After a disappointing performance in the recent offseason that saw them whiff on superstar targets and get laughed at for acquiring so many power forwards, many figured the New York Knicks were in store for another rough campaign in the 2019-20 season. However, despite the low bar that had been set, it appears the Knicks have somehow done worse than expected.
The New York Knicks are an absolute mess right now, and here are a few updates on exactly why this is the case.
For starters, let's take a look at the standings. The Knicks currently hold the worst record in the NBA at 2-8. They have the second-worst point differential in the league at minus-10.1 as they continue to suffer double-digit losses to opposing teams. On Sunday, New York was blown out yet again at Madison Square Garden, this time at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-87.
Then there's the matter of the Knicks' current roster, which is almost impossible to comprehend. Big-ticket acquisition Julius Randle has regressed from last season, and the messy roster construction has made it hard to come up with effective lineups and rotations.
New York's supposed big man of the future, Mitchell Robinson, is only seeing 17.6 minutes per contest, with his production taking a slight dip from what was a very promising rookie year last season. Robinson is also currently dealing with a concussion.
Highly touted rookie RJ Barrett has shown some signs of life, but he too has been quite inconsistent. The point guard situation is a mess, with Frank Ntilikina, Elfrid Payton and Dennis Smith Jr. all failing to consistently stand out. Smith has been away from the team due to a personal matter, but before that he was getting booed by his home fans. Is this really the same player who was one of the key cogs in the Kristaps Porzingis trade?
All of these roster issues are a factor in why head coach David Fizdale has been having trouble figuring things out. That's actually putting it quite nicely, considering all the boos and the negative feedback the coach has been getting of late.
The whole situation with the front office isn't helping one bit as well. Knicks owner James Dolan — who has earned the ire of what seems like every single Knicks supporter — has been in the thick of it all. In a recent home game, a Knicks fan claimed that he was thrown out of Madison Square Garden for chanting “Fire Dolan.” Such is the circus that is going on right now in New York.
Unfortunately for the Knicks, we're just barely a month into the new season. Things can get ever worse from this point, and looking at the recent developments involving the team, this is actually becoming more and more of a reality after each passing day.
Needless to say, the dark days continue to loom for this storied franchise, and right now, it's very difficult to see the light at the end of what has become a very long and dark tunnel.
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