{"id":46867,"date":"2022-04-14T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2022-04-14T12:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=46867"},"modified":"2022-04-13T15:15:27","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T19:15:27","slug":"new-york-knicks-steps-to-improvement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2022\/04\/14\/new-york-knicks-steps-to-improvement\/","title":{"rendered":"New York Knicks: Steps to Improvement"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New York Knicks experienced a phenomenal season last year compared to their previous standards.\u00a0Julius Randle<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>emerged as an All-Star,\u00a0RJ Barrett<\/a><\/strong> showed more promise, and veterans like\u00a0Derrick Rose<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>stepped up in a major way. Sure, the Knicks lost in the first round of the playoffs, but there was clear potential.<\/p>\n

New York went into the offseason looking to improve. Things did not go that way, however. The\u00a0Kemba Walker<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>experiment failed, whereas\u00a0Evan Fournier<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>continues to prove to be overpaid. As a result, the Knicks finished 37-45 this season and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Here’s how the Knicks can improve this offseason and bolster their playoff chances next season.<\/p>\n

New York Knicks: Steps to Improvement<\/h2>\n

1. Find a True Point Guard<\/h3>\n

Walker didn’t work out. Rose was injured for most of the year and is best suited for a role off the bench.\u00a0Immanuel Quickley<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is a promising young guard, but not necessarily a point guard. Due to all of this, the Knicks opted for\u00a0Alec Burks<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>as their starting point guard. Burks, overall, is a solid player and good for the Knicks. What he’s not, however, is a true point guard, especially a starter for a team with playoff aspirations. New York desperately needs a true one to operate the offense.<\/p>\n

There’s always the draft, but it’s unlikely the Knicks find an immediate starter there, especially in a class that’s big man heavy at the very top. The trade market could be an option, but the best bet is likely to be free agency.<\/p>\n

Jalen Brunson<\/a><\/strong>, or even potentially Anfernee Simons<\/a>, <\/strong>are ideal options. Secondary options, to form a rotation with a healthy Rose, would be\u00a0Ricky Rubio<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0Tyus Jones<\/a><\/strong>, and\u00a0Dennis Schroder<\/a><\/strong>. Perhaps the secondary options aren’t ideal, but they remain an improvement.<\/p>\n

2. Draft an Immediate Contributor<\/h3>\n

The draft is an ideal place to find “cheaper” immediate help. New York will be drafting in the lottery, so they can certainly find immediate help. Hypothetically, it would be great if they can jump higher in the lottery. These odds are low, however, so the Knicks will likely be drafting in the 10-14 range.<\/p>\n

There will be a plethora of options here. New York can opt for options such as\u00a0Johnny Davis<\/strong><\/a> or Bennedict Mathurin<\/strong><\/a>. An even more immediate option, but one with perhaps a lower ceiling, is\u00a0Ochai Agbaji<\/strong><\/a>. These will be the quickest options for help outside of younger options.<\/p>\n

3. The New York Knicks Must Go for the Big Trade<\/h3>\n

Looking at the Knicks roster, it can be assumed that all players are openly available for trade outside of Barrett. If it’s for the real big fish, then Barrett could potentially be available as well.<\/p>\n

Of course, it’s probably too early to imagine who could be on the trade market. Options, however, could potentially include the Utah Jazz duo of\u00a0Donovan Mitchell<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Rudy Gobert<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0Malcolm Brogdon<\/a><\/strong>, and perhaps even\u00a0Damian Lillard<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

All of these players are fantastic options to add, the guards perhaps rank higher should the Knicks retain center\u00a0Mitchell Robinson<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It will help, as well, to throw in offers for other potential free agents such as\u00a0Bradley Beal<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Zach LaVine<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

New York has a decent foundation and a notable head coach. It’s time to add more talent.<\/p>\n

Main Image: Embed from Getty Images<\/a>