It looks like Randle and IQ taking 54 shots isn’t a recipe for success. The great news is this 5-game slide obliterates any delusion Leon Rose may be under, to make marginal improvements to this current roster, in preparation of a playoff run.
My fear is, in an attempt at self-preservation, he sells the future to build around JB-JR-RJ to simply emerge from play-in… sell Dolan on mediocre hope.
The kids are nice; assets always good to have. But this team is still in roster building mode. The foundation isn’t even set yet, so no attempts should be made to start finishing the structure. Anything and everything is open.
1) Must shed EF’s contract
2) Must find value and trade Randle
3) Lottery should be goal, not play-in
I like a Kuzma deal, but only if you trade Randle. Not sure if I want to give him big deal tho, but maybe he opts in to his 2023 player option of 13 mil.
Kuzma is looking for a big deal $20mil + and supposedly a Big Market which is why his name keeps coming up on the trade market. In some ways I can agree with concern for paying certain players, at the same time I'd love to get my hands on a Shai Gilgeous or a Bol Bol. Here's the thing when you look across the league you're not going to get a STAR or a budding talent on controlled cost easily, it's not happening
Knicks have no track record of doing so
We either go for the usual suspects Gordon Hayward, John Collins, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, DeAngelo Russell, aside from the other two I mentioned in Tobias and Lavine or leave the team as is and watch it bottom out again. None of those names appear all that attractive to be honest. We don't have the options we think we have
I'm fine with Kuzma cuhz I feel he's in his prime and ready for a big challenge this stage in his career. Might be a better fit with Brunson and crew not seeing him as a ball stopper/iso player. I believe he'll play any role asked of him, whether it's defend, rebound, score, play make, make big shots. Taking that into consideration, agree Randle has to be on his way out...can't have both on our roster. I saw earlier in the yr Randle's name linked to the Miami Heat which is why I suggested trading him there. With Randle gone we can increase roles and responsibilities of players like Obi, Sims, Robinson, Grimes and ask Brunson, Kuzma, and RJ to lead more on and off the court