As the New York Knicks continue their search for a new head coach, something unexpected has happened: The Eastern Conference is a lot better. For their own sake, the Knicks better be taking notice—and acting accordingly.
Prevailing consensus has largely decided the East will be wide-open next season as the Boston Celtics embrace a one-year break (or longer) from title contention while Jayson Tatum recovers from a ruptured right Achilles injury. The same goes for the Indiana Pacers, and Tyrese Haliburton’s own right Achilles injury.
This is all to some extent true. But the thing about wide-open doors is that pretty much anyone can walk through them. And not only is the East already proving to have replacements for the Pacers and Celtics line up, but the top of the conference may actually be even more jumbled when all’s said and done.
Impactful trades are already sweeping the East, and they’re not even done
Free agency hasn’t even started, and already three should-be major players in the East are looking much better for wear.
The Cleveland Cavaliers just acquired the shooting and defensive stylings of Lonzo Ball while sending out only Isaac “Can’t Really Play in the Postseason” Okoro. This move guarantees the departure of Ty Jerome, but it improves Cleveland’s floor-spacing, defense, and transition attack. Most of all, along with re-signing Sam Merrill, it helps preserve the Cavs’ depth.
Kristaps Porzingis is headed to the Atlanta Hawks, a team that now has the look and feel of an East contender if everyone stays healthy. What’s more, as Jake Fischer reports for the Stein Line, the Hawks aren’t done. They have a $25 million cheat code that could be used to acquire another top-of-the-rotation upgrade.
Don’t forget about the Orlando Magic, either. They gave up a bunch to get Desmond Bane, but he fixes so many of their issues that it’ll be a genuine shock if they aren’t a top-three seed next season.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons are clearly itching to make upgrades. They were in on Naz Reid before he re-signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to Fischer. With plenty of flexibility, a handful of intriguing prospects, and all of their own first-rounders, the Pistons have the resources and motivation to do something spicy.
The same can be said for the Toronto Raptors after Masai Ujiri’s sudden departure. (Note: He was totally fired.) Their record last year screams “Rebuilding!” But the talent and redundancies on their roster are ripe for a consolidation trade.
The Philadelphia 76ers just added V.J. Edgecombe to a Big Three that can still be dangerous if healthy. And if there’s anything we know about Daryl Morey, it’s that he’s a sucker for big-time swings.
Nobody should be sleeping on the Milwaukee Bucks. In fact, Knicks fans should be rooting for them. Giannis Antetokounmpo currently seems as if he’ll stay put, which increases the chances of New York trading for him next summer. But it also means the Bucks will be a threat, even without Damian Lillard.
The Knicks can’t afford to wait around this offseason
This is why many are up in arms about the Knicks’ coaching search taking so long. It isn’t because they didn’t have Tom Thibodeau’s replacement immediately teed up. It’s because not having a coach puts them on delay, if not at a disadvantage, during free agency. And it also suggests they won’t be too active on the trade market.
New York is already handcuffed enough without adding another obstacle to the fold. The front office has no first-rounders to trade, and can only spend up to the mini mid-level exception of $5.7 million in free agency.
Somehow, someway, the Knicks must turn their limited resources and flexibility into real, viable, impactful depth. Running back the same roster with a new head coach was never going to be enough. Amid the chaos that’s already unfolded in the East, and all the bedlam that’s assured to follow in the coming days and weeks and months, the Knicks need to nail this offseason more than ever—not with reckless changes, but with moves that matter.