FanPost

Looking back at the Patrick Ewing trade




The year is 2000 and the Knicks were fresh off a loss in the NBA finals to the Spurs. A lot of painful memories were brought up during these times. At the center of it all was Number 33 Patrick Ewing.


"Everybody was talking about how the team was better off without me, so ... " Ewing said, leaving you to finish the thought ( Shawn Powell of ESPN)

Ewing had heard all the rumors and how quick the fans turned on him. Going from the face of the franchise to the scape goat. Ewing had finally had enough and asked Scott Layden for a trade.

Now this isn't the first time a disgruntled star has asked for a trade. Fast forward a few years and Kobe pulled the same trick. Only the lakers didn't trade him. They stood pat and called his bluff.


"If I had it to do all over again," said Ewing. "I wouldn't have requested a trade." ( Shaun Powell of ESPN )


Yet Layden was ready to make a splash as the Knicks new general manger. However the basketball Gods gave the Knicks a second chance after the Pistons pulled out of a trade involving the big man. Allowing the Knicks to keep Ewing and his 18 million expiring contract would have been the smart choice. Letting Ewing finish off his career as a Knick would have given the Franchise instant credibility. While also maintaining cap space to sign let's say Tracy Mcgrady, who was a free agent that year. But then boom

''It became clear that he was looking for a change, and when he requested a trade, we respected his request,'' Layden said in a statement last night. ''It was important in doing so, however, that we had the ability to add value, and with Glen and his All-Star credentials, as well as two veteran big men and draft picks, we believe we have done that.' ( Chris Broussard of the Daily News)


''Glen Rice has had a tremendous career and we are happy to have him,'' Van Gundy said. ''We look forward to Allan, Latrell and Glen forming a very dynamic perimeter" (Chris Broussard of the Daily News)

The Knicks traded one unhappy star for another. Glen Rice had been reportedly unhappy with his role as the 3rd wheel to Shaq and Kobe, even thou he had just won a ring. So why would he be happy coming off the bench for Latrell and Allan? Not to mention the Knicks added a bunch of bench player past there prime (Travis Knight, Luc Longley).

As far as Patrick he wasn't any closer to winning a championship with the Sonics. Having the lakers and Portland to deal with meant early playoff exits. Instead of finishing his career with the orange and blue, and restocking your team for a final run at a chip. You can believe Pat has his share of regrets.

Looking back at it, I should have stayed,’’ Ewing said. "But after 15 years, hearing all the same things, ‘The team is better off without me,’ rumbles in the locker room from teammates that we’re better off without him, you just get sick and tired of it. You hear all the rumblings back then: ‘We need to run and play faster, and we’re better off without him.’ So you know what? Let me go. Go be better off without me. I decided enough is enough and I asked for a trade. Thirteen, 14 years later, I wished I hadn’t done it. I should’ve ended my career there. It’s disappointing I didn’t finish it there" (Marc Berman Daily Post)


As for the Knicks they have never really rebounded from that trade. Going from Sprewell to Murbury to Stoudemire to Anthony as the face of the franchise. None of those players have brought any consistent success. Not like Ewing did. So as MR.33 name has been brought up in our coaching search, let's not forget what lead to his dismissal as well as the Knicks landslide.