16. The Scott Layden Era

Date: 1999-2003
Scott Layden's father is way cooler than him. His father is former Utah Jazz coach Frank Layden who co-hosted the 1989 classic, Dazzling Dunks and Basketball Bloopers with Marv Albert. What relevance does that have? Well, Scott worked for the Jazz before he took the Knicks job during the 1999-2000 season and he tried to bring every bum Utah had while he was there to New York. He acquired Howard Eisley's and Shannon Anderson's hefty contracts in exchange for Glen Rice's and Mugsy Bogues' contracts, which were significantly smaller. This deal set the Knicks back for years to come.

Many blame Layden for drafting Frederic Weis and trading Patrick Ewing, but neither were his fault. Weis was drafted by interim GM Ed Tapscott and Ewing wanted to be traded. What Layden got in return for Pat was his fault. Instead of letting his contract expire, Layden brought in more money, making matters worse. He was responsible for the McDyess trade, drafting Mike Sweetney, and two European players that shall forever remain nameless. With this track record, it's no coincidence the Knicks got significantly worse each year during his reign.