The New York Knicks have been one of the teams in the NBA where people constantly mock them for their struggles in building a team capable of lasting success. The closest they came to being a consistently competitive team was when they still had Carmelo Anthony in the early-2010s. Now, the Knicks have built the foundation of a team that can compete atop the league table in the future.
The Knicks have a lot of talented young players and a possible franchise cornerstone in R.J. Barrett. They resisted the temptation to overpay for Donovan Mitchell in a trade and hold on to their draft capital and assets while also signing Jalen Brunson as their new point guard. A Western Conference Executive has told Marc Berman of the NY Post that the Knicks had a good offseason based on their moves.
“Not giving away the house for Donovan Mitchell has given them a lot of flexibility for the future,’’ the personnel director said. “I wouldn’t give them a 10 for their offseason but I think they now can make future moves and accumulated [draft] assets while adding an impact player at a position they didn’t have. And now Derrick doesn’t have to play starter’s minutes or even 70 games anymore. He’s best in a limited role.’’ (h/t NY Post)
Are The New York Knicks Back To Being A Playoff Team?
The New York Knicks had a great 2020-21 season, as they entered the 2021 Playoffs as a top-4 seed in the East. However, the team wasn’t prepared for the stage and lost to the lower-seeded Atlanta Hawks.
The previous season was a rough one for the Knicks. Julius Randle stopped looking like the All-Star he became in 2021, and Barrett was still developing his game. With inconsistencies through the lineup, the Knicks struggled and couldn’t even make it to the play-in tournament.
Adding Brunson gives them the reliable point guard they desperately needed last season. If Barrett continues progressing and Randle can be a solid secondary or tertiary option, the Knicks will be a team to worry about next season.
