Should the New York Knicks extend Julius Randle? Which playmakers should the Knicks sign in the offseason? Is Chris Paul, Lonzo Ball, or Kyle Lowry realistic targets to bring in next season?
We all need to settle down.
It’s been less than 24 hours since the Knicks ended their season with a 103-89 loss to the Atlanta Hawks and the Knicks fanbase is thinking about next year. Instead of taking a minute to appreciate the team’s best season since 2013, fans are trying to make fake trades and free-agent signings without any regard for the rules of the salary cap.
I’m not here to shit on the dreams of unrealistic fans just yet. New Yorkers are happy about a promising season so they’re ready to create a better Knicks team. I’m guilty of looking ahead to next year, too.
Fans can look ahead and plan for the future right now because our decisions don’t affect the team. However, the organization needs to take a different approach in the next couple of months.
The Knicks front office must show patience this offseason.
The culture is in place thanks to Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau. A team that plays good defense and plays hard every night has been established. Now, it’s time to take upgrade the roster with playmakers and stars.
The Knicks can’t run it back with the same group of guys. That doesn’t mean they should let veterans like Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson enter free agency. But the lack of talent throughout the Hawks series was alarming, and the Knicks need stars to win in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, this won’t happen overnight. Kawhi Leonard and Chris Paul are legitimate stars that would improve the Knicks significantly. However, does Kawhi want to come to the East Coast after buying his third house in California? CP3 has the connection to Leon Rose, but why would he leave the Suns if they offer him the 3 year, 100 million contract he’s seeking?
If the Knicks strike out on Kawhi and Paul, which will probably happen, the worst thing New York could do is to panic and spend their 60 million in cap space on good, not great, players.
Dennis Schröder would be an upgrade at the point guard position, but is it worth paying him close to 90 million over four years?
Probably not.
DeMar DeRozan is an above average scorer. On a short term deal, DeRozan is a viable option. However, should the Knicks give a longterm contract to a guy that shoots 25% from behind the arc?
Probably not.
Lonzo Ball would start for the Knicks immediately. Ball improved his shooting from three and provides court vision that the Knicks haven’t had at point guard in over a decade. But, the price is probably going to be around 100 million over four years. Is it worth it?
Maybe.
Making the big splash in free agency might not happen this offseason, and that’s OK. The aforementioned cap space to go along with two first round picks (19 and 21) signify the Knicks are headed in the right direction. The team has the flexibility to improve in the backcourt and acquire more shooters.
In today’s NBA, stars get unhappy all the time. Just ask Kyrie Irving, who told the Boston media he would re-sign with the Celtics only to bolt for the Nets months later.
It’s only a matter of time before the best player in a lousy franchise grows tired of his situation and wants out. Bradley Beal, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Brandon Ingram could all be in potential trade discussions this summer. To a lesser degree, Collin Sexton and Buddy Hield would be fix a good amount of the Knicks’ problems.
Then, there’s always the dream scenarios where fans will photoshop players into Knicks’ jerseys. The prime target for the dream scenario would be Damian Lillard. We should all probably keep dreaming because it’s unlikely to happen, but it’s important to remember that situations constantly change.
The Knicks will need to acquire multiple superstars to compete for a championship. It may not happen this summer, but be patient. If the Knicks continue to rebuild and improve, it’s only a matter of time before a star forces his way to New York.
What should the Knicks do this offseason? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or tweet me, @danny_giro.
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