After an entire offseason of trade rumors, the New York Knicks eventually traded Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder prior to the start of training camp. In the trade, the Knicks received Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second round draft pick via the Chicago Bulls.
With President Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry embracing a full rebuild around Kristaps Porzingis, head coach Jeff Hornacek discussed the rebuilding process according to Marc Berman of New York Post:
“It may be a slower process, but our guys are working hard to do the best we can,’’ Hornacek said at Capital One Arena. “You got to find the combination. Brett Brown has figured out a good way to do that. It’s hard as a coach because you want to win. You understand the process you have to go through.
Hornacek also discussed finding a balance between winning and developing young prospects:
“You try to not sacrifice what you’re trying to do to build just to win some games. Obviously you want to win, but you have to find that balance. You can’t get frustrated. You got to keep the team going, and when teams are going through that process, it’s hard, but you got to stay positive.’’
It is a difficult decision to rebuild, but if the entire organization is on the same page, the Knicks will hopefully be better in the long run without Anthony. Along with a rising star in Porzingis, the Knicks also have young prospects in Willy Hernangomez, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Frank Ntilikina.
Heading into the 2017-18 NBA season, the focus should be on developing the team's young prospects. If wins come within that, it will help New York accelerate the rebuilding process.
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