So I planned this two year rebuild about a month too late, evidently. If you didn’t see it, the Knicks hired their new head coach who’s last name is not Atkinson. I desperately wanted Kenny Atkinson and the only way my rebuild plan even makes sense is with Kenny. Thus, I am going to proceed as if the Knicks did not just hire he who shall not be named. Let’s be honest, the Knicks were never going to make the smart decision anyway.
In the latest 2020-21 season, the Knicks take a promising step forward and establish direction for the future of the franchise. Mitchell Robinson builds off of his sophomore season with another exceptional year, RJ Barrett benefits from the added spacing and becomes the brutish slasher he always was, and Killian Hayes proves he can be the backbone of the offense. These three guys are the building blocks of the franchise. Myles Powell and “Poku” add the floor spacing the Knicks so desperately needed, too. The Knicks have a young core, but they need an elite primary scorer to really start winning games. Luckily, the 2020-21 draft has just what they need.
2021 Draft
So following the 2020-21 season, the Knicks finish with a forecasted record of 30-52. This gives them the 5th worst record in the league and a 42% chance to land inside the top four of the 2021 draft. They also possess the Mavericks’ first rounder which hopefully stays inside the top 20 (wishful thinking).
There is one prospect the Knicks will desperately target, probably along with the rest of the league. His name is Jalen Green. Jalen Green is a 6’6” 180 pound shooting guard who can straight up score. He can cross you up, put you on a poster, or step back and knock down long range jumpers. He is the total package and might be the most sure thing in the draft. Green and oversized point guard Cade Cunningham are a toss up as the number one overall pick. The Knicks need to get lucky to land Green, but can always create a trade package using the Mavs’ pick if needed. This is not a crazy idea, because teams might prefer a player like Patrick’s School forward Jonathan Kuminga or Jalen Johnson from Duke instead. I believe New York needs to do whatever it takes to get Jalen Green, and I believe they have the assets to get it done.
I mean, yeah.
Offseason
Since it is hard to project what certain players will be worth after a year I won’t do anything too crazy in the offseason moves. I would resign current players such as Frank Ntilikina, Dameyean Dotson, and Kenny Wooten if he shows promise. Other than that, Portis, Gibson, Ellington, Bullock, etc. can all walk so Knicks fans can forget about one of the worst teams to watch in recent memory.
If they can’t find a backup center in the draft, the Knicks will need to sign one in free agency. I would elect to get someone similar to Mitch. I will just use Willie Cauley-Stein as a placeholder for now. A backup point guard will also be needed but should be addressed in the draft.
There are tons of big names hitting the market in 2021, but the Knicks need to avoid the desert mirage at all costs and stick to the plan. If they get their heads caught in the mouse trap again, it may be time to officially give up on the sorry franchise.
Roster
PG: Killian Hayes, Frank Ntilikina
SG: Jalen Green, Damyean Dotson, Myles Powell
SF: RJ Barrett, Iggy Brazdeikas
PF:Jerami Grant, Aleksej Pokuševski, Kenny Wooten
C: Mitchell Robinson, Willie Cauley-Stein
This is not the full roster but really these are the only players that matter. I think the missing assets like Julius Randle, Kevin Knox, and Dennis Smith hold at least some value and should be flipped for a 3 and D wing or draft pick.
Conclusion
The Knicks are not as far away from winning as you might think. However, the hiring of he-who-shall-not-be-named is worrisome. Electing for a non-player development coach makes me think the front office will be trying to assemble a win-now team. This is a mistake in my opinion, and the 2020-21 draft is loaded inside the top 7. Sneaking into an eight seed just to get swept in the first round is not worth missing out on franchise players. The future of the team will be decided within these next two years, and frankly, it is not off to a promising start.