NBA Today: 5 Teams that should be looking to tank in the 2019-20 season 

#1 New York Knicks

RJ Barrett in the Summer League

Remember when everyone thought the Knicks would get Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Zion Williamson? Unfortunately, things did not turn out that way. The Knicks not only failed to sign Durant and Irving but missed out on Williamson after the Pelicans won the first pick. But the Knicks still managed to get a talented player in the draft. The Knicks drafted RJ Barrett.

Barrett was a teammate of Williamson during their time at Duke. The two players played well together and proved why they should be top picks in the draft. Then, the teammates were the top three picks.

In college, Barrett averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. Barrett is a player that does a bit of everything. He scores in different ways and rebounds. One of his biggest issues is his decision making. If he makes better decisions when handling the ball, he can become a go-to player for the Knicks.

While Barrett is talented, the Knicks need more. They signed players such as Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, and Taj Gibson but it is not enough. Their free-agent signings may help them win a few more games, but they won't help them improve as a team. However, all is not lost. The Knicks have young players like Kevin Knox (who they drafted ninth in 2018), Dennis Smith Jr., and Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks have a few building blocks they can develop and make them key players for their roster. It is a decent start.

The Knicks are a large market team but could not land high-profile free agents. This summer showed that they cannot rely on big names to turn their roster around. If anything, they should focus on building a young core. Then, they do not have to go into the season with uncertainty. If they focus on their core more than free agents, they'll have players like Barrett to lead them into the future. All they would need is more to put around him.

The Knicks are a team that want to improve. If they have pieces to build around but need at least one more to become a better team. If the Knicks tank in 2019-20, they'll have a chance to gain that player.