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Knicks: 3 bold predictions for the offseason (including a trade for Dame)

By Orestis Rantis

PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 24: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers passes the ball against Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks in the third quarter at Moda Center on January 24, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 24: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers passes the ball against Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks in the third quarter at Moda Center on January 24, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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New York Knicks
New York Knicks Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images /

Despite the underwhelming end to the 2020-21 NBA season, the New York Knicks should be feeling overjoyed with their performance throughout the entire campaign.

This was a season filled with its ups and downs. To put things into perspective, when was the last time the Knicks had even one “up” in their report? The team seems to be rolling and the fans are jubilant that basketball is once again present in the city of New York.

These last few months have meant the world to us Knicks fans around the world. A first-time All-Star appearance and the Most Improved Player award by Julius Randle sure takes the cake. What else was it? Oh yes, coach Tom Thibodeau winning Coach of the Year on a Knicks team that entered the postseason with home-court advantage.

Successful season or not, there is a lot of work that needs to be done for the New York Knicks once this NBA offseason officially kicks off.

The team had very few aspirations to begin with, meaning that this unfortunate end didn’t really surprise the crowd of New York. Perhaps it was the lack of pressure that led to this young core playing way above expectations.

Things are bound to be insanely different in a few months, as every neutral NBA fan would like to see if this season’s Cinderella story can replicate itself and take a spot amongst the league’s top teams for the foreseeable future.

Defensively speaking, the New York Knicks showcased some elite plays throughout the season and were–rightfully so–the league’s top defense. On the offensive end, though, it was a whole different story.

Not often does a home-court advantage team struggle that much to get easy buckets on offense, an argument that only enhances Thibodeau’s case for the excellent job he did on defense. Unfortunately, the team just wasn’t all that coordinated close to the enemy’s hoop.

It’s fair to say that this is the major flaw that the management will be called upon to assess during the offseason. Julius Randle was and is a spectacular player, but he should not be forced to be the team’s A to Z on offense for the second year in a row.

With countless storylines still on the table, let’s take a look at some potential moves that the front office might be intrigued to pull the trigger on, during the following couple of months.

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