New York Knicks: Rebuild strategy already alienating fans

The New York Knicks are committed to a rebuild. Yet, through two regular season games, some are already questioning the direction of the rebuild.

Coming into this season, it was well-documented that the New York Knicks, after many seasons of mediocrity, would be at the beginning stages of a rebuild.

During the offseason, they hired a new general manager in Scott Perry after parting ways with Phil Jackson. They traded franchise player Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder. And they acquired two young backcourt players in Frank Ntilikina and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Combine those two with an already interesting frontcourt in Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez, and the Knicks looked to have a foundation with which to start the rebuilding process.

Except, while the season is only two games deep, it remains to be seen what type of rebuild the Knicks are going for.

Head coach Jeff Hornacek has said all the right things, stressing a culture rebuild and a commitment to defense. But his odd rotation choices say otherwise.

In the two games the Knicks have played this season, two of the Knicks’ supposed building blocks have barely touched the floor.

After being selected to the All-Rookie First Team last season, Willy Hernangomez has played a grand total of three minutes in two games, all coming in garbage time against the Thunder.

While he missed the game against the Detroit Pistons with an ankle sprain, Ntilikina didn’t fare much better, playing only seven minutes against OKC.

It’d be one thing if the guys getting minutes ahead of these young guns had an actual talent level worth giving minutes to, which is at least true of Hernangomez’s position.

Enes Kanter is a reliable low post option and a fantastic rebounder on both sides of the ball. But at the bare minimum, Hernangomez should be the first big off the bench—ahead of Kyle O’Quinn, despite the 27-year-old’s terrific energy off the bench.

But why is Ramon Sessions playing 32 minutes against OKC when Ntilikina can’t even crack double digits?

Sessions is a solid player, but he’s signed to a one-year contract and projects more as a backup/mentor than a starting point guard.

Ntilikina is supposed to be the point guard of the future. While he’s very raw, he won’t be able to improve if he’s not learning from his mistakes.

The idea that young players should sit on the bench and learn by observing is foreign to me. The best teacher is experience. It allows players to get a feel for the game while also gaining an understanding of what is required from them on a nightly basis.

Hernangomez and Ntilikina aren’t inherently better than Kanter and Sessions, but the Knicks are supposed to be in the midst of a rebuild.

The goal of this season should not be to see how many wins the team can obtain. That will only lead to a playoff appearance as a lower seed, which will likely end after four games. That’s the best case scenario.

The objective should be to give the young guys as much run as possible, allowing them to grow as players and future leaders of this team.

This rebuild will not be successful if veterans with no real future on the squad are taking minutes away from the players who will eventually be trusted with helping this team win when it really matters.

If the Knicks are serious about a rebuild, it’s their obligation to throw these young players to the wolves and live with whatever results they produce.

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That’s the first step in any rebuilding process. As of right now, the New York Knicks have already fallen behind the curve.