National Basketball Association

New York Knicks: There's A Cloud Hanging Over The Organization

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:41 p.m. ET

Fansided, Maxwell Ogden/FanSided via Daily Knicks

The New York Knicks are attempting to rebuild, but they haven’t yet escaped the cloud that’s hanging over the organization.

The New York Knicks have become the most polarizing organization in the NBA. Whether that’s a recent development or a constant throughout franchise history, it’s the reality that’s facing the Knicks in 2016-17.

Though it’s tough for the fans of the organization to endure this grueling stretch, the players are fighting an even more grueling battle.

New York is 22-33 through 55 games, which only scratches the surface of what’s wrong with the Knicks. The team president is at odds with the franchise player, the owner has banned a Knicks legend from Madison Square Garden, and trade rumors persist.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, franchise player Carmelo Anthony acknowledged the distractions and perfectly summarized the current situation: there’s a cloud hanging over the Knicks.

“What happened is just an accumulation of incident on top of incident on top of everything that’s going on, that’s surrounding the New York Knicks organization right now. It’s just kind of this cloud over us right now that we have to figure out a way to get out of it,” Anthony said. “I think you have to be in it, you have to be going through it, in order to understand it. From the outside looking in, it looks bad. And it’s even worse when you’re getting through it.”

The key to Anthony’s quote: the Knicks are getting through it.

The Knicks were 16-13 and trending upwards less than two months ago. Since losing a heartbreaker to the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day, however, New York has gone just 6-20 in 26 games played.

The story of a vast majority of New York’s losses has been that it falls behind because of its defense and then mounts an unsuccessful comeback.

New York doesn’t know how to play with a lead, which coincides with the losing culture created by the front office.

There are no shortage of individuals who deserve blame for what’s transpired during the 2016-17 NBA regular season. Regardless of whom you believe is the reason for the Knicks’ shortcomings, the undeniable reality is that the organization can’t stop tripping over its own feet.

Until New York learns how to help itself, it will be unable to overcome the issues presented by its opponents.

The question is: will the New York Knicks get through the black cloud before it’s too late?