3 biggest offseason questions for the Knicks

The New York Knicks have had their most successful season in over two decades. This was the first time they won 50 games in a season since 2013 and their deepest playoff run since 2000. They were able to do it without being 100 percent healthy since early December.

The list of Knicks' injuries includes Mitchell Robinson's ankle, Julius Randle's shoulder, OG Anunoby's elbow and hamstring, Bojan Bogdanovic's ankle, Josh Hart's ab, and Jalen Brunson's hand. Yet they were still one game away from the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Knicks are on the verge of becoming title contenders and are just a few moves away. This offseason, there are a lot of questions that Leon Rose needs to answer if they want to take things further than they did this year.

3. Should Tom Thibodeau get an extension?

Hiring Tom Thibodeau was the first move Leon Rose made as a general manager and it was the right move. The Knicks have made the playoffs three of the last four years. With Thibs being an old-school coach, he has received a lot of the blame for the Knicks being decimated by injuries.

Thibs' already had the reputation of running his players into the ground and what happened in these playoffs doesn't help. That does raise the question on whether or not the Knicks should give Thibs that extension.

But the Knicks should absolutely give it to him. This is the best four-year stretch since Thibs was an assistant coach for the Knicks back in the late 90s and early 2000s. Most of the injuries that the Knicks suffered had more to do with wrong place wrong time rather than Thibs overworking his players.

Leon Rose built a team that fits the identity of the coach and all the Knick players love playing for him. Not giving him an extension will be a massive mistake.

2. Do they need to trade for a star?

Jalen Brunson has proven that he alone can carry a team for a round or two in the playoffs, but every star needs a co-star. That was one issue that was shown at times in the playoffs when no one else besides Brunson could get their own shot. With all the pieces that are in New York, how successful they've been, and having two first-round picks, it is the perfect time to trade for a star.

But the best course of action for the Knicks is to wait for the right opportunity. The first reason is that the Knicks had one of their stars out with a shoulder injury. Julius Randle is a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection, and if he played the Knicks could’ve made the Finals. 

This is a very special team because of all the chemistry they have. It feels as if a majority of the roster is untouchable because they all provide so many different values. The Villanova connection, OG's two-way impact, Deuce McBride’s complementary play style to Brunson’s, and Randle's star power. The components are there and if they are all healthy the outcome could have been different.

The Knicks need to make a small tweak here and but keeping the core of the roster intact is most important. Using Bojan Bogdanovic and those picks for a star or more specifically trying to acquire Mikal Bridges will make sense, but a massive trade for a star doesn't make sense unless the price is right.

1. How much does it cost to re-sign OG and Hartenstein?

The top priority in the offseason is re-signing OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein to long-term deals. When OG Anunoby was on the court, the Knicks went 25-6 and he was easily their most impactful player since January. Hartenstein's passing, screen setting, rebounding, defense, and floater game made him one of the most impactful centers in the NBA Playoffs.

Earlier this season, there were reports that Anunoby was looking for a four-year, $150 million extension, or $37.5 million annually. The Knicks' highest-paid players are Julius Randle, at $30 million per year, and Jalen Brunson at $25 million per year. Anunoby shouldn't be the highest-paid Knick, but he might have to be if they want to keep him.

Hartenstein is an interesting case because the Knicks can offer a max of $16.2 million for next year. As unrestricted free agent, there are teams who can give him more money. He is a piece that the Knicks can't afford to lose. Since they did give him his chance, he may take a discount just because of that.

The Knicks need to do everything in their power to re-sign both players. It will be an expensive task but the run that they had this year combined with the great chemistry may be enough for them to take a team friendly deal.