Entering yet another NBA season set for mediocrity, some younger members of the New York Knicks will get the chance to shine brighter than ever.
The New York Knicks decided to go an entirely different route during the offseason we just witnessed. Instead of meeting with every top free agent, splashing their money around to people that don’t deserve it, they took a more conservative approach.
All in all, this seemed like the wise thing to do, given the big number of prospects this team has. By giving the reigns of the team to the younger players, you offer them the chance to break out and make a career for themselves, instead of warming the bench behind Taj Gibson.
During the previous pair of seasons, we did witness somewhat breakout seasons from Tim Hardaway Jr. in 2018-19 and Marcus Morris in 2019-20. As a result, the Knicks were quick to capitalize on their increased trade value by getting something in return for them via trade.
The roster is set. Unless the front office decides to go through with a blockbuster trade, as unlikely as this seems, the balance of this squad will not change prior to this season’s tip-off against the Indiana Pacers on Christmas Eve.
The Knicks currently possess the fourth-youngest roster in the league, with an average age of 24.1 years of age. As the 2021 playoffs seem a bit of a stretch, the main goal of the team should be to obtain as much experience as possible, moving forward.
Newly-appointed head coach Tom Thibodeau has a knack for getting the most out of his young guys, having had a lot of success with Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns in the past. Which baby Knick will follow in their footsteps in 2020-21?