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Vincent Carchietta/Associated Press
The New York Knicks’ 2020-21 season was a resounding success.
It just may not feel like that after a five-game series loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Before the tumble, though, there were several triumphs. The Knicks secured their first playoff trip since 2013. Julius Randle became their first All-Star since 2018. Tom Thibodeau made a compelling Coach of the Year argument. A team no one predicted to land anywhere near the Eastern Conference’s upper half instead locked up the No. 4 seed with a .569 winning percentage.
Maybe none of that cushions the blow of a first-round exit, but all of it should fuel the franchise for a potentially transformational offseason. The Knicks have the cap space to sign a star or the trade chips to deal for one, and this on-court growth should grant them the attention of the elites.
This could be a monumental summer for the organization. If New York follows this five-step blueprint, it will be.
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Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press
The Knicks should enter this offseason with the idea that no dream is too big.
They have the NBA’s premier market, upward of $70 million in potentially available cap room and enough draft picks and prospects to push any trade package over the top. Equally important, they also have a leadership group that isn’t satisfied off of this year’s success alone.
“The goal posts have been moved,” a source told B/R’s Jake Fischer. “Thibs isn’t going to want to rebuild. He has a lot of power, and there’s some momentum.”
New York should take its star search wherever it desires, regardless how grandiose the ambitions may seem.
If the Los Angeles Clippers do anything other than win a title, the Knicks should put the full-court press on Kawhi Leonard in free agency. They lose nothing if he doesn’t come and enter the championship race if he does.
They’re reportedly ready to pounce if the Portland Trail Blazers decide to talk Damian Lillard trades, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. They’re at the ready in case the Washington Wizards field offers for Bradley Beal, per The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor. Should any disgruntled star surface between now and next season, the Knicks will surely pursue them, too.
They can set an exceptionally high standard and refuse to settle for less. Worst-case, they don’t add a star now, fill their roster with competent place-holders and prepare to attack a deeper pool of free agents in 2022. Best-case, they find a player who permanently changes the team’s trajectory. As long as they aim for the stars and never lower their sights, they’ll find what they want sooner or later.
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Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
The Knicks have had point guard problems for years. Those should be eliminated for good this offseason.
It should be handled externally, too. Even though New York saw some good moments from Derrick Rose and rookie Immanuel Quickley, neither took the position where it needs to be. The Knicks still landed 22nd in offensive rating and 29th in assist percentage.
Those numbers should dictate some type of activity in free agency, where New York can swing as big as it wants.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski mentioned Chris Paul perhaps using the Knicks as a “leverage point” in contract talks with the Phoenix Suns but added New York “also could be a reality,” via Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic. Kyle Lowry and Dennis Schroder are on the Knicks’ radar, per SNY’s Ian Begley. So are Lonzo Ball, per Begley, and Jalen Brunson, per Marc Berman of the New York Post.
In other words, the Knicks have options. Rose, an unrestricted free agent, can be one of them. In the right circumstances, so can restricted free agent Frank Ntilikina.
But New York needs to look outside the organization for some kind of lift. Whether it’s a household name like Paul or an underrated target like Brunson, someone must be brought in to bolster this position and breathe some new life into the offense.
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Elsa/Associated Press
While New York’s heaviest summer lifting will take place outside the organization, there is one major order of business on the home front.
Randle, who deftly played the lead role in the Knicks’ expectation-shattering season, is down to a single, partially guaranteed year on his contract. If the club wants to keep him clear of potential poachers down the line, it can get his signature on an extension now.
Some might hold his rocky postseason against him, but New York should be careful about placing too much stock in what was essentially a rough week. The Knicks went from lacking star power to rostering a 26-year-old All-Star who “would definitely love to be here long term,” per Marc Berman of the New York Post. If they’re planning on doing anything other than giving him the max, they should proceed with caution.
There might be a chance to score some serious savings if Randle is game to a long-term deal, too. The difference between giving him the richest extension possible now or a max contract in 2022 could be in the $100 million range.
Maybe that’s reason enough for Randle to bet on himself, play out the remainder of his pact and hit the open market next year. That’s his call to make. But the Knicks should give him the option of tying his future to theirs.
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Sarah Stier/Associated Press
A roster full of overachievers will always hold a certain appeal with the fan base.
That’s doubly true (at least) when said overachievers snap a playoff drought for such a storied franchise.
It’s hard to think of a better free-agency sales pitch for the likes of Rose, Reggie Bullock, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson than the (deserved) praise they received for helping the Knicks reach the postseason. The attention won’t automatically drive up their pay rates, but it definitely won’t hurt them.
New York could conceivably want all of them back. Depending on how the rest of the offseason goes, it might make sense to keep them. But the Knicks’ decision-makers can’t be swayed by sentimental value. These aren’t break-the-bank kind of stars or no-doubt nucleus members. They are rock-solid vets, which are great to have but not worth a salary splurge.
Years are the real key here, though. Noel (27) and Burks (29) are the only ones under the age of 30. Both have encountered major injury issues in their career, and each shares a position with a member of New York’s young core (Noel with Mitchell Robinson, Burks with RJ Barrett). There isn’t a great long-term investment in this quintet unless the annual salary is really discounted.
The Knicks don’t need to push these players out the door—yes, Elfrid Payton was purposely excluded—but they can’t shower them with cash, either. If they’re going to keep them, they need to pay them for the roles they’ll play going forward, not the ones they filled in this sometimes-magical season.
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Julio Cortez/Associated Press
Coaxing an All-Star season out of Randle was a big win for this coaching staff. Same goes for the growth in Barrett’s game and the instant impact of rookie Immanuel Quickley.
But despite the progress made, it’s hard to say with any certainty there’s a future superstar on this roster. And as long as that’s the case, the Knicks should be searching for that type of talent.
They can (and surely will) seek out an elite or two in free agency or trades. But they should also be on the hunt on draft night, since they have the capital to climb the board or even convert some picks into a win-now contributor.
The Knicks have two picks in the first round (Nos. 19 and 21) and two more in the second (Nos. 32 and 58). They don’t need four rookies on this roster. They could use high-end, high-ceiling youth, especially those with a penchant for point production.
Maybe the draft board will break right and have an impact player or two available when New York comes on the clock. Quickley, after all, was last year’s 25th overall pick, and Robinson went 36th in 2018.
But if not, the Knicks should have the trade chips needed to move up. If they see star potential in a prospect, they shouldn’t shy away from a paying a significant price to go get him.
All stats courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball Reference unless otherwise noted. Salary information via Basketball Insiders.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.
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