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The 2021-22 NBA season felt like an eternity for the New York Knicks.
A campaign that opened with much promise—keyed both by last season’s playoff trip and a 5-1 start—quickly devolved into a mess of middling defense, borderline unwatchable offense and a roster that more or less regressed in every key area.
The 2022 offseason, then, feels like something of a relief, even as New York heads into it without the benefit of cap space. However, the Knicks do have a lottery pick, a slew of future draft selections and a chunk of budget-friendly contracts, so they could be big players in the trade market if that’s the route they pursue.
On the free-agent front, though, there is always the possibility of a sign-and-trade, and New York has access to both the $10.3 million mid-level and $4.1 million biannual exceptions, so it can add players of consequence.
The following three hoopers-for-hire might wind up topping the wishlist.
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If the Knicks do nothing else this offseason, they need to finally fix their point guard position.
Jalen Brunson, son of former ‘Bocker Rick Brunson, looks like the best semi-realistic option. The qualifier is needed because New York can’t get him without a sign-and-trade, and he could have a fairly robust market.
Still, if the Knicks can make this happen, he could be the floor general they have long coveted. It takes a bit of projecting to completely paint him in that light, but his arrow is pointing up. He set multiple career marks this season (including 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per game) and then upped the ante with a 41-point, eight-rebound, five-assist outburst in the Dallas Mavericks’ second playoff game.
New York has talent on the roster—it just needs the right playmaker to bring it all together. If the Knicks think Brunson can be that conductor, they may want to start free agency by putting all of their eggs in that basket.
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Even if the Knicks take a Brunson-or-bust mentality into free agency, they need to be ready to pivot to Plan B options if needed.
Enter Tyus Jones.
No, he doesn’t pack the same scoring punch—he reached 20 points three times this season and topped out at 27—but New York doesn’t necessarily need that from a lead guard. Not if Julius Randle can recapture the magic of his 2020-21 All-Star emergence and/or RJ Barrett continues climbing toward his towering ceiling.
What the Knicks are missing is a ball-mover. Randle paced the club with just 5.1 assists this season. Only 58.1 percent of New York’s baskets were assisted, the seventh-lowest percentage in the league, per NBA.com.
Jones could start scratching that itch on opening night. This was his fourth consecutive season averaging better than seven assists per 36 minutes, and he has coughed up just 1.3 turnovers per 36 minutes during the same stretch, per Basketball Reference. Tack on tenacious defense and an improving outside shot (career-high 39 percent), and he could be quite the consolation prize if the Knicks can’t get Brunson.
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Mitchell Robinson, who turned 24 in April, just engineered his best season to date. He stayed healthy for one, posting career highs of 72 appearances and 62 starts, and was hyperactive on the interior, shooting a personal-best 76.1 percent, while snagging 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 25.7 minutes a night.
Normally, an ascending player at this age would be a no-brainer keeper for a lottery team. But as with most things Knicks, it’s complicated.
Because New York picked up his $1.8 million team option for this season, he’s an unrestricted free agent this summer. That gives the Knicks no control over this situation, and Robinson’s breakout could push his price tag north of their comfort range. They can give him a four-year, $58 million extension between now and June 30, but if he doesn’t think that’s enough, this could get uncomfortable in a hurry.
Robinson has encountered injury issues in the past, and his offensive range doesn’t reach beyond the restricted area. He’s also a dynamic player around the rim, whether he’s crushing lob passes or racking up rejections at the other end.
He looks like someone the Knicks should keep around, but only if the price is right.
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