Think back to June of 2019 when the Brooklyn Nets signed Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. The New York Knicks had traded their All Star forward Kristaps Porzingis, whom they had drafted in 2015, to create enough cap space to sign both of those superstars.
Instead, the Knicks signed Julius Randle to a three-year, $63 million contract with a team option on that final year.
It’s easy to see which team in the city that never sleeps won free agency that year. There was talk of the Nets taking over New York, leaving the Knicks to flop at the bottom of the standings for years to come.
That season the Knicks finished with a record of 21-45, missing out on playoff basketball and a trip to the bubble. Going into this year’s season there wasn’t much coming out of Madison Square Garden to write home about.
At the start of the second half of the 2020/2021 NBA season the Knicks find themselves playing above .500 basketball under Tom Thibodeau, sitting at seventh place in the East. Not only that, but a year removed from an extremely disappointing season Randle secured a spot as an Eastern Conference All Star spot.
Randle has been a completely different player so far in his second season in the Big Apple. One of the only bright spots on offense, he is shooting 48% from the field, 41.2% from three-point land and 80% from the free-throw line while averaging 5.7 assists and 11 rebounds per game.
While it may be silly to assume that the Knicks will continue the streak they are on and stay out of the play-in tournament this season after giving the Eastern Conference standing a second look, I don’t believe that it is idiotic to feel optimistic about the team.
For starters, the Knicks have been a completely different team on the defensive side of the basketball. They ranked 18th in the NBA in points allowed last season. Entering the second half they rank first, only allowing 105 points per game.
The dilemma is on the offensive end of the floor.
The Knicks are ranked 28th in the league in points per game this season. Even though the team is more efficient this year compared to last they can’t seem to outscore the opposition by more than .2 points per game.
They have improved as a team in field goal, three-point and free throw percentage this season. Not to mention their turnovers per game has gone down from 14.3 to 13.8.
The perception of this team is quickly changing and it has been reported that superstars could try to force their way to New York in the near future. There are a few names that come to mind that, while not necessarily considered superstars in the league, could only help a struggling offense stay competitive in the East.
A reunion with Carmelo Anthony could be on the cards. While Melo is certainly not the player he used to be and should not be the only move the Knicks make this offseason, he could be an important veteran presence.
Not to mention he is shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc.
A name that was in trade discussions this past offseason was Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo. This could be another example of a complimentary piece for the Knicks. He would bolster the guard play behind Immanuel Quickley, Derrick Rose and perhaps another addition.
Enter Victor Oladipo.
A two-way player in his own right, Oladipo has been rumored to be a trade target for the Knicks this season. Why not pull the trigger and sign the guy to an extension? New York could use his 20.3 points per game, that’s for sure.
Another player the Knicks could target this offseason is Kelly Oubre Jr. A soon-to-be free agent, Oubre will more than likely find himself out of Golden State with the impending return of one of the greatest shooters of all time in
Klay Thompson.
Sure, Oubre hasn’t been as amazing as advertised for the Warriors, but that doesn’t mean he can’t produce for a team pushing for a playoff spot.
Now let’s take a look at a star player who I think the Knicks absolutely need to target via trade. That would be All Star shooting guard Zach LaVine of Chicago Bulls fame.
The man is shooting 52.3 from the field, 43.5 from three-point land and 85.9 from the free-
throw line. These percentages are all higher than the Knicks team averages this season.
The Knicks don’t have to worry about defense nearly as much as they do offense. If they are able to snag one or more of these players they can secure a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs for years to come.
No, I don’t think the Knicks trading for LaVine and banking on Randle to produce at this rate next year equates to the same caliber of rivalry as that of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Which has appropriately been dubbed the “Battle for L.A.”
But if the Knicks continue to improve and cement themselves as an Eastern Conference playoff team year in and year out, maybe we can have our own “Battle for New York” in the near future.
** (Disclaimer) Credit for photos as they appear: hoopshabit.com, ripcityproject.com, hoopshabit.com, nba.nbcsports.com, latimes.com, bleacherreport.com. **
Craft Beer on Tap: Heady Topper (The Alchemist)
Heady Topper is an American Double India Pale Ale that is meant to, "give you a wave of hoppy goodness on your palate." This is my favorite beer. It has that bitterness to it that I enjoy with my IPAs, and those who have had it know why it has a score of 100 on beeradvocate.com, labeling it a world-class beverage. It is recommended that you drink the beer straight from the can so that you can make sure you enjoy the signature delightful hop experience fans have come to know from The Alchemist, a Vermont-based brewery. You can pretty much only find this beer in the Green Mountain state. I fully intend to take a tour of their brewery in Stowe, Vermont once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, and you should too!
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