Daily Knicks
Fansided

New York Knicks: Making the case for an all-out rebuild

By Daniel Lubofsky

GREENBURG, NY - JULY 17: New York Knicks team President, Steve Mills and Jeff Hornacek of the New York Knicks introduce General Manager Scott Perry at a pess conference at the at Knicks Practice Center July 17, 2017 in Greenburg, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
GREENBURG, NY - JULY 17: New York Knicks team President, Steve Mills and Jeff Hornacek of the New York Knicks introduce General Manager Scott Perry at a pess conference at the at Knicks Practice Center July 17, 2017 in Greenburg, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

After surprising teams early on, the New York Knicks have gone 4-6 inovertheir last 10 games. If they’re serious about a rebuild, the Knicks would take it as a sign that they’re just not ready yet.

There comes a point in every great rebuild where the rebuilding has to stop and the winning must start. Look no further than the Philadelphia 76ers as the perfect example.

With Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid fully healthy, and Markelle Fultz and J.J. Redick brought in, the 76ers had enough talent on the roster to start being competitive in the hopes of grooming this team for a possible championship run in the future.

For all the pleasantries the New York Knicks have given fans so far this season, their roster suggests they should still be working on building one that can grow into a championship contender.

Yes, as general manager Scott Perry alluded to before Saturday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, there’s something to be said about building a winning culture, which is achieved through the desire to win, no matter the circumstances.

And yes, it would be nice for the Knicks to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. But this roster is filled with question marks.

Kristaps Porzingis has proven to be a superstar on the rise, but what about everyone else? The jury is still out on Frank Ntilikina. The same could be argued with Tim Hardaway Jr.

Is Doug McDermott really our small forward of the future? Remember Willy Hernangomez?

Then there are the veterans on this team. Guys like Courtney Lee and Enes Kanter have played above expectations so far this season, but are they a part of the future?

There are teams, both playoff and championship hopefuls, that can use guys like Lee and Kanter. Their trade values are at an all-time high. Would those teams have young players to give in return? Maybe, but that’s not why they should be traded.

The reason to trade Lee and Kanter, along with guys like Lance Thomas and Kyle O’Quinn, is because this is not the roster the Knicks should try to win with.

It’s my opinion that Scott Perry’s flaw is not thinking of the bigger picture.

Competing when the roster is not ready to seriously compete will only put the team in the dreaded category of mediocrity.

What the Knicks need to do is strip the roster of those veterans, thereby freeing up more time for their young players.

This will not only lead to rapid improvement from guys like Ntilikina and Hernangomez, but it will also allow the Knicks to increase their lottery odds.

Doing so will allow the Knicks to acquire even more young talent. With guys like Marvin Bagley III and Michael Porter Jr. expected to headline a talented 2018 draft class, it would make lots of sense for the Knicks to fully commit to the rebuild.

While it would be upsetting to see fan favorites such as O’Quinn and Kanter go, the Knicks need players with higher ceilings than that of their veterans, and they need to find out if their young studs can reach it.

There comes a point in every team rebuild where enough assets have been collected and the time comes to start winning.

With Porzingis, Ntilikina, Hardaway, and Hernangomez, the Knicks have a nice foundation in place. But, if they want to contend for championships, they first have to make sure they have a roster that can contend for one.

This starts by stripping the roster bare and allowing these young guys to prove they can headline a winner, or continuing to acquire young talent until they do.

Must Read: Keys to defeating the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 12

Either way, winning now could mean losing later for the New York Knicks.

Home/Knicks News