New York Knicks taking massive risk, preparing for 2021 offseason

New York Knicks, RJ Barrett
Feb 9, 2020; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) dribbles against Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) during the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Some might call what New York Knicks president Leon Rose is doing a massive risk, and others might say the conclusion of the 2020 offseason was inevitable.

The Knicks didn’t manage to land a single max contract or star player, being passed on by Fred VanVleet and missing out on point guard Chris Paul. Rose was confident he could lure a big name to The Garden, but the alternative has turned more into a rebuilding state than anything else.

New coach Tom Thibodeau has a tall task ahead of him, piecing together a rotation of starting quality players. The Knicks have plenty of options at every position but don’t have sure-fire starters, hosting five Kentucky players and too many point guards to count.

The approach taken by Rose was initially optimistic, but the Knicks’ current state was a repellent for big names in free agency. Instead, they are hoping to develop their youth and prepare for the 2021 off-season.

“They took a conservative approach by signing one-year, stopgap players,’’ ESPN’s cap guru and former Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks told The Post. “This is a huge year for RJ [Barrett], [Kevin] Knox and Obi from a development stage. It’s important for the young kids to develop this season. That will be the draw to free agents.”

The New York Knicks are in a good position either way:

The alternative to signing big names was to bring in stopgap players and build a foundation around the youngsters. Both angles are seen as justifiable, as the Knicks are hoping to land a big name in 2021 to complement their bevy of young studs. They have RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley to develop a team around, not to mention center Mitchell Robinson.

However, this method is still a massive risk, based on the simple fact that the Knicks could end up being awful again next season. This would hurt their chances of appealing to some bigger names once again, so it ultimately depends on Thibodeau putting together a good system the players can thrive in. Luckily, eighth overall pick Toppin is NBA-ready at 22-years-old, and Quickley can act as a solid swing shooter.

Creating a mirage that the Knicks are a good landing spot is exactly what they need to do, so winning games should play a big part in that.