The hopefully Bright future and what options we have

We all feel that the future is much brighter than the last 20 years and next year will be the best in a very loooong time....

it seems Knicks found a way to have big amount to sign two max agents and at the same time have a very promising young core which in my opinion is an accomplishment on its own, the question is, what options we have for the coming year and how to rank the best possible formations we might have?

for sure we have a lot of guards now, who are we keeping and why, and who we will let go.... no matter which guard(s) will leave, we will be for sure losing talent.

so what is your reasonable roster for next year? and do you think it will make us contenders instantly next year?

Barring trade, the only players under contract for us for next season right now are Lance Thomas, Ntilikina, DSJ, Knox, Dotson, and MRob. John Jenkins and Billy Garrett are listed as under contract for next year, but I think those deals are not guaranteed.

Presumably, we are going to exercise our team option on Trier.

We?re going to add RJ Barrett in the draft. We don?t have our normal 2nd round pick because PJ sucks.

If you believe the constant reports, we are getting KD in free agency.

Fantasy scenario would be Kawhi comes with him. Seems much more likely we get Kyrie instead.

Starting lineup would look like MRob, KD, Knox, RJ, and Kyrie. Or maybe DSJ instead of Knox. Bench will be very light barring some guys taking the minimum to play with us.

Good news. That?s a playoff team in the East. Not a championship team though. If things do play out like that, question then becomes what?s the next step?

Downer article from the NY Times saying why would KD come to play with this roster and for Dolan.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/sports/knicks-nba-draft-zion-williamson.html

?Consider this: Barrett is the first player in NCAA Division 1 history to tally at least 850 points, 250 rebounds, 150 assists and 50 made 3-pointers in a single season.?

Most points by a freshman in ACC history; second most in a season in Duke history, and last 25 years only 3 cats scored more as a freshman (KD, Beasley, Trae Young).

RJ is the prototypical wing. He can score.... in any way. He?s been a winner wherever he?s been.

Zion would?ve been a dream. But RJ is a worthy lottery talent. He was vastly more impressive as a freshman at Duke than Tatum was.

RJ sacrifices his game to accommodate Zion. His game is suited perfectly for NBA.

DSJ
Trier
Knox
RJ
Robinson

Add KD and another max. Re-sign Jordan and bring in 2 MLE vets or something.... flip Knits for an asset, maybe bring back Mudiay or Vonleh. Kornet and Dotson... second round surprise this draft?

First thing first .. Ja Morant will still be on the table at the 3rd pick. Zion and Barrett wont!
Now the Knicks could make a trade for Barrett and Conley on draft night from the Grizz for Ja Morant, Knox, Frank, and a Knicks future first round pick bc of the Knicks low salary cap. The Knicks are in much need of a veteran PG (Conley) to run the show however, Conley and Tank-Tank Fizdale weren't on good terms when the Grizz fired Fizdale the 15th game of the season. So that's a 30-70 % chance of happening.

The silly rumor of KD coming to N.Y. are bout the same as Phil bringing Kerr to NY to coach, or Walsh 2010 Plan on signing Lebron.
The Knicks signing Kyrie in the offseason, when practically all Kyrie teammates are calling him selfish are the same as Dum-Dum Dolan trading for selfish Carmelo Anthony, or Isiah trading for selfish Marbury.

The Knicks are in need of a GM/Head-coach just like Pat Riley kept mentioning before Riley divorce the Knicks in the 1990's.
The fight between Knicks GM Grunwald vs head-coach JVG in 1999 that got GM Grunwald fired on the spot, says Pat Riley was right and the Knicks front office should've been looking for the right person to take over the GM/Head-coaching Job back in 2000.
Twenty years later, the Knicks fans has watched a Knicks organization where the Front-Office were never on the same-page, the coaching-staff were never on the same-page, and the Players were never on the same-page for the past 20 years !!!

mafra said:

“Consider this: Barrett is the first player in NCAA Division 1 history to tally at least 850 points, 250 rebounds, 150 assists and 50 made 3-pointers in a single season.”

Most points by a freshman in ACC history; second most in a season in Duke history, and last 25 years only 3 cats scored more as a freshman (KD, Beasley, Trae Young).

RJ is the prototypical wing. He can score.... in any way. He’s been a winner wherever he’s been.

Zion would’ve been a dream. But RJ is a worthy lottery talent. He was vastly more impressive as a freshman at Duke than Tatum was.

RJ sacrifices his game to accommodate Zion. His game is suited perfectly for NBA.

DSJ
Trier
Knox
RJ
Robinson

Add KD and another max. Re-sign Jordan and bring in 2 MLE vets or something.... flip Knits for an asset, maybe bring back Mudiay or Vonleh. Kornet and Dotson... second round surprise this draft?

Click to expand...

Mafra .... Your post proves the reason why Barrett will be gone before the 3rd pick.
Pelicans not selecting Zion with the first pick would be Foolish!
Memphis not selecting Barrett with the 2nd pick would be double Foolish !!!

Is Morant bad thing for the knicks?
If we have next year:
Robinson
Knox
Dsj
Morant/Rj
Trier
Jordan
And two max agents... Isn't that a very good roster?

My question was, what are the possible starting lineup for next year?
I think the front office put us in the best place compared to the last 10 years... Don't you agree?

According to NY Post:

The Knicks? chances could have been greatly enhanced if an ESPN report is true Pelicans owner Gayle Benson told confidants the franchise would trade Davis to the Lakers ?over my dead body.??

There?s multiple reports Benson was miffed at Davis? agent Rich Paul trying to get Davis to the Lakers to join his other client LeBron James in the middle of the season, causing chaos. The Lakers put together a five-pronged offer that New Orleans turned down in February but now have the fourth pick in the draft to dangle after their lottery luck.

Benson told a New Orleans radio station the ?over my dead body? quote is ?totally absurd,? and ?completely untrue.?

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka could be seen schmoozing for several minutes with Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry in what appeared to be a gesture to smooth relations between the franchises.

With Memphis leaning toward taking point guard Ja Morant at 2, the Knicks are a virtual certainty to take Duke?s swingman RJ Barrett at 3 ? unless they are part of a Davis blockbuster. League insiders believe the Knicks likely would have to include their 2021 and 2023 picks from Dallas and two of three young prospects in Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and Frank Ntilikina.

According to a source, the Knicks have Morant as a slight edge over Barrett on their early board but there?s still more to the draft process such as workouts and more interviews. The Knicks met with Barrett and Morant Wednesday the day after the lottery.

They also will look into offers from combo guard Frank Ntilikina to see if they can add another early second-round pick or late first-rounder.
Ntilikina has been a disappointment in his first two seasons and will make $5 million next season.

Moving him would give the Knicks enough space to enforce the option clauses of Trier and Damyean Dotson without effecting their room for the two max contracts of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, whom many league insiders feel have talked about forming a Knicks tandem.

Just think... if Paul and LeBron don?t try to steal AD, NO doesn?t go in tank mode... some other teams lands Zion!

Could be down to BOS and NYK for AD... maybe another sleeper or 2.

BTW, given option if Dotson and Trier or Nits? Goodbye Frankie.

Do you feel that NY media are overhyping Barret ? Is that too raise his value or to get Morant?
Sure he is good, but if they think it is the best player in the draft why stating it ?

Knicks like Ja a little more than RJ. No ?hype? necessary. RJ was on everybody?s radar for years. He?s a top 3 talent and may have best career. He may may be a bust. Who knows. But every team would take RJ if they had third pick.

htr10 said:

Barring trade, the only players under contract for us for next season right now are Lance Thomas, Ntilikina, DSJ, Knox, Dotson, and MRob. John Jenkins and Billy Garrett are listed as under contract for next year, but I think those deals are not guaranteed.

Presumably, we are going to exercise our team option on Trier.

We?re going to add RJ Barrett in the draft. We don?t have our normal 2nd round pick because PJ sucks.

If you believe the constant reports, we are getting KD in free agency.

Fantasy scenario would be Kawhi comes with him. Seems much more likely we get Kyrie instead.

Starting lineup would look like MRob, KD, Knox, RJ, and Kyrie. Or maybe DSJ instead of Knox. Bench will be very light barring some guys taking the minimum to play with us.

Good news. That?s a playoff team in the East. Not a championship team though. If things do play out like that, question then becomes what?s the next step?

Click to expand...

Good Point .... Adding RJ Barrett & Durant are a big plus to next season rotation, plus re-signing DJ as the starting center to keep mentoring MitchRob & Knox down-low for a win will be the start of a big accomplishment in our first year of building a winner.
However! Our non-strategic coach Fizdale may not last throughout next season.
Any extra-FA signing added to the above would be a blessing to next season roster .. I would like Klay Thompson in a Knick uniform next season .... Kawhi maybe available if Bucks win their series 4-1 .. CTFU

The Dragon said:

Do you feel that NY media are overhyping Barret ? Is that too raise his value or to get Morant?
Sure he is good, but if they think it is the best player in the draft why stating it ?

Click to expand...

I watched to many Duke games this year comparing the two-stars performance Zion & Barrett, and a lot of games Barrett's all-around performance taking advantage of opponents weakness had fans like me saying Duke opponents dont know which of the two to double-on.

mafra said:

Knicks like Ja a little more than RJ. No “hype” necessary. RJ was on everybody’s radar for years. He’s a top 3 talent and may have best career. He may may be a bust. Who knows. But every team would take RJ if they had third pick.

Click to expand...

Getting Barrett with the 3rd pick .. will become the greatest pick since Knicks 1985 draft pick of Ewing.
Are Barrett a future NBA super-star?
Does the sun shine in the day time? Does a dog bark? Did the Knicks have another 17 win season?
Yes! Barrett and MitchRob are the young-core players you build a winning team around by adding a star FA Durant to the roster.

I?m leaning towards keeping the kids and signing 2 max guys. NO Melo deal for AD!

Then again... KD, Kyrie, and AD makes me smile.

The Dragon said:

Is Morant bad thing for the knicks?
If we have next year:
Robinson
Knox
Dsj
Morant/Rj
Trier
Jordan
And two max agents... Isn't that a very good roster?

My question was, what are the possible starting lineup for next year?
I think the front office put us in the best place compared to the last 10 years... Don't you agree?

Click to expand...

Starting Lineup .. Frank, Barrett, Knox, Durant, DJ ..
6th Man DSJr and Dotson, until Trier's performance become consistent.

Frank, DSJr, Kawhi, Durant, DJ ..
6th man Barrett and Knox.

Frank, Klay, Barrett, Durant, DJ ..
6th man DSJr and Knox

Frank is getting traded, most likely. Knicks will need to clear as much space as possible, and Knits is going to be the cap casualty.

Philadelphia owns the 24th overall pick in next month?s draft, as well as four second round picks (33rd, 34th, 42nd and 54th).

Deal Frank for either 24 or 33/34.

mafra said:

Frank is getting traded, most likely. Knicks will need to clear as much space as possible, and Knits is going to be the cap casualty.

Philadelphia owns the 24th overall pick in next month?s draft, as well as four second round picks (33rd, 34th, 42nd and 54th).

Deal Frank for either 24 or 33/34.

Click to expand...

I have growing concerns that there is no trade market for Ntilikina. I hope that we can still get a late 1st/high 2nd round pick for him. I?m worried that this last season obliterated his trade value.

Rock bottom trade value. It's his 11M remaining on his deal that makes him hard to trade, unless you think he's set to have a breakout year you can better value for the money for guys like Trey Burke, Kadeem, MCW and even DRose. Someone has to see potential in the guy worth 5M, I don't see it after 2 seasons

tiger0330 said:

Rock bottom trade value. It's his 11M remaining on his deal that makes him hard to trade, unless you think he's set to have a breakout year you can better value for the money for guys like Trey Burke, Kadeem, MCW and even DRose. Someone has to see potential in the guy worth 5M, I don't see it after 2 seasons

Click to expand...

I think he has to play for us this year. Ironically, if we bring in some ball dominant scorers like KD, Kyrie, and RJ, then Ntilikina might actually look okay in our rotations playing defense and shooting easier shots created for him by the defense collapsing on other guys.

Is a late first or second round pick will be better than Frank.... I still hope he turns into something good although no indications so far!