New York Knicks: 4 players NYK needs to target this offseason

As the New York Knicks walked off the floor at Madison Square Garden following their first-round five-game defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, it was evident that there was still work to be done.

Julius Randle and RJ Barrett had career years as the former won the Most Improved Player award and Barrett took significant strides in his efficiency as a second-year player. On the sideline, Tom Thibodeau proved why he’s a top-notch coach, winning his second Coach of the Year award.

But this wasn’t enough to defeat the Hawks, and if the Knicks hope to run it back with a similar roster, they’ll find themselves in the same or even a worse position than last season.

So, the Knicks’ front office will need to explore the free agency and trade markets in order to position the team for a deeper playoff run in the 2021-22 NBA season.

The New York Knicks need to maintain core pieces and add another All-Star caliber player to make a deeper playoff run.

Luckily for the Knicks, they — once again — have an abundance of cap space entering free agency which begins Aug. 2. According to Spotrac, the Knicks are projected to have roughly $52 million in practical cap space.

It gives the organization flexibility to chase an All-Star level talent, while also retaining some key role players hitting the unrestricted free agency. And if it’s not done through free agency, the Knicks have assets to offer via the trade market.

Whichever route New York takes, it needs to maintain its core while adding an All-Star caliber player to pair with Randle. That way, the Knicks have two potential All-Stars. If they can manage this, the Knicks will put themselves in a position to take the next step and advance further in the NBA playoffs.

The New York Knicks should re-sign Reggie Bullock and Nerlens Noel

Much of the New York Knicks’ success this past season can be attributed to Julius Randle and Tom Thibodeau. But without players such as Reggie Bullock and Nerlens Noel, the Knicks aren’t as strong of a team.

Bullock, in his second season with the Knicks, started 64 of the 65 games he played, slotting in as the small forward in between Randle and RJ Barrett. He provided the team with much-needed shooting, projecting as the only 3-point sharpshooter prior to the season. Of course, that wasn’t the case as the season played out. Randle and Barrett proved to be deadly behind the arc.

Nevertheless, Bullock still gave the Knicks a consistent outside threat with the ability to pull up for a midrange jumper following a shot fake from the 3-point line. In 30 minutes per game, he averaged 10.9 points per game on .442/.410/.909 shooting splits.

And if his efficiency as a shooter isn’t enticing enough, his defense is. Bullock was essential to the Knicks’ defensive schemes and at times guarded the best perimeter player. He tallied 2.3 defensive win shares — the same amount of offensive win shares. But this was by far his best season in terms of defensive win shares in his eight-year career.

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In terms of Noel, he also has been a significant piece to the Knicks’ defense. The difference is Noel didn’t enter the season as the starting center. Instead, that role was Mitchell Robinson’s.

But when Robinson suffered injuries, Noel took over and impressed. He became the team’s paint anchor, showcasing his shot-blocking and rim protection. Over 64 games, 41 of which he started, he averaged 2.2 blocks per game which ranked third in the NBA.

Noel didn’t have the offensive impact that Bullock had, but he was a still good lob threat and a target for dump passes.

As good as Noel was, Robinson will be healthy for next season and should return as the starting center. But that shouldn’t stop the Knicks from re-signing Noel. He proved to be too valuable and could become the Knicks’ starting center if Robinson is dealt in a package for an All-Star.

For Bullock, he has a bit more value given he was always the starting small forward. Sure, New York could find another 3-and-D player, but it should be imperative that the Knicks keep their core together to maintain good team chemistry.

The Knicks will have to set aside some cap space to re-sign the two, but it won’t impede New York from pursuing an All-Star caliber player.

The New York Knicks should target Collin Sexton via a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It’s time for the New York Knicks to move on from Elfrid Payton as the starting point guard. Tom Thibodeau seemed to understand that during the playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks as Payton played just 13 minutes total.

He started the first two games and then sat the last three. Derrick Rose played five games, starting the final three and played well, averaging 19.4 points, 5.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game on 47.6 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from behind the arc. Furthermore, he only turned the ball over 1.6 times per contest.

But as well as Rose played, these averages aren’t sustainable over a full season, nor is he capable of playing starter minutes under Thibodeau as he turns 33 in October. It’s plausible that Thibodeau brings Rose back, as he trusts the veteran point guard, but if Rose does re-sign, it should be as a backup.

The real target for the Knicks should be Collin Sexton. Sexton completed his third year in the NBA after being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2018 NBA Draft. Cleveland reportedly is looking to trade Sexton and he is “very available” according to The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd.

Sexton has been a consistent scoring threat over his three years in the league, but his most recent season was easily his most impressive. Over 60 games, all of which he started, he averaged 24.3 points per game on .475/.371/.815 shooting splits. He isn’t a great facilitator, but is undoubtedly a solid ball-handler and can produce offense from the backcourt — something the Knicks desperately need.

The Knicks struggled offensively, ranking as the 26th best team in terms of points per game with 107. Sexton would instantly improve that as well as fill the point guard hole that has been haunting the Knicks for over a decade — hence why Raymond Felton was New York’s best point guard of the 2010 decade, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.

While Sexton doesn’t necessarily have a strong defensive game, Thibodeau would make the most of the young point guard. Nicknamed “Young Bull,” Sexton isn’t shy of being aggressive and playing his heart out. With the Knicks, it’s reasonable to expect his defense to improve.

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Best of all, the Knicks wouldn’t need to give up much to get Sexton. The Cavaliers seem to be set on trading the young guard. And while a deal hasn’t been made yet, the Cavaliers traded for veteran point guard Ricky Rubio, further signaling the end to Sexton’s tenure in Cleveland.

With the 2021 NBA Draft settled, this trade would have to be altered. But the key component of the trade is that RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Mitchell Robinson are not included. Instead of the 2021 first-rounder, a future first-rounder could be included instead. If that’s all it takes to acquire the 22-year-old point guard, the Knicks should pull the trigger immediately.

If the Knicks do land Sexton, they’ll have Sexton under contract for one more year until he hits restricted free agency in 2022. But the Knicks would likely not make such a move without planning to sign Sexton long-term.

The New York Knicks should target former All-Star Victor Oladipo in free agency

Throughout his first four seasons in the NBA, Victor Oladipo averaged 15.9 points per game — not too bad, but he needed to improve to live up to his expectations as the No. 2 pick of the 2013 NBA Draft.

It certainly didn’t help having four coaches in four years — one being an interim. But landing with the Indiana Pacers as a part of the Paul George trade, he blossomed into an All-Star. He averaged 23.1 points per game on .477/.371/.799 shooting splits while adding in 4.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds and a league-leading 2.4 steals per game.

This level of play from Oladipo hasn’t been seen since the 2017-18 season, however. He did become an All-Star in 2018-19, but he only played 36 games. The two years after, he played just a total of 52 games and bounced between the Pacers, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat.

Now, he’s recovering from a right quad injury and could be ready to play in November, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. In the meantime, he’s also entering free agency.

Insert the New York Knicks into the equation. The organization had interest in trading for the shooting guard earlier this year, but ultimately bowed out.

This time around, the Knicks won’t have to give up assets, just cap space. Just how much is yet to be determined. Oladipo’s last contract was four years, $85 million. But given his lack of availability due to injuries in the past few years, the asking price may be lower.

As long as the deal doesn’t surpass $25 million per year, it would be worth signing Oladipo. The Knicks should limit the deal to three years and also add a team option to the third year.

A healthy Oladipo easily becomes a second All-Star alongside Julius Randle. He is a good scorer — inside and out — and can play tenacious defense which suits Tom Thibodeau’s scheme well.

This doesn’t solve the Knicks’ point guard problem as they most likely would not be able to sign Oladipo and sign Collin Sexton long-term. So, if Oladipo is the major signing for the offseason, the Knicks will need to find a cheaper starting point guard. New York would also need to shift RJ Barrett to the small forward position, which would not be a problem.

Given his recent history of injuries, Oladipo may not be offered a large contract nor would it be a long one. Sure, it’s a risk, especially since he won’t be available until at least November, but it’s one the Knicks should take.