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NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Every team’s best case scenario

By John Hugar

SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as part of 2017 NBA Global Games China at Mercedes-Benz Arena on October 8, 2017 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images)
SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as part of 2017 NBA Global Games China at Mercedes-Benz Arena on October 8, 2017 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 12: Kevin Knox #20 of the New York Knicks handles the ball against the Boston Celtics during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 12, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 12: Kevin Knox #20 of the New York Knicks handles the ball against the Boston Celtics during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 12, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

New York Knicks

Guess what, everybody? We’ve reached the “teams that might get Jimmy Butler” portion of the program! For now, though, we’re sticking with the roster the Knicks have. With Kristaps Porzingis out for most — possible all — of the season, the Knicks will struggle to remain competitive. That being said, there’s one big reason to be cheerful at MSG this year: Kevin Knox.

Knox fell off the radar a bit in his lone year at Kentucky, but his potential has been known for a long time, and his strong summer league performance suggests that the Knicks might have gotten an incredible value with the No. 8 pick. With no KP, the big question will be if Knox will grab the conch as the team’s main scoring threat right away. Rookies tend to be shy, but Knox was highly assertive in July, and seeing him continue that style of play in his first true NBA action would likely excite a fanbase currently wondering how far a Knox-Porzingis (and maybe Butler?) core can get them.

Even in the weak East, I struggle to see the Knicks as a playoff team. Frank Ntilikina is a strong defender with a lot of potential, but he’d have to make quite a leap to solidify an uninspiring point guard position. Elsewhere, there’s Enes Kanter’s usual combination of efficient scoring and dreadful defense. Without KP, this feels like an underwhelming team, but if Knox can have a strong impact right away, that should keep the Knicks out of the cellar, and maybe put them just outside the playoff race.