This is post 8 of 8. For the rest of my Team Free Agency Questions, click here!
Last, but not least: the New York Knicks.
Rewind to May 28, 2019. The Knicks had the worst record and were tied with the Cavaliers and Phoenix for the opportunity to draft Zion Williamson. Once the Knicks did that then they’d sign both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant as they built a big three that would bring a title to New York. If the Knicks wanted to, they felt like they could even flip Zion for Anthony Davis putting together team that would rival Golden State. Finally the Garden would be the Mecca of basketball again!
Fast forward two months: the Knicks had a bad lottery bounce, a Durant Achilles tear, and the emergence of the Nets as a free agent destination. The Knicks now have nothing to show for this season of tanking except for RJ Barrett – a great young talent, but not what they envisioned two months before. They traded Kristaps Porzingis to create massive cap room which may result in Tobias Harris and DeMarcus Cousins at best.
If you look at the current state of free agency, set to begin on Sunday, it does not look promising for the Knicks. Kemba Walker seems intent on becoming a Celtic and Jimmy Butler may be in Houston before the start of next season. Kyrie is set on Brooklyn and Durant seems to be right behind him (or before him – whichever way he wants to go there).
The Knicks are about to be overshadowed by their little brother the Brooklyn Nets. They are bound for another disastrous free agency period!
So with all of that doom and gloom out of the way, let’s look at what questions the Knicks need to answer – I have only one.
Is there any hope for this franchise?!?
Yes, but it may not be this year.
Marc Stein reported today that the Knicks are considering giving DeMarcus Cousins a “considerable” one-year offer if they miss out on their top free agent targets – which seems more likely than not.
For pretty much every other team, I have an idea of what each team should do in case they miss out on their free agent targets. For the Knicks, I don’t think they have any clear direction that should go in if they miss on both Durant and Kyrie. They could go all in on redemption projects and hope that some former stars reach their potential again. Players like these include: Boogie and Isaiah Thomas. That would then put them in the driver's seat to offer them more more next offseason.
There are too many free agents for them to miss on everyone available, but I think it is more than likely that they miss out on at least 12 of the top 15 free agents that I have listed. If they do somehow miss on everyone, then they will just need to continue to be patient, up until last season when they moved Porzingis they were making all the right moves and saying all the right things that make a city a free agent destination. They need to take the same approach Brooklyn did. Just buckle down, create a good culture, and eventually you'll start getting these free agents who want to come play for you. It's not easy and it takes some time, but it is certainly possible.