The Knicks Are Rebuilding The Right Way

As a writer, one of the most important things I’ve learned is to trust your gut. Even the stalwart author runs into a wall every now and then when constructing coherent sentences appear a futile task. Likewise, an actor should probably trust his intuition. Marlon Brando once famously said, “acting is the expression of a neurotic impulse.”

In the microcosm of sports exists an invisible divide between leaning on inclination and crumpling under the weight of imprudent decision-making.

For the New York Knicks, years of audacious and borderline reckless moves had in many ways handcuffed the organization from progressing. Keeping up with the Thunders, Spurs, and Warriors of the world requires astute scouting, player development, drafting and a little luck. Being foreign to the basics of front office concepts eradicated the Knicks from NBA relevancy.

The Frédéric Weis fiasco, the Allan Houston and Amar’e Stoudemire contracts, the Eddy Curry trade; they all underscore some form of organizational inefficiency. But even when the Knicks appeared to be prudent it’s backfired. In the spring of 2010 when they shipped their 2012 first round draft pick and rights to their 2011 first round pick to Houston for Tracy McGrady’s expiring contract, it was seen as a shrewd move to clear cap space and better position themselves for the “Summer of LeBron.”

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Like most things that require planning and building, it was an investment. And with their picks gone and LeBron signing with the Miami Heat, they received an ROI of one season that reflected any semblance of the Phoenix version of Stoudemire. For a while, the Knicks’ aggressive swing-for-the-fence psychology made them pertinent again. It wasn’t until later that it became apparent with each swing, the moves became more and more of a millstone that they weren’t soon going to dig out of.

Phil Jackson’s undertaking of the dysfunctional Knicks signaled a possible organizational curve – a potential cornerstone moment met with approval and confidence from New Yorkers historically predisposed to disappointment. But just how Jackson planned to approach the gargantuan task of fixing the Knicks was still unclear.

The first domino was in the form of the salary-clearing trade that dumped J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert on to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The move cleared the team of Smith’s $6.4 million player option for 2015-16 while netting them two trade exceptions (a combined $8.5 million). Then came the Kristaps Porzingis pick. Jackson credited his top advisor for the selection, who claimed the seven-foot Latvian should be considered for the No. 1 pick. To those on the outside, it signaled the dawn of a long-term rebuild.

The financial flexibility the Knicks built was assumed to reap its benefits in free agency this summer where the team held upwards of $28 million in cap space. What exactly is benefiting to the Knicks needs clarity. Blindly signing the biggest name in free agency in a summer noticeably void of transcendent talent – although very Knick-ish – would point to their refusal to accept what years ago began manifesting as a prophetic declaration of the organization. Bad habits will be bad habits until you actively seek a radical shift.

Rather than sending out the full court press on the tier one group of free agents, they collectedly pieced together Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams, and Kyle O’Quinn – to flexible contracts that will pay $29 million combined next season. These are four players with legitimate reputations of team cohesion for what amounts to 32 percent of the Knicks entire cap next season.

Even at the professional level, adequate wherewithal usually doesn’t guarantee the correct organizational moves. But in the convoluted world of salary caps some formulas remain unchanged. Hitting on your draft picks is ideal, but you can’t do that if you don’t value a draft pick as an asset to begin with. A perennial bottom-feeder will have a much easier rebuild hoarding picks as a means to springboard a youth-centric backbone to the team.

That’s where the Knicks got it right. As of now, they have $65 million worth of contracts for next season, none of which are particularly burdensome. But the funny part is they’ve managed this financial maneuver while improving upon last season’s roster (albeit not the hardest thing to do). Still, they have something going here. Every piece to this roster is calculated for. And with the cap rising nearly 30 percent in 2016, even Carmelo Anthony’s deal appears reasonable.

Context is important. And in the backdrop of the spending bonanza of free agency 2015, adding salary-friendly pieces that contribute to the team’s rebuild and reserve financial flexibility becomes paramount and chief to organizational health. You move the needle without risking the team’s future.

Smart and patient spending should be praise-worthy. In the process, the likelihood of attracting a true cornerstone free agent is inherently increased. Not because of the money, but because the team is then ripe for winning.

Next: New York Knicks: Grading The Offseason

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