The New York Knicks had an extremely lackluster 2021-2022 season, which was something many of their fans didn’t expect to happen. The team entered the year with lots of hope, as they were coming off their first postseason appearance since the 2012-2013 season.
Things went south for New York quickly, as former All-Star Julius Randle struggled to get into a rhythm all year and the offseason signings proved to be duds. Injuries also factored into the team’s struggles, with key players such as Nerlens Noel missing the majority of the season.
The Knicks also couldn’t find a reliable true point guard all year. Last season, the heroics from Derrick Rose at the point was a huge reason the Knicks were able to make it to the playoffs. This year, he couldn’t stay healthy and the Kemba Walker experiment failed miserably.
3 ways the New York Knicks can improve in preparation for 2022-23
Whether it means moving on from current players, bringing in new talent, or even both, the front office has a lot of work to do this offseason. Changes are certainly going to be made to the roster this summer, as the Knicks are nowhere near ready to compete with the top teams in the East.
With that being said, let’s go over three things that New York could do to become a winning basketball team next year.
1. The Knicks must find a PG for next season
Not having a primary ball-handler hurt the Knicks on too many occasions during the season. It forced wing players such as Alec Burks and RJ Barrett to take on that challenge. Both players would’ve certainly been more productive if the team had a point guard to take pressure off of them.
In close games down the stretch, the Knicks’ offense took a huge step back, as they frequently turned the ball over and struggled to get guys going. If the team had a true and reliable point guard, then maybe New York could’ve sneaked into the playoffs.
The Knicks had an awful passing offense in 2021-22, with a league-worst 21.9 team assists per game.
New York’s search for a point guard has been taking place for far too long. The team can easily trade for a reliable point guard, as there will likely be plenty of talented players available in the offseason, via trade or free agency.
The Knicks could also look in house and solve their problem that way. During New York’s stretch of games to close out the year, second-year guard Immanuel Quickley convinced fans that he’s capable of taking over the position with his play.
With his triple-double tonight Immanuel Quickley (22 years, 290 days) is now the 2nd youngest player in @nyknicks franchise history to record a triple-double, trailing only: Kenny Sears (22 years, 140 days).
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 4, 2022
Immanuel Quickley: 20 PTS, 10 REB, 10 AST pic.twitter.com/ogxWVlk43K
Quickley certainly has the tools to become the point guard of the Knicks, but there are still other options that New York should consider. Finding a point guard should be a top priority for the Knicks heading into next season.