3 reasons why Knicks’ key offseason moves will pay off in 2022-23

The New York Knicks have been involved in a multitude of rumors this offseason, whether it was attempting to trade up in the NBA draft for fifth overall pick Jaden Ivey or nearly completing a blockbuster deal for Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.

Neither of those deals ended up materializing, but the front office still made a series of acquisitions and signings over the summer designed to make the roster better in both the short and long term.

While the team didn’t make any franchise-altering moves in free agency or via trade, their offseason should still be considered a success and also result in an increased win total next year.

The front office could potentially make another trade or two before the start of the regular season, but they’ve already done enough to show that they’ve built an improved roster regardless. Here are three reasons why.

3 reasons why the New York Knicks’ offseason transactions will pay off

3: Removing the abundance of veterans to allow minutes for the young core

The Knicks dealt away veterans Kemba Walker, Alec Burks, and Nerlens Noel in a couple of trades this summer while attaching future second-round picks to move off the last year of their respective deals. They also let Taj Gibson walk in free agency, and he ended up signing with the Washington Wizards.

A major problem that the team had last year was that young players often weren’t able to get consistent minutes due to the glut of veterans at nearly every rotation spot. This issue was only amplified when the team wasn’t winning enough to justify the older lineup.

Now, fans should expect to see players such as Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Cam Reddish, Miles McBride, and Jericho Sims have increased minutes-per-game numbers compared to last season. Summer League standout Quentin Grimes could get a shot at the starting shooting guard spot.

It ultimately comes down to whether or not head coach Tom Thibodeau is willing to budge on his traditionally veteran-filled rotations.

However, the abundance of young talent on the roster combined with the lack of veterans should lead to a more youth-focused approach this upcoming season.

2: Retaining and extending core pieces

Speaking of youth, the front office made sure to lock up two of the team’s most successful recent draft picks for the foreseeable future.

Mitchell Robinson re-signed with the team on a four-year, $60 million deal to remain the starting center back in July.

While his career has been a bit of a roller coaster, it’s worth noting that Robinson set a career-high in rebounding this past season (8.6) while also setting a career low in fouls per game (2.7). After rehabbing for the entire 2021 offseason, he should be back to continue his upward developmental trend as he’s had a fully healthy summer.

A couple of months after signing Robinson, after a series of potential trade talks with the Utah Jazz, the Knicks gave RJ Barrett a contract extension for four years, $107 million that could be worth up to $120 million in incentives.

Barrett has had an extremely solid career so far and has shown more than enough flashes to assume that there may be some All-Star appearances in his future. He’s improved his scoring average each season that he’s been in the league, putting up exactly 20 points last year.

He’s showcased his talent and upside countless times over the past season, such as his 46-point outburst against the Miami Heat and their top-five defense as well as his 36 point, eight rebound, five assist effort against the Los Angeles Lakers that earned him postgame praise from LeBron James himself.

At just 22 years old, his best basketball is almost certainly still ahead of him. Extending him was the correct move to make, and it’s even better considering that the front office didn’t need to hand out a max contract in order to do so.

1: Signing the right players in free agency

Perhaps the team’s most impactful move of the summer was luring rising point guard Jalen Brunson away from the Dallas Mavericks, where he’ll now be allowed to step into a larger offensive role for the team that he grew up cheering for.

Brunson averaged a modest 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists last season, although his numbers should likely increase now that he’s not playing alongside a ball-dominant superstar like Luka Doncic.

Some of Brunson’s best skills are his ability to get into the paint and finish efficiently as well as the talent to create his own shots, which are both areas in which the Knicks struggled mightily last season.

Given a larger role combined with his constant improvement while he was in Dallas, it isn’t difficult to see Brunson potentially battling it out for an Eastern Conference All-Star spot as well sometime during his upcoming Knicks tenure.

The front office was also able to pry backup center Isaiah Hartenstein away from the Los Angeles Clippers in July, who should be a major upgrade over the oft-injured Noel. Hartenstein is known for his hard screens and soft touch around the basket combined with a sizable amount of shot-blocking talent. He’s also just 24 years old.

The Knicks had a hectic offseason, but their flurry of under-the-radar trades, contract extensions, and free agent signings should help them return to playing competitive basketball on a nightly basis and to a season that lasts longer than 82 games.

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