Fansided

What exactly are the Knicks doing?

By Paul Centopani

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 6: Two seats are empty at the New York Knicks team bench after Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. were taken out of the game with injuries in an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 6, 2018 at Madison Square Garden Center in New York City. Bucks won 103-89. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 6: Two seats are empty at the New York Knicks team bench after Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. were taken out of the game with injuries in an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 6, 2018 at Madison Square Garden Center in New York City. Bucks won 103-89. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

It took some time to sort through my emotions following the Uknickorn’s season-ending injury and the team’s subsequent roster moves. With its paltry playoff hopes dashed on Feb. 6 by a Latvian ligament laceration, New York wasn’t able to deal their veterans at the deadline to bring back future value or clear out playing time.

But the mourning period is over, it’s time to look ahead.

Their first call to action was trading Willy Hernangomez, a member of the All-Rookie first team last year and Kristaps Porzingis’ best friend on the Knicks. He wasn’t playing this season and was feuding with the coach, but adding further emotional damage to your franchise cornerstone 12 hours after suffering a major injury for the mere prize of two second-round picks didn’t seem necessary.

However, they swung a trade to land distressed asset, Emmanuel Mudiay. Mudiay struggled during his tenure with the Nuggets, but he was the seventh pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and has another year left on his rookie contract. The Knicks were smart to make this type of deal since it wouldn’t be the first time a former lofty prospect blossomed with a change of scenery. It’s a low-risk and potentially (fingers-crossed) high-reward proposition, and Mudiay’s already shown flashes in his short time in the Big Apple.

Read More: What’s important to Aaron Gordon?

The Knicks also resuscitated Trey Burke’s career to the point where he got compared to Allen Iverson by Walt Frazier on a recent broadcast. (Though I couldn’t find any evidence on the internet that it happened, so it may have been a hallucination induced by staring at Frazier’s suit for too long.)

In a vacuum, bringing in both players embody what bad teams should do — incubate previously-untapped talent. For the Knicks, it made people scratch their heads since, you know, they just spent a lottery pick on 19-year-old point guard and prized pupil, Frank Ntilikina. Questions on how these three pieces fit together amplified quickly in the concrete jungle.

For teams immersed in consummate turmoil, questioning their choices becomes especially recurrent. Playing armchair coach or GM turns into a form of bonding among fans. The roster is a jumbled mishmash of veterans, young guys, helpful role players, cap sheet boulders and guys who aren’t good at the things they’re good at. Their one foot in, one foot out strategy undermined any significant traction for years. I’m just hoping they learn from past mistakes.

Over the past decade or so, the Knicks have actually done a pretty good job of unearthing and drafting talent. However, nurturing that talent has left a lot to be desired and the turnover among players and coaches has been high — definitely factoring in to the former. For New York, like many other struggling franchises, instability has been their greatest detractor.

Whispers about Jeff Hornacek’s job security now tumble down the rumor mill conveyor belts. I’m not sure if he’s a great coach or even a good one, but another change could actually be more inhibitive to becoming a quality team. For this lost season to be viewed a success, he needs to navigate the zero-sum game of juggling minutes for the veterans and developing the young guys.

Hornacek declared the rotation would be different after the All-Star break. In the six games since, Ntilikina, Mudiay and Burke are each playing about 25 minutes a night. While that allotment is fine, Ntilikina needs to be the top priority in this point guard hydra. The presence of the other two shouldn’t stunt his growth.

Sure, you don’t want to throw the French Prince to the wolves if he’s not ready, but he’s played almost exclusively with one of the other two on the court. In the six games, Ntilikina’s total accrued time as the sole point guard is less than 10 minutes. Ntilikina’s size, length and ability to play off-ball is what made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place, but he needs to get the opportunity to run the offense to truly raise his game.

While we’re at it, Damyean Dotson needs to get more run too. 3-and-D wings are currently at a premium in the league. Figuring out the ceiling for a 23-year-old with two more seasons on a minimum salary should be near the top of a tanking team’s to-do list.

Next: Q&A with Frank Ntilikina: Nicknames, NBA adjustments and New York pizza

If I told you I knew the Knicks’ plan, I’d be a liar. In fact, they might not even have one. What I do know is the sweet spot for the final 17 games of the season would be careening further down the standings while simultaneously playing competitively and seeing positive strides forward from the young guns. I realize achieving those three things won’t be easy. Getting them experience, and making sure it’s quality experience, is a delicate balance to strike.

For the remainder of the season, the front office can’t equate losing with failure or think the fan base will call for heads to roll because of it. Today’s fan is more sophisticated. Those with their sights set on the long-term grasp the nuance that losing right now is ultimately winning.

The majority just want to see a lucid, intelligent plan deployed, adhered to and executed. Develop the kids in the process and let the losses stack up like building blocks to future success.

Home/NBA