The huge question mark hovering over the Knicks as they prepare for what they hope will be a transformative summer is whether James Dolan will keep the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving from coming to New York.
He did, after all, ban a fan from the Garden in March because the fan yelled "Sell the team!" at Dolan, something the owner claims was a premeditated stunt. And the Knicks have been one of the worst teams in the NBA over the last 20 years.
For what it's worth, former NBA comissioner David Stern doesn't think top free agents will steer clear of the Knicks because of Dolan.
"I wish he had a longer fuse when it comes to the fans," Stern told the New York Times. "There are some overreactions, but it will have nothing to do with free agency or how the team is run. That all falls on Steve Mills and Scott Perry. Him having a short fuse at times will have zero bearing on player signings."
That's one man's opinion. On the other hand, shortly after the fan incident in March, a longtime NBA executive told Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix that "(Dolan) is and always will be the reason they don't get free agents."
There's no question that Dolan is erratic, to say the least. He has said in recent years, though, that he doesn't meddle in basketball decisions like he used to.
"I keep him informed, but he does not get involved in what we do," Knicks president Steve Mills told the Times.
One thing that people shouldn't doubt about Dolan, according to Stern, is his desire to win.
"Jim has been on a crusade to get the best basketball people around him," Stern said. "That's what he thought he had with Phil (Jackson) and Isiah (Thomas) and Donnie (Walsh,) and what he thinks he has now with Steve and Scott (Perry.)"