"Always have the second-best player": Kenny Smith launches scathing attack on New York Knicks being average team

The New York Knicks are doing a solid job this season, at 12-5 and fifth in the Eastern Conference. They're tied with the Philadelphia 76ers, who are in fourth. However, despite being able to keep up with the top teams in the East, NBA analyst Kenny Smith isn't satisfied with their current roster.

During the pregame show before the matchup between the Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks, Smith gave his two cents on what the Knicks lack. "The Jet" believes that New York is a midlevel team and will continue to stay that way if the organization doesn't secure a legitimate star player.

“This is why the Knicks are gonna stay in the middle," Smith said (at the 0:49 mark). "Every game that they play, they always have the second-best player. … You don’t have the best player on the floor no night.”

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Are the New York Knicks in dire need of a legitimate star player?

Mitchell Robinson

The New York Knicks are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season. However, some believe that they will never become contenders if they don't acquire a legitimate star. Looking at the top guys carrying the Knicks at the moment, they have Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle.

On paper, they don't seem like a formidable team to go up against given how only Randle is the former All-Star between them. But if looking at how they've performed despite lacking star power, it's safe to say that they're making the most out of what they can.

Brunson is the Knicks' top player, averaging 24.9 points, 5.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game. Nothing too impressive, but he's definitely keeping up with some of the league's other stars. The next player who's just as good as Brunson is Randle, who's averaging a double-double with 20.4 ppg and 10.2 rpg.

Given how the New York Knicks' current one-two punch has performed this season, they're fine at the moment. However, Kenny Smith makes the point that if the Knicks want to take it to the next level, it wouldn't hurt if they acquired a bigger star.