At a fateful point in human history, someone thought, “I wonder if that sticky stuff leaking from my maple tree would be good on a pan-fried breakfast cake,” and that person was a visionary. We need those people in the world.
Forward-thinking is necessary for improvement. This is as true for the New York Knicks as it is all other walks of life.
So you cannot blame Knicks fans who are looking toward the future with thoughts like, “Are we winning too much? Are guys playing too many minutes? Is Immanuel Quickley playing enough? Is the winning sustainable? What will be Julius Randle’s value at the trade deadline? What disgruntled superstar should the Knicks chase next?”
If you have scrolled through Knicks twitter, downloaded a Knicks podcast, or tuned your radio to a Knicks call-in show, you’ve likely heard some or all of these questions.
Make no mistake: they’re all totally fair and understandable questions to ask, and rest assured the Knicks front office and coaching staff should be grappling with them. Reflection is the key to growth.
But not us. Not Knicks fans.
No, Knicks fans are the pancakes in this situation. Just soak it up and be fat and happy.
As of writing this, the New York Knicks are on a 2-game losing streak and find themselves right outside the playoffs. Both losses have been within reach.
They’ve shown that they are very much in playoff contention despite every major news outlet and fanbase giving this team no chance of any significant winning this season.
Why does this Knicks team feel so different?
Put plainly: this team is having fun.
The issue with doing too much forward-thinking is it can be easy to forget the past. Yes, losing ball games is the right thing to do at times — especially with this draft class — but who had any fun watching last year’s team slog their way to 21-45?
99% of the fanbase was willing to trade Julius Randle for pancake flour this past offseason. Now, he looks like the All-Star Knicks fans have been waiting for.
Immanuel Quickley has shown flashes that he could be the team’s point guard of the future. He already looks like a Rookie of The Year candidate.
All of this is being done in a way that feels cohesive and sustainable.
It is fun to be a Knicks fan for the first time in a while. Let’s just enjoy the ride.