New York Knicks: 5 steps for a successful offseason

5) Take a risk

This is the important step, even if it seems like a nebulous one. The NBA is no different than any other business: successful organizations eventually need to take risks to succeed.

Under Steve Mills and Scott Perry, for the most part, the Knicks were risk-averse in their roster-building approach, signing players to short-term deals and refusing to trade draft capital for near-term help.

Of course, the biggest risk by the Mills/Perry regime was trading Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas in order to clear cap space in hopes of signing multiple superstar free agents. While the Knicks swung-and-missed on free agency the following summer, with Porzingis undergoing another surgery to repair a lateral meniscus in his right knee, it’s yet to be decided whether the risk of trading a budding All-Star will pay off for New York since they still have two future first round picks owed to them from Dallas, plus whatever they can salvage from Dennis Smith Jr.

With Leon Rose now calling the shots at MSG, the most obvious risk he could take this offseason would be to use the added draft capital acquired in the Porzingis trade, along with some of their young players, to acquire veteran help. There have been rumors the Knicks are considering a trade package for Victor Oladipo. New York is also connected to future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul.

Saying the Knicks should “take a risk” is not the same as saying they should make a bad trade. As I mentioned earlier, this front office should keep their 2020 draft picks unless a deal materializes that blows them out of the water.

But they can’t be afraid to make a move just because it isn’t the “safest” move to make. This could mean drafting someone 8th overall who is considered a reach, but this front office believes could be a game changer. It could mean signing a free agent like Harry Giles because you believe he can become a healthy and productive player in the right environment.

Whatever it is, if this offseason passes without the new front office pushing some chips to the middle of the table to try to improve the team, I would be disappointed.