Just two more weeks for the New York Knicks and their fans. Well, 16 days, to be exact. May 14, 2019, the draft lottery; the most important day in Knicks franchise history. Then, it is just 48 more days until July 1. Another day that is astronomically important to the future of the New York Knicks.
But now, we have to play the waiting game as Knicks fans. And part of that game is hypotheticals. You know, the endless hours spent configuring different potential lineups and scenarios for next season and beyond. A tweet this morning from the ESM Knicks account got me thinking:
What if the Knicks just got Zion, but no KD or Kyrie or Vice Versa?
Would that still be ok with Knicks fans? #NewYorkForever— Fireside Knicks (@FiresideKnicks) April 28, 2019
So, let’s come to a conclusion. Zion but no KD/Kyrie, or KD/Kyrie, but no Zion?
The Zion Williamson Scenario:
To start, let’s examine the first scenario. The Knicks win the draft lottery. They get the man who is heralded as the best prospect since Anthony Davis with the number one pick. However, they strike out in free agency and don’t add any top-line guys.
In this scenario, the Knicks add a highly-talented player, but are still a long ways from being a championship contender. The young players who showed promise this year, such as Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., Kevin Knox, Allonzo Trier, Damyean Dotson may improve, but just adding Zion – amazing as he may be – won’t lead to anything more than a first-round playoff exit next season, and maybe no playoffs at all.
Of course, this scenario is a long-term move. Once Zion gets a few years under his belt, he likely becomes a top-20 player in the league. Then add pieces around him, that championship window theoretically opens up.
However, I question whether or not Williamson will ever be the best player on a championship team in the league. Sure, he was amazing in college, but his game is built on physically overwhelming opponents. That won’t be easy in the NBA. I think he will be a 20/10 guy every night. But in order to get into that top-tier player category, he’ll have to significantly improve his jump shot and handle.
The KD and Kyrie Scenario:
This scenario would include the Knicks falling in the lottery. Let’s say to the fifth pick, which their odds are 49% for – and selecting a player such as Virginia’s DeAndre Hunter. Hunter is a solid player who can contribute in the NBA, but he is certainly no Zion. The disappointment of lottery night would soon be erased when the team lands both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Free Agency.
Durant has, in my opinion, proven himself to be the best player in the world in the playoffs, and Irving has carried a Boston Celtics team to a perfect 5-0 record so far. Both players are bonafide superstars, and are capable of being the best player on a championship-level team. The duo would be a fantastic pairing, with Irving acting as the primary ball-handler and facilitator, and Durant being set free to maximize his scoring capabilities.
While a player like Hunter has some long-term upside, this scenario would primarily focus on the now, when Durant and Irving are in the middle of their respective primes. Signing both players would immediately vault the Knicks into a tier of about five other teams with legitimate championship aspirations. Only a handful of teams would be able to match the type of offensive firepower of this squad. While they probably wouldn’t win the championship in their first year, they might become the favorites in years two, three, or four of the two players’ contracts.
The Verdict
Personally, I would much rather the second scenario happen. Sure, I’d be bummed about not getting Zion – if not only for his amazing highlights at MSG – but adding a solid player like Hunter, and then signing two full-fledged superstars would be an unbelievable consolation prize. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I do have questions about Zion’s potential to be a top ten player in the league, and getting two surefire top ten guys is preferential to me.
With Durant and Irving in the fold, the minimum expectation for the Knicks would be a second round playoff exit. That’s something the team hasn’t had since the one year in 2012-13, and who knows when before that. If the second scenario were to happen, the New York Knicks would have an admissible shot at an NBA Championship. Yes, I just said that. And to me, that’s worth missing out on a player like Zion Williamson.
Feel free to give your thoughts in the comments, or on Twitter. Would you rather have Zion Williamson OR Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving?