We shouldn’t expect the New York Knicks to succeed during the 2019-20 season, because the future lies ahead. This off-season, they didn’t bring in any superstar players but did manage to bring in several savvy veterans. With the roster overhaul and a plethora of youth on the team, the Knicks are in good shape moving forward. Building for the future is the most crucial goal for the organization, and they have built a solid foundation with the youth and veteran experience.
Drafting third overall pick RJ Barrett in the most recent NBA draft and signing Julius Randle, a young scoring option from the New Orleans Pelicans puts the team in a good position with upward momentum.
The Knicks are loaded with young, talented players with an average age of 24.3, the fourth-youngest team in the NBA. That is an excellent thing after years of shoddy drafting and inadequate signings.
Players such as Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., Allonzo Trier, and Damyean Dotson represent the future for the team and the next generation of talent.
The primary question for the upcoming season is, are the Knicks in a position to compete for the playoffs?
With the talent on the roster, I would say they are capable of making a postseason push, but it will take time for them to develop chemistry and learn from their mistakes after a 17 win season in 2018.
The second-year players on the roster will need to elevate their game significantly, and the veterans will need to help supplement the deficiencies. They now have several quality shooters and defensive options on the team.
I anticipate Knox and Robinson to have much better campaigns after struggling at times last year. Robinson seems primed to develop into one of the leagues top centers and Knox has worked tirelessly to improve his game after a historically bad season.
Giving them the benefit of the doubt it’s justifiable, though. The youngsters last year didn’t have the veteran leadership and support to grow progressively. This season we should see a transformation of the team and a much better performance overall.