Doctors have detected a pulse in the New York Knicks today.  As of 2PM EDT the Knicks have a possible life when the long discussed trade for Tracy McGrady was consummated.

The team has been irrelevant slightly longer than it has been a public embarrassment to both New York and the NBA.  But since the tenure of Knicks GM Donnie Walsh, the goal has been towards July 1, 2010 when the superstar free agent class would be available.  With the understanding that one NBA superstar would not be enough to lift the Knicks from the likes of the undead, Walsh has been pursuing a strategy that would permit the team to sign two of the top players in the league.  That meant clearing salary to allow it as much cap room space as possible.

McGrady himself is a step towards that goal.  If he is healthy, and that is a big if for the often injured player, he can be an elite player.  The Knicks now have the rights for his four month try-out.  If McGrady cannot recapture his former level of play, his salary can be dumped at the end of the season.

The Knicks are trying to become as attractive as possible for LeBron James, and potentially another All-Star player such as Chris Bosh or Dwayne Wade.  To that end Walsh pulled off 3 trades in 24 hours that had the Knicks get rid of center/project Darko Milicic in return for Timberwolve's forward Brian Cardinal, Nate Robinson to the Celtics in return for Eddie House, J. R. Giddens, and Bill Walker, and then unloading today Jordan Hill, Larry Hughes, Jared Jeffiries, and conditional first round selections in the 2011 and 2012 drafts in return for McGrady and point guard Sergio Rodriguez.  The Knicks will look long and hard at Rodriguez as their potential point guard of the future.

Walsh has done what he has initially set out to do, make the Knick's players this summer in the free agent market.  They are being wheeled out of the Emergency Room, will be monitored the rest of the season to see if what, if any parts should come back (only Gallinari and Chandler are expected, with the Knicks losing David Lee should they be able to sign two free agents), and then move into the ICU unit.  Unfortunately Walsh's job is only partially completed.  Now he will have to convince home town hero LeBron James and another player that New York is the place for all their dreams to come true and that he will be able to surround them with the players to do so.

We wish him and the team luck.  For the next 5 months, while they may not win an NBA Championship this year, they are relevant again.