Don’t look now, but the New York Knicks are contending in the Eastern Conference. For many Knicks fans, like myself, the past decade has been one of hardship for fans of this storied franchise. The New York Knickerbockers are the third most valuable American sports franchise at a staggering 4.6 billion dollars. Despite their value, this team has not even seen the postseason since 2012. The Knicks have had 8 head coaches in the last decade, and have had no consistency on the roster or management. Things appear to be changing. New York has started the 2020 season with a surprising 5-3 record which sets them at 5th in the Eastern Conference. Knicks fans have had no sense of excitement in this team for almost a decade. One question that many fans like myself are asking is: “Are the Knicks for real?”
The Knicks, in the past, have tried to put together teams quickly with players past their primes (A post-injury Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah) to get big names to get fans to believe that this team could compete. All attempts in the past 8 years have been unsuccessful thus far. I have seen this team struggle for quite some time and I have had plenty of experience with fake hype with this team. This is not one of those times. This time things are different. The Knicks have put together a healthy roster with a young core of players centered around RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and Obi Toppin. New Head Coach Tom Thibadeau has brought a new sense of vigor to this young roster and has players competing hard. The Knicks have beaten playoff-caliber teams this season like Milwaukee, Indiana, and Utah. This team will be able to compete and potentially play for a play-in playoff game come postseason.
If this team wants to take the next step, there are a few things they can do. First, they could try to make a move for a top-tier player like James Harden before the trade deadline. This seems unlikely as there would be no real incentive for Harden to stay because they would have lost valuable assets to acquire him. They could also try to keep the team as constructed and continually build out the roster through the draft.
My solution to the Knicks would be to keep everything the same. This team has shown, if nothing else, that they can compete with anyone. This young nucleus of players is going to keep developing. If this team can keep management and this roster consistent, they can keep improving every year as they acquire more talent through the draft. Even though they are not title contenders, New Yorkers should be excited that this team is looking to be on the upswing.
What do you guys think? Are the Knicks for real this year? Should they make a move for a big name? Let me know in the comment section or shoot me an email with your take.
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