New York Knicks: 5 keys for a more successful 2019

2. Develop a dynamic Kristaps-Knox-Ntilikina trio

As said before, the Ziner is here to stay. You can basically consider him untouchable. Even though he will be entering the 2019 free agency period as a restricted free agent, the Knicks should match any kind of offer for him.

Regarding the other young piece the Knicks possess, Frank Ntilikina, not much can be said about him yet. Even though he looks like a defensive gem, he has been incredibly inconsistent on the offensive end since his NBA debut.

Last season, Frank was just a good defensive player with a mediocre offensive game. This season he’s turned out to be the exact same player, just with lower shooting percentages.

But to be frank (no pun intended), no championship has ever existed without a straight-up defensive anchor. Ron Artest, Michael Cooper and Ben Wallace are only a few examples of players that mostly contributed on the defensive end, helping their respective teams earn the NBA championship.

Last but not least, we have Kevin Knox, a player that has been quite impressive in his recent outings. Knox has been averaging 17.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game throughout the month of December as he is starting to make a late case for the Rookie of the Year award.

As soon as Kristaps steps on the court again, head coach David Fizdale will have his hands full, but it is up to him to find a way to maximize those three players, who could easily be a part of the organization for the next decade or so.