The New York Knicks were supposed to be this summer's biggest winner. Even if their dreams of landing a superstar tandem with double-max cap space created by the Kristaps Porzingis trade never came to reality, the Knicks were still bound to leave free agency with at least one player poised to turn their franchise around.
R.J. Barrett really might be that player. But he's not Zion Williamson, of course, and it's telling of New York's haul in free agency that management felt compelled to release a statement addressing its inability to lure the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to Madison Square Garden. But just because New York's franchise-changing offseason never came to fruition doesn't mean the team will remain content being a bottom-feeder going forward.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, general manager Scott Perry has made it clear the Knicks are done tanking, apparently concerned about the effect “institutionalized losing” has on their young players.
Perry is tired of losing and will not put up with another perceived tank. According to a source, the GM believes deep down that part of developing a culture is winning, and “institutionalized losing” doesn’t help a franchise in the long run.
The collective long-term potential of the Knicks' young core is a matter of debate in league circles, but even non-believers must admit the tantalizing potential of Mitchell Robinson. Odds are that at least one of Barrett, Kevin Knox, and Dennis Smith, Jr. develops into a quality starter, too.
Those guys will get lots of playing time in 2019-20. But considering New York's signing of multiple veterans and Perry's reported edict, expect coach David Fizdale to prioritize winning at least as much as player development.
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