Sir Charles in Charge
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New York Knicks: Revisiting the tanking question

By Jonathan Macri

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 15: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks celebrates after he hit a three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 15: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks celebrates after he hit a three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 29: Michael Beasley #8 of the New York Knicks warms up prior to the game at Quicken Loans Arena on October 29, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 29: Michael Beasley #8 of the New York Knicks warms up prior to the game at Quicken Loans Arena on October 29, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Team Tank…Unite!

Tanking is like obscenity. There’s not a great definition for it, but you know it when you see it, and while some people love it, others detest its very existence. It’s the sports version of talking politics at the dinner table: unless everyone’s on the same side, it’s not going to end well.

A few weeks ago I wrote about tanking, and how it looked like the Knicks wouldn’t be doing much of it this season. Since then, they’ve been the textbook definition of a .500 team – some nice wins surrounded by a few bad losses, none worse than last weekend’s “you’ve gotta’ be kidding me” affair in Chicago.

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The “To Tank or Not to Tank” debate has continued to rage on in the hotbed of controversy that is Knicks Twitter.

The Bulls game was a tipping point for a lot of people.

If New York could lose to this flaming pile of hot garbage (that has looked a lot less hot garbage-y since then, but still), how in God’s name could there be any reasonable argument for making a playoff run this season? Why wait to dive headfirst into the tanking pool when the water’s fine right now? Milk the Hardaway and Porzingis injuries for all they’re worth, sell off anything that isn’t nailed down, and take your short-term losses to achieve long-term gains.

When more conventional fans push back, we hear the same teams mentioned again and again as proof that there is only one correct answer in this debate: the Durant Thunder, the Process Sixers, the Towns Wolves, and of course the Beast by the Bay. We’ll get to all of them in a bit. Even without specifics, fans know the drill: you need multiple superstars to compete in the NBA. The draft is the easiest route to superstar talent. What’s six months of wasted basketball? (“Do it, Harold. Six months. It’s nothing! It’s a hockey season!”)

How often does it work though? And is it really better than the alternative?

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