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Like others, Lee wonders what would have happened had the Knicks valued him as a budding star, had they valued the young members of the 2008-09 cast instead of dismantling a club that got off to the Knicks’ first winning start in ages with a 6-3 start. The club was 6-5 when the axe dropped on Nov. 21 and Crawford, Randolph and Tim Thomas were shipped.
For all their myriad maneuverings since 2008, the Knicks have captured one playoff series. As they enter 2013-14 with a revised 14-man roster, it could be the final season before starting all over again — if Carmelo Anthony bolts. The Knicks are considered in many circles no better than the fifth-best team in the East, which could mean another first-round exit.
“It is interesting to look back, to see if we went another way in the win column if they kept guys together,” Lee said. “I look back at my career here and there’s nothing but positive memories. It was a little bit out of my control, the winning and losing. The first couple of years, I was a backup guy, then when I was captain of the team the last couple of years, we started breaking down the team.
“I don’t want to say I was underappreciated,” Lee added. “The Knicks took a chance, and part of getting Amar’e was to use it as bridge to get a guy like LeBron and Carmelo. They got that done. Amare’s a heckuva player. It’s unfortunate what’s happened with some of his injuries. Hopefully he gets healthy because I know how much he loves the game and loves being in New York.”
Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post
