One underrated aspect of Leon Rose's Knicks rebuild nobody talks about

Three years ago, the New York Knicks were a few months removed from their first-round playoff exit against the Hawks. Hopes were high entering 2021-22, but little did fans know that the Knicks would end the season out of Play-In Tournament contention. Confidence in the organzation plummented .

Fans didn't know what was coming. New York changed the organization's trajectory that offseason when it signed Jalen Brunson to a four-year deal in free agency. The front office was clowned, but not for long. Brunson quickly looked like the point guard fans had waited so long for.

The Knicks went from an afterthought to a contender in the past two years. Leon Rose has constructed the perfect team. He's been rightfully praised for the signings he's made to get New York to where it is, but what hasn't been talked about enough is the risks he's taken — or, should we say, the calculated risks he's taken.

Leon Rose has transformed the Knicks organization

This time last year, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were still in New York. Fans were hopeful that Quickley and the Knicks would agree on an extension, but when one didn't happen by the deadline, the writing was on the wall. However, the Dec. 30 trade came out of nowhere.

Barrett wasn't the star everyone hoped he'd be in New York, while Quickley was better than expected. Rose and the Knicks got by without sending the Raptors a first-round pick for OG Anunoby, but IQ was the equivalent of that. Fans were initially disappointed to see two homegrown talents go, but it was a necessary move.

It turns out the move was best for both sides. Barrett's looked like a much better player in Toronto, Quickley got paid, and Anunoby is a better fit in New York's starting lineup than Barrett. Don't forget about Precious Achiuwa. He exceeded expectations in the second half of last season and re-signed with the Knicks on a one-year deal.

Looking at other trades Leon has orchestrated, none have been more impactful than the Josh Hart deal. New York traded Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, Svi Mykhailiuk, and a protected first-round pick to Portland for Hart.

Reddish hadn't been in the rotation. Some fans thought he didn't get a fair shot and were initially wary of the trade, but it was a winning deal for the Knicks. Reddish was another underperforming lottery pick (although the Knicks didn't draft him), and Leon turned him into one of the team's key players. What would New York be without Hart?

Building a title contender isn't easy. Rose inherited a mess. He's worked miracles the past four years, and that's not an exaggeration.