New York Knicks: Should NYK Rebuild Or Retool?

Should team president Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks retool or rebuild on the path to success?

“To be, or not to be, that is the question.” That quote is associated with William Shakespeare’s play ‘Hamlet.’ A similar thought comes to mind with the New York Knicks; to rebuild, or to retool; that is the question.

The Knicks have made some questionable decisions since 2011—Carmelo Anthony’s first full season with the team. New York brought in Anthony via trade and felt like he could lead the team towards success. That hasn’t happened.

But without an expectation that a rebuild is going to happen, so it’s time to embrace another attempt at retooling the roster.

It should already be known that the word ‘rebuilding’ is almost a vulgar word to all sport executives in New York. When the team offered Carmelo Anthony the maximum extension in 2014, it was clear that rebuilding the team was out of the question.

With Anthony as the building block on the team, the Knicks fell into a lucky position when Kristaps Porzingis fell into their lap with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 Draft. Porzingis had a terrific rookie season, during which he averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per contest. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Latvian native excelled in his rookie season and could do wonders in his sophomore season under Jeff Hornacek.

By having Anthony and Porzingis on the team, the team has players to build around. The day the Knicks re-signed Carmelo to an extension, rebuilding was out of the question. With the Syracuse product under contract for at least another two seasons (he has a player option for the 2018-19 season), retooling is the best option.

Trading Carmelo Anthony is a fantasy. First off, the 6’8″ forward would have to waive his no-trade clause and there is a high chance he won’t do that. He turned 32 less than a week ago and is 15 months removed from knee surgery. Since coming to the Knicks in 2011, he has dealt with numerous injuries; from elbow surgery to a slight tear in his rotator cuff to a torn patellar tendon.

New York needs to take small steps towards relevance. It would not be wise for the Knickerbockers to make any rash decisions on free agents. The last thing the Big Apple needs is another bad contract like Amar’e Stoudemire holding them back.

Since their Finals appearance during the 1999-00 season, the Knicks have made it to the playoffs five times and only advanced past the first round once. New York should strive to improve year-by-year (like the past two seasons) and set a goal to make the playoffs. With the salary cap skyrocketing over the next two seasons, that doesn’t mean just to throw a max contract at a free agent like its nothing.

The best case is to bring in several free agents to fill the holes on the team. By filling some of their needs, it gives New York a chance to compete.

Last season, New York brought in several players to help improve the team. Some panned out, some did not. Robin Lopez was added to the roster on a reasonable contract and was a defensive presence in his first season in the Big Apple. While Lopez is limited on offense, he does the dirty work such as pinning and boxing out the opposition.

The negative, in the case of Lopez, is that Kristaps Porzingis could be seeing more time as a center as his career continues.

A smart decision in the Big Apple is to keep their future draft picks and attempt to develop players through the draft. Phil Jackson had similar thoughts when he attempted to upgrade the roster last season, but was unwilling to part ways with their 2018 first-round pick. That is a positive sign for the future since Porzingis will have a few years under his belt and should be one of the players leading this team to success by then.

Let’s not forget, this team won 17 games two seasons ago and saw a 15 win increase the following season. New head coach Jeff Hornacek could give this team a spark, something Kurt Rambis struggled with last season. All the questions around the Knicks are their offseason plans and if Hornacek will maintain the Triangle.

Competing for a championship is a dream, but if New York can find the right pieces, it can be a solid team. Since Carmelo Anthony is under contract for at least two more seasons, New York can’t afford to waste the final years of his prime.

must read: How does Kristaps Porzingis fit into Jeff Hornacek's offensive system?

With Porzingis’ rise to the number two option on the team, the Knicks need to show signs of being a playoff contender in 2016-17.