One of the biggest disasters in all of sports in recent history, the Knicks have to prove that their massive roster can win games or face a not-so-great future. With most of his money locked up with selfish men, new head coach Isiah Thomas will have his hands full trying to live up to the expectations of New York fans.

The Knicks’ most talented player is point guard Stephon Marbury. The problem with Marbury is that he is often too selfish to be a point guard and often ends up losing teams due to his attitude. It’s hard to imagine the Knicks succeeding if Isiah can’t get Marbury to start playing team basketball. Behind Marbury is the young and short Nate Robinson. Nate is a good option off the bench and can score points, but his size makes him a serious defensive problem.

In both positions are Jamal Crawford and Steve Francis. Both players are selfish, very talented first throwers. Both players also have to find ways to be more effective in scoring. Expect the two to share time unless one of them emerges as a reliable in-and-out option.

The forward positions are occupied by Jared Jeffries, Quentin Richardson, David Lee and Channing Frye. Of the four, Frye has the brightest future as a Knick. Channing had a breakout season as a rookie, averaging 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and should add to those numbers with one year under his belt. Jeffries was acquired from the Wizards and the Knicks hope he will bring toughness and defense to a team without either.

Finally, in the center position is Eddy Curry, who was once mentioned as a possible second coming for Shaq. Curry isn’t one of the brightest players in the league, but he should be able to score enough in the paint to help the Knicks stay even. At this point, the Knicks are pretty sure to regret trading their picks for him.

The 2006 Knicks aren’t much different than the 2005 Knicks, but a new coach, who’s training for his job, and perhaps desperation could help them score more wins. It’s hard to see the playoffs for a team with as much selfishness as this, but they certainly have the talent to do it if they find a way to play together.