3 Knicks who might not return next season, 2 who definitely shouldn't be back

Player who definitely shouldn't be back: Alec Burks

Too many people ridiculed Tom Thibodeau for not playing Alec Burks more during the regular season, but that was only after his postseason appearance. In reality, Burks was unplayable in the 23 regular-season games he played after the trade. He averaged 6.5 points per game on 30.1% shooting from deep, a far cry from his averages in Detroit.

Burks showed up in the playoffs, though. As the injuries continued to pile up, he answered the call and averaged 14.8 points per game on 42.9% shooting from deep. He'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer and recently signed with Klutch Sports.

Given the other contracts the Knicks could dish out this offseason to OG Anunoby (player option), Isaiah Hartenstein (free agency), Jalen Brunson (extension eligible), Julius Randle (extension eligible), and Precious Achiuwa (restricted free agency), Burks is at the bottom of the list.

New York has one of the best financial outlooks in the league, but the front office needs to be careful about approaching the second tax apron. The Knicks don't need to pay Burks.