The New York Knicks tried to be a team worthy of their fans’ attention last season, but in the end, they still missed the playoffs and looked like a team that is going nowhere. They finished with a 29-53 record and brandished a lineup that made Michael Beasley relevant again — depending on how one looks at it, was either evidence of the Knicks’ incompetence or a silver lining in a yet another forgettable campaign.
Had the Knicks not gotten lucky and stumbled upon Kristaps Porzingis in the 2015 NBA Draft, they probably would’ve been drowning in a deeper sea of mediocrity. However, the basketball gods were not just going to let the Knicks get away with one of the biggest steals in draft history without playing with the team’s feelings, as Porzingis suffered a serious knee injury earlier this year that forced him to miss the entire second half of the season.
All is not lost for the Knicks, even though almost anything that James Dolan does is made to drain Knickerbockers fans’ optimism.
The upcoming free agency in the summer brings hope that someone out there would be willing to relocate to Gotham and be its new Batman. Also, the 2018 NBA Draft is going to be held next month, and by luck or design, the Knicks could land another Porzingis.
Maybe they could engineer a trade that would bring the messiah Manhattan has long been waiting for. In any case, New York basketball is in need of a shot in the arm, which some of the names below could provide.
Kawhi Leonard
Leonard’s current situation in San Antonio does not bode well for his future with the Spurs. Leonard barely played during the 2017-18 season because of a quad injury that, but according to the Spurs’ doctors, has healed enough for the forward to have played in more than nine games.
Leonard, however, hired his own medical team that insisted he’s not fit to see action on the court. It’s truly one of the most infuriating and bizarre stories of the season. If it has gotten to a point that the relationship between Leonard and the Spurs has become irreparable, it makes sense for the organization to trade Leonard rather than risk losing him for nothing in 2019 when the forward can choose not to pick up his player option.
Enter the Knicks, who could entice the Spurs to give up Leonard for a package that contains Frank Ntilikina and the team’s No. 9 pick in the first round of this year’s draft. Who needs LeBron when the Knicks could have a young tandem of Porzingis and Leonard?
Isaiah Thomas
The scoring-machine guard heads into the summer still looking to get paid like a mini-space program. The problem for Thomas is that teams are unlikely to kowtow to his pricey demands. He’s coming off a surgery to repair a hip injury that has clearly affected him since his last days wearing Boston Celtics uniform.
He is also a huge defensive liability. But the man could score and would certainly upgrade a Knicks offense that ranked just 18th in scoring in 2017-18. Since it’s expected that teams will not be interested in giving Thomas a max deal, the Knicks could offer the former Washington Husky star a recourse.
In New York, Thomas could enjoy the bright lights while starting alongside the lengthy Frank Ntilikina, who could make up for Thomas’ defensive shortcomings. The Knicks were once driven to the ground by Isiah Thomas, but another Thomas could help them get back up on their feet.
Clint Capela
Capela is doing a magnificent job not only in helping the Rockets keep their title hopes alive but also in raising his stock for the upcoming free agency period. Like Capela, Knicks big men Enes Kanter and Kyle O’Quinn could also leave their team in July as both are free agents with player options. In case one of them departs – or worse, both desert New York – the Knicks will be left with a slim frontcourt comprised mostly of Joakim Noah and Porzingis.
Getting someone like Capela would cure the Knicks’ anxiety caused by their situation with Kanter and O’Quinn. An efficient and athletic center who intelligently positions himself in every possession, Capela would serve as a terrific complement for a stretch-big like Porzingis and a tasty target for inside lobs by guards. That’s not to mention Capela’s impact on defense. He finished the regular season as the Rockets’ leader in defensive win shares (4.1 )
Capela is a soon-to-be restricted free agent, so the Rockets may cut him a big check to avoid other teams from stealing the center from them, but if the Knicks could find a way to move some assets while also letting Kanter and O’Quinn go, then New York should have enough financial leg room to land the 24-year-old Swiss tower.
Paul George
Long rumored to be headed to Los Angeles once his current contract expires, George might be open to the idea of moving in a completely different direction – back to the Eastern Conference and into the east coast with the Knicks.
Although the Oklahoma City Thunder reached the postseason this year, that did not validate the effectiveness of the team’s three-headed superstar trio of George, Carmelo Anthony, and Russell Westbrook.
After getting trounced by a rookie-led Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs, it’s safe to say that the triumvirate is not the right formula for the Thunder. New York, meanwhile, would be more acquiescent to turning George into an unquestioned alpha again just like he used to in Indiana. He’ll be flanked by Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr., a trio that could be more dangerous than what most people would be willing to admit.
Trae Young
If you’ve been observing news pertinent to the upcoming draft of late, you probably have heard about Trae Young’s father, Ray, subtly campaigning for his son to get taken by the Knicks by saying the former Oklahoma Sooners hotshot will have no problem being under the immense microscope in the Big Apple.
“That's what Trae lives for. He lives for that type of stuff. Just think about it: He's probably the most talked about, most publicized kid in this draft and he's been through it all,” Young's father, Ray, told the Daily News. “Trae's been scrutinized to the point that he has thick skin. None of that stuff is going to bother him. He was like the darling of college basketball for three months, and then the last month-and-a-half he turned into a bad guy, for some reason.
“So for him to be in a market like New York and understand that it's all about winning — and if you don't win, there'll be some scrutiny — he's already been through it.”
Often compared to Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Young spent an entire college basketball season blowing people’s minds. He had some regression in the second half of the season with the Oklahoma Sooners, but he still ended up as the nation’s leader in both points (27.4) and assists (8.7). With his range and passing acumen, Young could supply electricity to the Knicks’ offense that could use another excellent playmaker and conductor like Young.
The Knicks hold the No. 9 pick in the draft, and there’s a chance that another team gets Young before they do. But if he’s still available by the time it’s New York’s time to give the envelope, it wouldn’t come as a big shock should the Knicks take Young off the board.
Carmelo Anthony
Nah.
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