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The New York Knicks have been the subject of several NBA rumors in the past few months with the team looking to build upon a successful 2020-21 season. What moves could one of the league’s most storied franchises do in the offseason to bolster an already 'fast-moving product'?
After missing out on big-name free agents two years ago, no one expected the Knicks to reach the postseason this past campaign. But the hiring of eventual 2021 Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau proved to be a genius move by the New York Knicks as they went on to post the league’s fourth-best defense.
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Coupled with developments in the game of 2021's Most Improved Player Julius Randle, the Knicks entered the NBA Playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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NBA Rumors: What the New York Knicks need
The 2021 offseason started early for the New York Knicks after losing in the first round of the playoffs. Several NBA rumors have already popped up about what the Knicks will do.
One of their biggest needs is finding a player who will take the Knicks’ starting point guard position after Elfrid Payton failed to impress, and Derrick Rose was mostly brought in to be the team’s primary back up.
Aside from a starter at the point, the New York Knicks also need a backup center as they will likely lose Nerlens Noel to free agency. If Mitchell Robinson comes back from his injury better than ever, they will need a big man who can spell him for 15 minutes a game.
Here are our three bold predictions for the New York Knicks in the upcoming 2021 NBA offseason:
#3 The New York Knicks will move up in the NBA Draft
Zach Harper of The Athletic reported that the New York Knicks are looking to move up in the upcoming NBA Draft and land in the lottery.
“However, league sources tell The Athletic the Knicks are looking to package their two first-round picks to move up in the draft, possibly into the mid-lottery,” wrote Harper
The Knicks have a handful of picks to throw at a potential trade partner — no. 19, 21, 32, and 58. But even if they can package two of the picks to get to their coveted spot, they might consider putting together the lower two in a separate deal to acquire another player in the first round who can shore up their bench.
Ian Begley of SNY reported earlier that a member of an opposing franchise doesn’t believe the New York Knicks will want to have three rookies on their roster next season.
Expect the Knicks to have two rookies max on the roster, but none of them will be selected with the picks they own at this point.
#2 Elfrid Payton, Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox will be gone
Elfrid Payton wasn’t the answer at the starting point guard position for the New York Knicks this past season, with fans and the media criticizing Thibodeau for continuing to stick with the 27-year-old.
Don’t expect him to return to the Knicks next season after he was benched in the last three games of the first round of the playoffs.
After his playing time regressed to 9.8 minutes a game from 20.8 the year before, Frank Ntilikina will be gone from the roster in the offseason. Rookie Immanuel Quickley overtook him in the rotation because of Ntilikina’s inconsistent performances. Entering his fifth season, the New York Knicks are likely to move forward with another player who can fill his spot.
The same is true for Kevin Knox. After a promising rookie season, Knox has not developed into the player that the New York Knicks thought he could be. Over his three-year career, he is averaging 36.9 percent from the field, an atrocious shooting percentage that shows he hasn’t grasped the NBA game up to now.
The Knicks want to make a deep playoff run, and Knox just doesn’t work in their timeline.
The Knicks could put together a trade using any or all three to get a center to back up Robinson next season.
#1 New York Knicks will land Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball is the biggest name the New York Knicks will likely land in the offseason. According to a recent report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the New Orleans Pelicans are unlikely going to match “a significant offer sheet” for the restricted free agent Ball.
The Knicks will come knocking on Ball’s door and offer him around $20 million a year which is the market for his services. After two seasons in New Orleans, the 23-year-old guard is ready to head back and play for another big market team, and they don’t get bigger than the New York Knicks.
Ball is an excellent defender and a highly improved 3-point shooter (37.8% in 2020-21). He can run an offense and make defenses pay for leaving him open at the 3-point arc, something that you can't say about him in his first three years in the league. He had eight 3-pointers in a game twice this past regular season and made seven threes in two other contests.
He recorded a career-high 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game in his best campaign so far. Ball would help ease the load on Julius Randle’s shoulders after the New York Knicks big man averaged a career-best 6.0 assists per contest, leaving the 2021 M.I.P. to focus more on scoring and rebounding.
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