Knicks coach Mike Woodson likes to use Carmelo Anthony as his power forward. We learned that much last year.
So it should be safe to assume that Metta World Peace will be the Knicks’ starter at small forward, correct?
Well, it’s never that easy with Woodson, who never settled on a set rotation throughout last season — even in the Knicks’ final game of the playoffs when Amar’e Stoudemire and Jason Kidd spent the final 24 minutes watching from the bench.
Woodson has a logjam at the 4 spot, with no set role as of this point for either Stoudemire or Andrea Bargnani. The best guess is that one of them is going to be the 7th man and one will be the 8th man — although that might force Bargnani to play out of position at small forward, where he would be even more of a defensive liability than he already is.
And then there is the question of J.R. Smith, who may not be recovered from his knee surgery in time for the start of the season. Will Tim Hardaway Jr. start the season as the Knicks’ Sixth Man?
Also, how does New York’s signing of World Peace compare to the offseason moves made by the Brooklyn Nets?
My answers come in this interview conducted this morning with Rodger Wyland on Fox Sports 980 in Albany, NY.