The Knicks offseason so far.

Exactly 12 days until the calendar turns to August, and a mere two months before basketball is in full swing, the Knicks, especially President Phil Jackson, have been busy. A lot has happened, and possibly yet to happen. Here's a look as to where we stand on July 20th:

As Phil Jackson let the 2013-2014 season play out without any changes, many began drafting up their version of the Knicks' overall "to do list" in the offseason. As it played out, the Knicks fell one game short of the final playoff spot in a spotty Eastern Conference to the Atlanta Hawks. Mere weeks after Jackson's hiring, he would be faced with his first decision: keep head coach Mike Woodson?


Head Coach: First up on Jackson's wish list was former Bull Steve Kerr. Convincing Kerr to leave TNT's broadcast booth to coach a 37 win team seemed like an uphill challenge from the beginning. Jackson, Kerr's former head coach, did everything he could to pry his "pupil" away and join the Knicks sideline. In a sudden twist of events, Kerr decided to stay close to his family and take the Golden State Warriors head coaching vacancy, claiming the team was better suited for success than the Knicks were. One thing we quickly learned was that is Jackson misses on his first choice, he will make a splash on his second. A mere days removed from playing postseason basketball with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, another of Jackson's former players, decided to take the offer and become the Knick Head Coach. Fisher, a five time champion himself, will be instrumental in teaching the triangle offense Jackson covets. Derek quickly began hand-picking his coaching staff, adding former head coach Kurt Rambis to the sidelines.

Felton/Chandler: Poor play and chemistry issues berated the entire Knicks locker room last season, but perhaps Chandler and Felton were the biggest problem. At least Phil Jackson believed so. Considered a steal by many, Phil dealt the oft-injured big man Tyson Chandler, and the aging Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks for Jose Calderson, Samuel Dalambert, Shane Larkin, and Wayne Ellington. While not the biggest blockbuster trade of all time, Jackson was able to turn two aging veterans into valuable assets. Larkin will run the point, while Dalambert will fill the void left by Chanlder. What the Knicks decide to do with Lakrin and Ellington remains up for debate, but what isn't up for debate is the overall upgrade to the Knick lineup made seemingly overnight by President Jackson.

Re-Sign Carmelo: Melo-drama Part 2, as some are calling it, began in training camp before the 2013-2014 season even got under way. Carmelo Anthony told the media he would be opting out of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent. All season long, especially as the team around him struggled, many believed Anthony would bolt for a team ready to contend. All along, the Knicks felt that Carmelo would resign with them. After all, the Knicks were able to offer $30 million more than any other team could. In the end, after meeting with a flurry of other teams, Anthony agreed to remain in the orange and blue, and follow Phil Jackson's vision for a future filled with cap room, young stars, and promise.

In recent news, ESPN is reporting that the Knicks are open to dealing guards J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, and Shane Larkin in order to free up the "log-jam" at the off-guard position. The only untouchable is reported to be Tim Hardaway jr.

Including Carmelo Anthony, what is the Knicks starting lineup?

New Knicks coach Derek Fisher is being asked a variety of questions as he begins his first coaching assignment in Las Vegas for the Knicks Summer team. Will Carmelo Anthony stay? Who will your assistant coaches be? Will the triangle offense be implemented? Many questions will begin to answer themselves. According to recent reports, Carmelo Anthony will indeed be returning--with an announcement expected by Thursday evening. Assistant coaches such as Kurt Rambis and Rasheed Hazzard have signed on behind Fisher. Recent reports from Las Vegas suggest that Derek Fisher is already running the triangle offense with his staff in preparation for the regular season. 

A question that has not been asked much, perhaps not until Carmelo's signing is official, is what the Knicks starting five will look like on opening night? This is a question Derek Fisher himself may not know.  Does Amar'e start if he's still on the team? The same can be asked about JR Smith, Shumpert, Hardaway, Dalambert, and Bargani. Phil Jackson is sure to have a say in this, if not because he's being paid a boat load to make sure this franchise reaches the playoffs at the VERY least. 

A lot will depend on the rest of the offseason, injuries, training camps, preseason, and so forth. It's not too premature to think about it though, or to ask the coach himself. The Knicks goal is to be in the upper tier of the Eastern Conference of course, among the Heat(with LeBron), Cavs (with LeBron) Pacers, Bulls, and Nets. 

The Knicks have a chance to run out a formidable starting five most likely comprised of Calderon, Shumpert, Melo, Stat, and Dalembert. In my opinion, this it the Knicks' best starting five. In a perfect world, the Knicks can move Amar'e or Bargani and acquire Pau Gasol via free agency. Who knows, maybe this will happen. Not likely though, so bet your best money that the Knicks starting five will look something similar to above. 

Melo Drama Part 2: 2014

It's Summer 2014, three and a half years later, but it feels like 2011 all over again. Back then, Carmelo was playing for the Denver Nuggets, a team not even on his 2014 free agent radar.

After seven and a half years dawning the light blue and yellow, Carmelo forced himself back to where he was born: New York City. The Knicks were his preferred destination, and along side new Knick star Amar'e Staudemire was where Carmelo wanted to be.

Fast forward to the present, and Carmelo's "first" Knicks contract has come to a close. One division crown and three playoff appearances later, Carmelo is once again in the driver's seat in terms of his future. The Knicks President, Phil Jackson, has made it perfectly clear that if what Carmelo wants is max money, he'll get it. The Knicks can offer Carmelo Anthony a max of 5 years/$129 million. Everyone else: 4 years, $96 million, if they can even afford that.

Carmelo's summer tour recently came to an end after making stops in Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Knicks brass, including newly named head coach, Derek Fisher, flew to the City of Angels to speak with their former superstar. By the end of the meeting, it was reported that Carmelo was offered a max contract from New York.

Carmelo has spoken time and time again about winning now. The Knicks, currently constituted, are nothing better than a mid-level seed in a rather weak Eastern Conference. But, if Carmelo stays patient, he and Phil Jackson can put their recruiting powers to the test in the summer of 2015--when Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo, and Marc Gasol are all free agent.s

Anthony is expected to make his decision this week.