The New York Knicks did not end up winning the NBA championship, but overall, their season has been more successful than in years past. They have the reigning COTY in Coach Thibodeau. Julius Randle’s improvement this season has led the team to the playoffs while netting him the 2020-21 Most Improved award. However, it was clear that the New York Knicks were outclassed by the Atlanta Hawks in their matchup, and the Knicks were unceremoniously sent home.
During free agency, the New York Knicks elected continuity with the current core. Some key free agents were retained, including Derrick Rose and Alec Burks. They also added Celtics shooting guard Evan Fournier to their squad. However, there was no real splash for the New York Knicks in free agency, and they didn’t manage to get an All-Star caliber player to pair with Julius Randle for next season.
Knicks legend Earl Monroe suggested that he would have liked if the New York Knicks made some different moves in free agency, and suggested that the team was basically the same team as last season.
“They’re pretty much the same team as they were last year.”
@RealEarlMonroe tells @talkhoops and @DarthAmin why he was hoping for different moves from the Knicks in free agency.#NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/RFUOhojdTK
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) August 7, 2021
It’s going to be a little harder struggle this year… Teams are going to be ready for them this year. That struggle is going to be a lot different than it was last year… They are pretty much the same team that they were last year. With a couple of better shooters. Fournier, he came into Boston, he didn’t really have a good season with Boston, of course he was sick when he came in… I don’t know how much that’s going to help them now… I was hoping that they would go out and get somebody else that would somewhat make a stamp on the game when they came into the game.
While the New York Knicks didn’t get a star in free agency, it is possible that some of their younger players take an offensive jump, and help the team with their scoring issue. The New York Knicks had an amazing run this season, and perhaps they’ll be able to replicate it next season.
