New York Knicks: 5 goals for the 2018 offseason

5. Shed salary

Cap flexibility is one of the essential weapons a front office uses in order to build a championship team, as it allows one to go after free agents of their choosing, take back unwanted salary in exchange for draft picks, or make trades for impact players that might seem too costly for others.

Because of the $143 million in combined salaries for both Tim Hardaway Jr. and Joakim Noah, the Knicks don’t exactly have those options.

Shedding salary and gaining some financial flexibility would allow the Knicks to get creative in their rebuild. Instead of relying solely on their draft pick, the Knicks could take on additional salary with a possible first round pick as compensation.

Cap space would allow the team to pursue free agents. Maybe not the likes of LeBron James or Paul George, but sometimes financially smart, no-headline deals can end up becoming the biggest X-factors for a team’s title hopes.

The key for New York in clearing cap space is to keep their draft picks.

Currently in the talent acquisition phase of the rebuild, the Knicks can’t afford to send away a possible impact player in exchange for a pipe dream of signing a big-name free agent. Cap space is important, but it guarantees nothing. Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers.

Shedding salary while keeping draft picks would be an impressive feat for Scott Perry to pull off, but if he’s able to, it would open up more avenues for the Knicks to push their rebuild in the right direction.