July 24th, 2003, a day that will be hard to forget by Knicks fans. In attempt to make a younger team, Scott Layden, the Knicks GM traded fan's favorite Latrell Sprewell for the more softer Keith van Horn, in a blockbuster trade that involved New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Minnesota. The ideea of this trade was planned since february when the New York Post published an article about a possible trade in which the two players could be invlolved.

On june 27th, the NBA Draft of the 2003, was held as usual at Madisson Square Garden, New York. For the New York Knicks was a good night, that bringed them, the citizens of New York, and the fans all over the world, 3 valuable new talents: Mike Sweetney, Maciej Lampe and Slavko Vranes. The Knicks had the 9th pick, after a regular season in which they lost 45 from a total of 82 games. Could these players help the NY Knicks make the 2004 playoffs, or at least finish with a positive percentage? Well, that's not our call, we'll just have to wait and see.