Their roster is aging, their marketable parts are scarce, and without a first-round selection, the New York Knicks treated the June 28 draft the way some middle-aged adults do birthdays:It came and went without being acknowledged.
July 20, 1995
But the Knicks are not finished exploring ways to fortify their team, and help could arrive in a most unconventional way.
The Knicks have a tampering charge pending against the Miami Heat for pursuing former Coach Pat Riley, and if Commissioner David Stern believes the Heat acted wrongfully, the Knicks may be compensated with Miami’s first-round selection in next summer’s draft.
That’s what the Knicks are hoping for. That’s why CEO Dave Checketts expressed angeryou might say he threw a tamper tantrum over the Heat’s public courtship of Riley. That’s why Checketts is aggressively pushing for a harsh penalty, one that could be unprecedented in the NBA.
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Teams have been compensated for releasing coaches or general managers from contracts. It happened most recently in 92, when the Milwaukee Bucks sent the Los Angeles Lakers a pair of second-rounders for signing Mike Dunleavy. But no one can recall when a club was forced to send stiff compensation, such as a first-rounder or starter, as punishment for illegally pursuing someone.
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