New York Knicks have a new rival: The Sacramento Kings
The New York Knicks have found a new rival in the NBA: The Sacramento Kings. That’s true for all of the wrong reasons—and it needs to change.
The New York Knicks once shared legendary rivalries with the likes of the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat. It met the Lakers in multiple NBA Finals, and served as Michael Jordan’s top competition in the Eastern Conference during the 1990s.
Unfortunately, over the past four years, the Knicks have developed a rivalry with a different organization: the Sacramento Kings.
The Knicks and Kings haven’t met in the NBA Playoffs since 1951, and neither team is strong enough to have a relevant regular season rivalry in 2017. The two organizations share a common trait, however, and it’s one that neither would like to possess.
According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, the Knicks have joined the Kings as the last resort organizations of the NBA.
To restate the obvious, players and agents increasingly look at the Knicks as a destination of absolute last resort.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 22, 2017
That’s a dreadful position for an organization to find itself in.
It was during the not-so-distant 2012-13 season that New York won 54 games, the Atlantic Division title, and a playoff series. It was the highest win total by a Knicks team since 1996-97, and its first postseason series victory since 2000.
It was the first time since 1993-94 that the Knicks won the Atlantic Division title.
In the four seasons that have followed, including three under team president Phil Jackson, the allure of the Knicks has been lost.
Amar’e Stoudemire sparked a revival of the Knicks when he signed with the organization in 2010. New York knew he had a short shelf life, but it was also aware of how important it was to bring a big name back to The Mecca.
Over the course of the next year, the Knicks would acquire the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, and thus build a winning culture.
Since winning 54 games in 2012-13, however, the Knicks are just 117-211 in four seasons. Even if one subtracts the intentional tank job in 2014-15, New York has accumulated a record of 100-166 between 2013-14, 2015-16, and 2016-17.
Kristaps Porzingis represents a brighter future and Carmelo Anthony is a household name, but they’ve begun to look the part of DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay.
Anthony is clearly a better player than Gay, but wins and losses count more than individual statistics when fantasy basketball isn’t the discussion.
In recent days, the Knicks’ reputation has taken its most damaging hit yet. In true Sacramento Kings form, reports have surfaced that New York is open to the possibility of trading Porzingis—inits less volatile and more team-friendly version of Cousins.
It’s the one event that even the most bitter of Knicks fans never believed would come to fruition.
Phil on potential KP trade: "We're getting calls. We're listening, but we're not intrigued yet at this level."
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) June 22, 2017
Part of this is due diligence, but the shock value of shopping Porzingis after his second season is simply overwhelming.
Perhaps trading Porzingis would put the Knicks in a better long-term position. Jackson could bring back a haul that includes a Top 5 draft pick, a quality starter, and a young player who can be groomed into a star.
Regardless of what the package offered to New York may be, losing Porzingis would be symbolic of the dysfunction that has plagued New York since James Dolan took over as owner in the late 90s.
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The question is: Can the New York Knicks defeat their new rival in what should be an unnecessary pursuit of structural stability?