so you had this press conference today you had the other one with the fans the
other day what was the hardest question you were asked of all the questions that
you were asked? I think that one fan asked me the question is why should we
believe you guys this time? we've heard a lot of things from you in the past
organizations why should we believe you? what's the answer? the answer was that he
has a right to be skeptical and judge us by what we do and we're gonna lay out a
plan we're gonna stay true to it but judge us but if we do is do the things
that we say we're gonna do but you have a right to be skeptical? Scott let's talk
about the roster I think we're all in agreement that right now the 3-point
shot is the hot thing in the NBA who's gonna shoot threes on this team and make them?
we hope a number of these guys you know I think Tim Hardaway
coming back as a guy who's very capable from that range you know we brought in
mario hezonja as a free agent who has that ability our draft pick Kevin Knox
we think will develop into that type of shooter I think this summer a number of
our guys have worked to get better in that area
you know our guards you know Burke and mudiay and Ntilikina Courtney Lee is a
guy obviously who had a career year shooting the three-ball last year so we
think we've got some people in place they can make them and I know that is a
big focal point of Coach Fizdale and his staff he spent a lot of time this summer
working with guys developing that shot with a number of our players so we
hopefully it's gonna manifest itself in games this year.
Steve, Fizdale sounds great I mean he really does sound great but you hired
him knowing a little bit now you've spent a little bit more time with him
what have you learned that you didn't even know when you hired him that's
impressed you? you know just how committed he is to
players and how committed he is to bringing them together even the little
things like bringing our guys together for for a movie premiere and for it to
show a movie that hasn't been released yet and bringing the director in to talk
to our team about the movie. wanting to include their friends and
family involved in things. just the inclusiveness surprised me and and it's
been it's been a pleasant surprise. okay close game fourth-quarter who's bringing
the ball up the court? I'm gonna let coach Fizdale answer that one.
no look we know we we like our guards
Burke, Mudia, Ntilikina and those guys have the ability to handle the
basketball. we foresee them growing into a role like that and then again I think
David's plan is to develop a young guy like Kevin Knox to become a guy like
that in time. so we'll see how how it all manifests itself. okay you're maybe not
as old as I am but we're not that generation of these guys who were
19, 20, 21 years old Emmanuel mudiay comes into the NBA Great
Expectations doesn't really work out now this is who knows maybe a last chance
what kind of things do you say to him to get that light to go on?
to use him as an example, I've been in this league a long time and I've seen a number of
players get off to Rocky starts for a number of reasons. it may not have been a
great fit for where he was at before the young person wasn't ready or mature
enough to to accept the responsibility of his draft position or where he's at
and I think what we tell him and all the guys that in the situation, Trey Burke
was obviously in that situation before you know hezonja is coming in and
similar as is Noah Vonleh, this is a chance to reboot yourself this is a
chance to show people what you really can do in this league so I think
Emmanuel the great thing for him what he's done this summer he's really
gotten himself until elite shape and that was our challenge to him when we
first bought him and he had he wasn't in the type of shape he needed to be in
he's dropped I think about 15 pounds so his confidence is coming around
and I think that's the big things for those guys to regain their confidence
because there was a reason why they were drafted high and because they had they
had Shown a lot of talent now it's manifesting itself
that we'd have to manifest itself in games and hopefully that's going to occur.
Scott says it to us all the time one of our key jobs is to pour confidence into
these kids and have them know that we believe in them. Emmanuel is a
good example you know we we interviewed Emmanuel as part of our draft process
and he and I sort of kicked it off and just stayed in touch with each other
over his years and so when he came here he knows that I'm somebody that
believes in him and our job is to help make him feel that way and we'll figure
out a way to get the best out of him. Steve I loved what you said about
everybody's part of the player development here the secretary the
trainer the bus driver how do you get that across to those people?
we live it every day Scott and I and and David and Craig Robinson we talk about
it constantly we have player development meetings that
we include everybody that works in the building to talk about our players
what's going on with them off the court what's going on with them on the court
we make sure everybody feels included they feel part of how we're trying to
build this organization and they their job is to help us get the best out of
these players so then they enjoy it because they feel included it's easy to
if you're not somebody that's dealing with players on the court when you build
an organization it's it's easy for them to feel disconnected from the process
and when they're included they feel part of as which as we get better and we
start winning games they feel like they had something to do with it.
Sounds exciting thanks guys. thank you Al. Scott Perry and Steve Mills of the New York Knicks