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.

The rumor making the NBA rounds is that the Knicks are in heavy discussions with the Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards in a blockbuster three team trade that will bring the oft-injured All-Star Tracy McGrady to the Knicks.

While the Knicks would give up what is essentialy driftwood in the likes of Eddie Curry, Al Harrington, Jared Jeffries, Larry Hughes in some combination, is this a good move or more of the same from ghosts of Knick GM's (Isiah Thomas) past?  GM Donnie Walsh has stated that if he were to pull off the trade, he would look at McGrady as a long term investment (his contract expires this season) and not in a short term spurt for this year's play-offs.

Either way, adding McGrady can be no worse if it allows the dumping of other bad contracts and the Knicks are able to eject him if his surgery-repaired knees and back don't work out.  And the likes of McGrady may be more attractive to prospective free agents than Curry or Harrington.

Yesterday began with the rumor from the NY Daily News that Univ. of Louisville coach Rick Pitino is quitely seeking an audience with the incoming owner of the New Jersey (soon to be Brooklyn) Nets in order to seek the head coaching position.  He quickly denied all rumors after his Lousiville squad was trounced at Madision Square Garden by the St. John's Red Storm.

So once that was dismissed, then comes the statement in the media that the Nets top wish would be for 63 year old Duke Head Coach Kryzewski to take over the woeful team.  Let's be real.  If he turned the Los Angeles Lakers, why go to the 4 - 48 Nets?  There is no truth to this what-so-ever.  Under any circumstances, including if LeBron signs with the Nets.

Head Coach Jim Calhoun returned today to the practice court of Univ. of Connecticutt, and none to soon.  With his leave of absence due to health issues, Associate Coach George Blaney led the perrenial powerhouse out of the Top 25 with a record of 3-4.  Perhaps of greater question is if Uconn will make it to the big dance this March.

And while those are questions for today, the greater question hanging over the Uconn program is how much longer Calhoun will patrol the sidelines.  Even though he has signed a new contract, we have seen the consequences of when an aging head coach with health issues (Arizona's Lute Olsen) holds up the transistion to another coach due to their own desire to stay on.  Don't be too surprised if Uconn is under the direction of a new head coach after this NCAA season is over.

So the NBA decided this past week to suspend wild west imitators Gilbert Arenas and Jarvaris Crtittenton of the Washington Wizards for the remainder of the 2009-2010 season.  What else were they to do?  A number of years ago the NBA was viewed as a league with an image problem due to the manner its players dressed, that it portrayed its spoiled millionaires as thugs.  Now they are making like Scarface carrying weapons into lockerrooms.

The NBA is correct in its decision.  If any of these players were working at the local 7-11, they would be out of a job, not just suspended.  And it isn't NASCAR where if you want to have a fight you go over to the pit crew area of your opponent and throw down (and lets be honest, the only reason anyone watches is for the crashes).  But the possibility of having a weapon drawn on a court in response to a call not liked is too high a price to pay for the NRA.  Truth is, that is unfortunately a likely occurance in the inner-city with some money on the line.  The NBA players are already compensated.

The moment the players confirm in the eyes of the public that the players (even though its some, a few, even one) is an undeservingly paid millionaire, ticket sales will drop and tv packages not subscribed to.  And wait, then there will be converstaions like: "It used to be I couldn't afford an NBA ticket, now I need to bring a handgun to protect myself in the stands incase a player goes off his rocker".

On Sunday the Knicks gave their fans a game to remember.  Perhaps they were trying to assist their NFL brethren NY Jets by drawing attention away from their failed bid in attaining the Super Bowl by trying to capture the back page of the local tabloids.

By losing to the Dallas Mavericks 128 - 78, the Knicks set an all-time record of 50 point loss at Madision Square Garden.  Is this a sign that D'Antoni was turning things around in NY?  Aren't these Knicks in the thick of a playoff hunt?  And aren't records made to be broken?  This is one record that they may not want to touch.

The University of Connecticutt's Head Basketball Coach, Jim Calhoun, has taken an indefinte leave of absence for medical reasons.  This is not the first time the 67 year old Calhoun has taken medical leave.  He has battled cancer on three separate occasions.  This recent leave is being attributed to high blood pressure and stress.  The school has not given any further details.  George Blaney will take over for the Hall of Fame coach until he returns to the sidelines.