Most of the news surrounding the Knicks revolves around speculating whether or not Phil Jackson is willing to trade in his yoga mat overlooking the farmlands of Montana for a clipboard on the sidelines of the world's most famous arena. Meanwhile, Mike D'Antoni (the Knicks' actual coach) continues to search for a "special defensive assistant," while Amare, 'Melo, and Chauncey try to fill their time productively. So what exactly are the Knicks' version of the BIG 3 doing to occupy themselves during the lockout? Great question! Here's the answer.
- Agreed to appear on the new season of "Sesame Street"
- Inaguarated a new sports facility in Luquillo, Puerto Rico
- Working on he and his wife's new reality show called "La La's Full Court Life"which debuts August 22 on Vh1
- Will be involved in the Arthur Ashe Kid's Day at the US Open on August 27
- Went to China for the "Jordan Flight Tour"
- Ponders whether or not to play overseas
Amare Stoudemire
- Deciding whether or not to play in China, Turkey, Israel, or Spain
- Organizing a Knicks team training camp in Southern California
- Has been medically cleared to participate in basketball-related activities for the first time since injurying his back in the playoffs
- Prepares for the Nike Tour in China on August 17
- Signed a deal with Scholastic to begin writing children's books based on his life
Chauncey Billups
- Has been medically cleared to participate in basketball-related activities for the first time since injurying his knee in the playoffs
- Received the Mannie Jackson Human Spirit Award at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
'Melo, Amare, and Chauncey have been keeping busy thus far during the early stages of the NBA lockout, but it's only a matter of time before the players get just as restless as all of us fans. Overseas clubs will continue to throw money in the faces of NBA stars like the Knicks' Big 3 and eventually more and more players will cave into their offers. Hopefully, for the Knicks' sake, that doesn't happen and the lockout is resolved before the start of the season. Unfortunately, the immediate future of the NBA is bleak, to say the least, and negotiations are trending more and more towards a repeat of 1998.