The New York Knicks and their fans are hungry to be relevant again. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has them back in the playoffs for the second time in three years, but the franchise has reached the postseason just six times since 2001. There have been plenty of down years and zero lottery luck to show for it.
22 Hall of Famers have played for the Knicks, and they have had 98 All-Stars in their 77 seasons as a franchise. New York is no stranger to marquee talent, and they have two championships under their belt. It has not always been this bad for the Knicks, and hopefully, this is just the beginning of another successful run.
Who are the best players that failed to reach the playoffs with the Knicks? Here is a look at their all-time starting five.
Knicks’ all-time starting 5: Players who never reached playoffs in New York
PG: Nate Robinson
Robinson was the 21st overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Suns, but he was traded to New York on draft night. The 5’9 point guard instantly cracked the rotation and became a spark off the bench for the Knicks. Robinson blocked Yao Ming during his rookie season and instantly became a fan favorite.
He played four and a half seasons in New York where he averaged 12.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 0.9 steals in 24.8 minutes per game. Robinson’s leaping ability was legendary, and it helped him win the Slam Dunk contest three times.
The undersized point guard was a joy to watch, but the Knicks struggled throughout his tenure in New York. They never won more than 33 games and did not sniff a postseason appearance. Robinson was traded to the Celtics in 2010 with Marcus Landry for J.R Giddens, Eddie House, and Henry Walker. Robinson played a diminished role off the bench as the Celtics reached the NBA Finals, and he was traded to Oklahoma City just one year later.
Nate Robinson was a must-watch, but the New York Knicks struggled during his tenure, and the point guard played significant playoff minutes just once in his 11 NBA seasons.
SG: Jamal Crawford
Crawford was a walking bucket throughout his 20-year NBA career. He played his first four years in Chicago before being traded to the Knicks with Jerome Williams for Dikembe Mutombo, Othella Harrington, Cezary Trybanski, and Frank Williams. JC was fresh off averaging 17.3 points and 5.1 assists per game in his final season with the Bulls, but Chicago won just 23 games.
Crawford produced monster numbers in the Big Apple, but the wins did not follow. Over his four-plus seasons with the Knicks, the 6’5 guard averaged 17.6 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 36.9 minutes per game. JC was mostly a starter in New York, but he would go on to be a three-time Sixth Man of the Year after leaving the Knicks. His team won just 112 games in his four full seasons in New York, but his ball-handling and scoring chops created some wild performances.
Jamal Crawford set his career-high in scoring with the Knicks in 2008 as he averaged over 20 points per game. He scored the 16th most points in the NBA that season, which was his final full year with the Knicks. Crawford was traded to Golden State for Al Harrington in November of 2008, and he began his decade-long run as one of the best sixth men in the league the following year.
It was not until 2010 that Crawford reach the playoffs for the first time, but his team qualified in eight of the next nine years. He continued to get buckets, but the guard never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs.
SF: Wilson Chandler
The Knicks selected Wilson Chandler with the 23rd overall pick in the 2007 draft. The franchise had missed the playoffs three straight years, and they got this selection from the Bulls in a trade two years earlier. New York needed a wing with Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury as their starting backcourt, and they were hoping Chandler could fill that void.
The 6’8 forward struggled to find a role as a rookie, but he became a starter in year two where he averaged 14.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks in 33.4 minutes per game. New York won just 32 games in their first year under Mike D’Antoni, but Chandler continued to blossom.
After three and a half seasons, the Knicks sent Chandler to Denver as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade. New York wanted to contend, and they needed a superstar to do that. One of the best scorers in the league became available, and the Knicks’ front office jumped on it.
Wilson Chandler was a productive role player for the Nuggets for six straight years after leaving the Big Apple, but his team never advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs. Still, his three career postseason appearances all came after leaving the Knicks as New York won just 84 games in his three full seasons with the team.
PF: Kristaps Porzingis
The Knicks slipped from second to fourth in the 2015 NBA Draft lottery, which meant missing out on D’Angelo Russell. They had just missed the playoffs for the second straight year, and New York desperately needed a second star next to Carmelo Anthony. The 7’3 big man with a jumper was oozing potential, and he was just too good for the Knicks to pass on.
Kristaps Porzingis was a starter from day one, and he earned the nickname “The Unicorn” for his unique ability to stretch the floor at his size. KP shot 36.1 percent from three-point range and blocked two shots per game during his time in New York. The 22-year-old earned his first All-Star appearance before a torn ACL ended his season and forced him to miss all of the 2018-2019 campaign.
In Jan. 2019, the Knicks traded Kristaps with Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee to Dallas for two first-round draft picks and three Mavericks starters. All three players quickly exited New York, including Dennis Smith Jr., who was a lottery pick in 2017, but the Knicks are still waiting for one of those first-round picks to convey.
Kristaps Porzingis has struggled to stay healthy throughout his NBA career, but he produces monster numbers whenever he is on the floor. He is on pace to set a new career-high in scoring and has netted over 20 points each night for five straight years.
C: Eddy Curry
Curry was viewed as the number one high school player in the country in 2001, so he decided to skip college and go directly to the draft. The seven-footer was taken fourth overall by the Chicago Bulls. There were significant expectations placed on the teenager, and he continued to improve throughout his four years in Chicago.
Curry averaged 16.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 28.7 minutes per game during the 2004-2005 season. He had Chicago primed to make the playoffs before being hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat. The Bulls were eliminated in the first round as Curry remained unable to play.
He was traded to the Knicks in Oct. of 2005 in a deal that did not work out for New York. They gave up one first-round pick and a swap to acquire the seven-footer, who last played consistent NBA minutes at age 25. Curry had three productive years in New York, but the Knicks won just 79 total contests during the stretch.
Eddy Curry did have the best season of his career with the Knicks where he averaged 19.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 35.2 minutes per game. He played 81 games in the 2006-2007 campaign where he proved he could be a starting center, but injuries took a toll on his career.
The New York Knicks have struggled to make the playoffs in recent years, and Eddy Curry never played in an NBA postseason game. Can the Knicks turn things around and become an annual participant in the playoffs? Stay tuned to find out.
9 Players the New York Knicks gave up on way too soon
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