During the much better days of the Knicks, when wins weren’t counted by the month, Jeff Van Gundy used to tell a story about leadership, describing how his job was made easier because Patrick Ewing was the hardest worker on the team. And if the best player on the team was working that hard, no one else could ever have an excuse to slack off.
Maybe someday soon, Kryie Irving or Kevin Durant will be that leader and star.
The current Knicks do not have a Patrick Ewing on the roster, having only two players — Lance Thomas and just-acquired DeAndre Jordan — to provide a true experienced veteran presence.