New York Knicks: Holiday wishlist for the 2017-18 NBA season
By Brad Wier
With the holiday season upon us, the best we can do is hope to receive the presents we most want from the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks have a much better record than expected and are sitting at 17-15 going into their Christmas Day matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers (14-18). Many experts picked this team to be one of the five worst teams in the NBA.
While a postseason birth is far from guaranteed, it’s obvious this team has talented pieces. The Knicks would be the No. 8 seed if the playoffs were to start today.
The Boston Celtics would most likely sweep them, but making the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13 would be a huge step forward.
Breaking a four-year playoff drought and establishing a winning culture could be just as valuable, if not more so, as getting a top draft pick after this season.
Best case scenario, the Knicks are the No. 5 or No. 6 seed and manage to win a playoff series. This success would solidify them as a quality team and a potential free agent location. No star player wants to join a rebuilding team or a team that has no future.
There’s a reason why teams like the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, and Brooklyn Nets have a hard time attracting free agents. A losing culture makes it hard to sell a team to a free agent.
That’s why Scott Perry wants to establish a winning culture instead of tanking for a high draft pick.
With all that being said, let’s take a look at our Knicks’ holiday wishlist and establish what this team should accomplish the rest of the season.