The New York Knicks were one of eight teams to fall out of qualification to take part in the NBA's restart plan at Walt Disney World. Yet the storied franchise seemed to not care one bit to be left out, even if that means leaving millions of dollars in broadcast revenue on the table.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks were rather “ambivalent” about being part of the resumption of the season, hoping to not delay their coaching search. The Knicks are actively looking into Brooklyn Nets former coach Kenny Atkinson, former Knicks helmsman Mike Woodson, Jeff Van Gundy, and front-runner Tom Thibodeau.
However, teams that did not qualify for the restart will need to undergo a longer offseason schedule, which may include several games in a summer league of sorts.
“The eight teams who are not playing need parameters and guidelines for offseason work,” one league official told The Post. “The hope is to get clarity at some point soon so these teams can start organizing and planning their offseasons.”
The league could conduct the NBA's version of the NFL's “OTAs” (organized team activities) in July, August, and September. This initiative would prevent players from potentially getting into their customary summer league pickup games in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Unlike small-market teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets, the Knicks won't have an issue finding season ticket holders after an extremely long layoff. The 2020-21 season is currently expected to start on Dec. 1, though the timeline remains fluid.
The Knicks, who finished with 21 wins and 45 losses before the season came to a halt on March 11, have three picks in the upcoming draft — a likely lottery pick, the Los Angeles Clippers’ first-round pick, and the Hornets' second-round pick.
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