2019-20 Finish: 23-59

Season Highlight:

What a roller coaster of a season from New York. They went from a good team that was just a couple pieces away to a team that seemed in full rebuild mode, and ended the season with so many high hopes for the future. A full rebuild job, hell and back, in a season, that´s your highlight!

Season Lowlight:

On the court, they actually sucked, on purpose, of course, since the rebuild was in full swing, but nonetheless, it was ugly. A lot of players with untapped 2k potential, some no-names and duds from the 2-way bin, NY had it all on their way to one of the worst records in the league.

Best Trade:

The Charlotte Hornets send Caris LeVert, Lonnie Walker, Elie Okobo, 1st-Rounder (Cha)  to the New York Knicks.

The New York Knicks send Dennis Smith, 1st-Rounder (NY) to the Charlotte Hornets.

This one controversial even before the lottery, mainly because Caris and Lonnie are highly regarded around league circus, so this is easily about a 4x 1^st round picks in value for the chance to move up in the draft. On lottery day, it got uglier, and the lottery gods were mean, awarding the pick that Charlotte gave away to climb up to the #1 spot overall, which made this one even more lopsided. This trade probably doesn´t happen if the teams had waited the lottery to think about it. Home run for NY!

Worst Trade:

This GM is surgical, so it´s really tough to knock on his deals, trust me, I´ve tried, but I´ll raise this one up, however biased…

Knick send: D’Angelo Russell, Jahlil Okafor

Knicks get: Kyle Kuzma, Reggie Jackson, 2020 1^st (Pick 29), 2022 1^st and 2024 2^nd

Alright this wasn´t real bad, but I´m basing this on the fact that D’lo worked out for the Bulls and made them a more well rounded team and Kuzma was shipped out (for more than fair returns), again, this GM is really good.

Other Notable Trades:

Knicks send: LeVert, Keldon Johnson, #1 pick overall (Anthony Edwards), 2^nd (Utah)
Knicks get: DeAaron Fox, 1^st rounder OKC ‘23

Surprised Wiz let go of Fox, but Smokey pulled the trigger, letting go of his prized #1 pick and some good young talent for more of a sure thing to solidify his rebuild.

Knicks send: Thybulle, Robinson, 1^st GS ’21 and 1^st Chi ‘22
Knicks get: Brogdon, #41 ovr pick (Paul Reed)

Best player in the deal to NY, payed to get him, but Brog was instrumental later on.

Knicks send: Brogdon, Gafford, Poirier, #30 ovr pick (Daniel Oturu)
Knicks get: Vucevic, Pelle, 2^nd rnd Tor ‘23

Again, best player in the deal going to NY, Vuc is going to anchor the middle of the court for the Knicks.

Knicks send: Jakob Poetl, Kuzma
Knicks get: Mike Scott, Jarrett Allen

Absolute home run in my book as I value Jarrett way above what was sent. Shame he couldn´t stick around in New York.

 

Free Agency:

Brandon Ingram – RFA, has told everyone he´s staying for good, superstar in the making, he´ll be back.

Montrezl Harrell – UFA, this was unexpected, Harrell shocked the media saying he is unhappy and decided to become an UFA, he´ll be hard to negotiate with so many suitors expected.

DeAnthony Melton – RFA, has also told his family he´s staying, barring any catastrophe, he should be stayin

Chris Clemons – UFA, Smokey thinks highky of the 5-9 jitterbug to have traded for him so I believe he´ll try to bring him back

Damion Lee  – UFA, NY traded a first to get him last season so I´d expect him to try and convince him to stay

Elle Okobo – UFA, I don´t think anymore will miss him.

 

Star:

Brandon Ingram

I’m giving this one to the only person that it can be given, Brandon Ingram!! This cat was phenomenal when he was on the floor, 20 ppg, 6 rpg 3,5 apg on 38% 3pt, and he was a big part of why the Knicks felt comfortable trading all those assets away, because they knew he was their cornerstone.

It sure took a little while, an injury scare that probably threatened his career but Ingram has the talent to be a top 10 player in the game, but injury concerns will always be there until he debunks them.

Goat:

I guess you have to give this one to Caris LeVert, again the guy misses the whole bunch of the season and so there are rumors this guy is made of glass, and he gets traded soo much! He´s in OKC now and if he´s injured again, I´m sure someone will take a chance on him again next year because of what he brings to the table.

Draft Grades:

I actually loved the pick for the Knicks, a sentence that is very rarely said in real life. He had the last pick of the entire draft and took a flier on a guy I think will be really solid in Ty-Shon Alexander out of Creighton. He went undrafted in the NBA, but not here. Such a solid get for the Knicks. 

The Future:

The future is so bright for the Knicks starting with Ingram and Fox all the way to Vucevic and Dinwiddie, this team can play and will be on the conversation of the best win differential from one season to the other. Smokey is not done either as he has 8x 1^st round picks in the next 5 years to deal around. They need to find the answer to the PF spot though, with the absence of Harrell.

C: Nikola Vucevic / Norvel Pelle 
PF: Alize Johnson (?) /
SF: Brandon Ingram / Damion Lee (?) 
SG: Spencer Dinwiddie / DeAnthony Melton
PG: DeAaron Fox / Khyri Thomas