Knicks fans don’t want James Dolan

Earlier this week, former New York Knicks player, Chris Copeland, announced his support for Knicks owner James Dolan. Copeland’s comments came after a fan was banned from Madison Square Garden for wearing a “ban Dolan” shirt. Suffices to say, the fans are not happy with the Knicks owner, and have next to no faith in the Knicks ownership. In fact, many would probably be happier if Dolan sold the team all together. If he does keep the team and wants to garnish support, Dolan will have to change some things.

Dolan isn’t the cream of the crop.

The thing is, no one except for Chris Copeland thinks much of Dolan as an owner. LeBron James, who is receiving his own slack right now, has been verbal of his disapproval of the Knicks owner in the past. A multitude of fans have named Dolan as the reason why the team has faltered in recent years. Moreover, he has done next to nothing to amend his reputation. That was, of course, until he combined the forces of Steve Mills and Scott Perry. The new look front office provided a flicker of hope that is burning fast. The team has to pull of a series of miracles to restore total faith in the organization.

Big city, big expectations.

By the summer of 2019, fans will put a lot of expectations on the Knicks as an organization. First and foremost, the team is highly expected to get Zion Williamson through the draft. The dynamic Duke player has been slated to go as the number one overall pick, being the highest drafted pick the Knicks have had in a number of years. The size, speed, and strength of Williamson has garnished comparisons with LeBron James, keeping Knicks fans on their toes every time he delivers another highlight play. However, simply drafting Williamson isn’t enough.

By trading away Porzingis, the front office did all but promise that they would be targeting two free agents in the summer. The demand has been for Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors, and Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics. A plethora of speculation has placed the pair at the top of New York fans’ wish list. Additionally, getting both along with Zion Williamson may be the only saving grace that James Dolan has. However, there is one last requirement that fans will expect.

The Knicks need to win. Point blank, that is all that matters at the end of the day. Fans want to see their team in the playoffs, which would be a nice change of pace. More so, though, fans want bragging rights. They want to see a banner hung in their home arena that reads, “Champion.” Fans want to see the owner of their team be engaged and they want to faith in the process. The surest way to reignite that faith is to win. That is what fans want to see the Knicks do in the long run. That is what James Dolan has to deliver.

In Conclusion

The reality of the matter is that the Knicks are no longer New York’s team, at least as far as support is concerned. Once again, they are out of the playoffs. Without a star, interest in the team is at an alarming low. New York needs a turnaround of a magnitude that only a good owner can provide. No one is convinced right now that James Dolan is even a decent owner, let alone a good one. However, if his front office can get these deals done, there may be hope for him yet.