York after he was acquired in 1999. During his three years in the Big Apple this century, Camby averaged 10.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

6. Kurt Thomas (200-05): The Knicks made the playoffs three times since 2000 with Thomas on the roster and he did an admirable job for the Knicks, averaging 11.5 points and 8.1 rebounds. He brought toughness and energy to the Knicks and had a very nice run.

5. David Lee (2006-10): Lee started slowly after being drafted in the second round in the 2005 NBA draft, but turned himself into a very nice player. He averaged 12.6 points and 9.5 rebounds while in New York and made the All-Star team in 2010 when he had his best year as a pro, averaging 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds.

4. Latrell Sprewell (2000-03): Sprewell spent five years in a Knicks uniform, four of them coming after 2000. Despite the controversy that surrounded his career, Sprewell was very good for the Knicks, averaging 14.6 points per game in New York. In addition the Knicks qualified for the postseason three times since 2000 with Sprewell in uniform.

3. Amar’e Stoudemire (2011-12): Stoudemire has spent only two years in the Big Apple and is the main reason the Knicks started to turn things around. He’s averaged 21.4 points and 8.0 rebounds in a Knicks uniform and may be higher on the list if it wasn’t for the injuries and a rough 2012 season.

2. Allan Houston (2000-05): Looking at six of Houston’s nine years in New York, he averaged 18.7 points per game during that time span and it was a shame that his career came to a premature end. New York made the playoffs three times in that span and although they never won a series, Houston remains one of the more popular Knicks in recent memory.

1. Carmelo Anthony (2011-12): Melo is the best pure talent the Knicks have had in uniform since 2000 and while he’s come under criticism, Anthony has averaged 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists in a Knicks uniform. He’s helped the Knicks make the playoffs both seasons since being acquired from the Denver Nuggets and although things haven’t exactly gone as smoothly as Knicks fans may have hoped for, you can’t doubt that Melo is the most talented player to wear a Knicks uniform in a very long time.

Amar'e, already acting like a regular New Yawker, caught a Yankee Game on July 4th. Can he draw other stars here? Or will we end up not even giving him an offer? (Source: Yardbarker.com)

Amar’e Stoudemire, out on the town catching a musical, revealed that he’s already trying to recruit players to join him in New York:

“I’ve talked to Carmelo Anthony that he needs to come out here,” Stoudemire said. “I’ve talked to Tony Parker. Both guys are ready to join me if I decide to come here. So we will see if we can work it out.”

Discussing that possibility, ESPN’s Chris Sheridan wrongly reports:

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