New York Knicks: The 2016-17 Starting Lineup

The contracts have been officially signed. It’s time to take a look at the starting lineup for the 2016-17 New York Knicks.

With his back against the ropes, team president Phil Jackson came out with a flurry of jabs to keep the opposition at bay. He may not have thrown a knockout punch, but The Zen Master won over the judges with his performance.

After three consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs, the New York Knicks have finally built a roster with realistic postseason aspirations.

Jackson mixed caution with ambition during the summer of 2016, and what he produced was one of the best paper rosters New York has seen in quite some time. It may or may not be a championship contender, but the playoffs are now an expectation.

Though Knicks fans have long maintained a postseason or bust mentality, it’s been quite rare over the past 15 seasons that such a goal has been attainable.

With four postseason appearances over the past 15 years, there’s reason to be pessimistic. The new starting five should inspire hope and optimism in a fan base that hasn’t been given many reasons to embody such elusive traits.

The question is, who will form the 2016-17 starting lineup and why should Knicks fans be excited about it?

Next: Point Guard