Expectations are not particularly high for the New York Knicks in 2020-21 — and maybe that’s a good thing for the ‘Bockers.

The Knicks retained most of the young roster that finished 12th in the Eastern Conference in 2019-20 with a 21-45 record, but the coaching staff and front office has undergone a major overhaul. Longtime agent Leon Rose is now the president of basketball operations and Tom Thibodeau is the head coach.

Thibodeau’s main job will be to develop R.J. Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley, while Rose’s will be to oversee a cultural improvement and construct a roster that brings the franchise back to respectability and relevance. That won’t all happen this season, but here are a few predictions for what might.

1) Immanuel Quickley will become the starting point guard for the Knicks

Knicks Twitter has been extremely giddy about first-round pick Immanuel Quickley based on his final two preseason games, and with good reason.

Quickley, whom the Knicks drafted no. 25 overall in November, is easy to like. He was mostly known for his sharpshooting while at Kentucky, but he’s also a feisty perimeter defender who relishes the challenge of stopping opposing guards.

His confidence and competitiveness is obvious in interviews, and he’s repeatedly vocalized his determination to improve his point guard skills. After not playing in New York’s first preseason game and looking nervous in the second, Quickley stole the show in the final two tune-up contests.

Quickley had nine points and seven assists on Wednesday, then added 22 points, five assists, and five steals on Friday. His energy was contagious, and he showed pick-and-roll prowess and a knack for setting up his teammates.

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“I feel like coming in I was trying to tell all the NBA teams that I’m somebody who just happened to play off the ball at Kentucky that one year, my sophomore year,” Quickley said, via The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov. “I can really do both.”

The Knicks will likely begin the season with Elfrid Payton as the starting point guard, and Thibodeau has a history of favoring veterans over rookies. But Quickley seems to be a Thibodeau type of guy, and the coach has already sung his praises.

“We base all that on performance,” Thibodeau said. “If he keeps doing the things he’s doing … He’s earning his way. We’ll see how it unfolds.”

Payton can orchestrate, but he’s also a known quantity who provides zero outside shooting. Look for the rookie to claim the starting point guard role within a couple months.

2) Julius Randle will be traded before the deadline

If there was an official wish list to Santa from Knicks fans for 2021, the number one item — perhaps aside from landing Cade Cunningham — would be to see Randle dealt elsewhere.

Randle plays hard, but he’s unceasingly infuriated Knicks fans with his tendency to drive head-first into traffic and miss open shooters.

He racks up double-doubles, but offers no positional versatility, rim protection, nor outside shooting. If the Knicks want to a) play faster, b) clear minutes for first-round pick Obi Toppin, and c) improve the spacing around R.J. Barrett and Robinson, Randle needs to go.

Rose knows this, considering that he drafted an NBA-ready power forward who, like Randle, can’t play the three or five. But, unless Randle drastically improves his efficiency, whether Rose can find a trade partner for the 26-year-old — and receive solid value in return — may prove challenging. However, it shouldn’t be impossible.

Expect to see Toppin join his fellow rookie Quickley in the starting five before the end of the season.

3) R.J. Barrett will be much better in Year 2

Like Quickley, Barrett has impressed in the preseason for the Knicks.

The former Dukie struggled as a rookie, averaging 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 40.2% shooting. But he wasn’t put in a position to succeed. He thrives as a drive-and-kick player, and the Knicks had some of the worst three-point shooting and floor-spacing in the league.

The 20-year old is a legitimately hard worker, by anyone’s standards, and, like Toppin, grew up as a Knicks fan. He’s motivated to become a foundational piece in New York and live up to his no. 3 draft position. His hoops instincts are undeniable, and he’ll get ample opportunities as the team’s primary ball-handler and playmaker.

In the preseason, Barrett shot 86.7% from the free throw line, a major increase from his rookie mark (61.4%). His three-point shot is far from consistent, but his jumper has looked smooth with improved technique since he started working with renowned shooting coach Drew Hanlen during the extended lay-off.

Over the four preseason contests, the lefty averaged 17.8 points per game and shot 50.8% from the field.

Look for Barrett to play more confidently this season and earn Most Improved Player of the Year votes.

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4) The Knicks surpass their projected win total

The Knicks are currently projected to win 22.5 games. Under Thibodeau, they should slightly outperform that figure.

The Knicks are going to be bad. But, Thibodeau pushes his teams exceedingly hard on a day-to-day basis, and it doesn’t take long for his squads to show an uptick in attention to detail, preparedness, and defensive effort. (He has already expressed a desire to win now with the inexperienced roster.)

If the Knicks are out of contention for the play-in tournament by mid-season, they could revert to tank mode. However, that’s never been Thibodeau’s way, and it seems utterly out of character — as well as counter-productive re: player development — for Thibodeau to shut down players and embrace the tank.

That, combined with expected improvement from Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, should help the Knicks hit the over.

5) Obi Toppin will enter the dunk contest (if there is one)

 Toppin is already a fan favorite in New York. The 6’9 Harlem native, who has repeatedly expressed his life-long dream to play for the Knicks, has wasted no time showing off his explosive hops.

Assuming the Knicks don’t produce any All-Stars, Toppin will represent the franchise at All-Star Weekend in the dunk contest … wherever and whenever it takes place.