13. New York Knicks
Last season: 17-65, 15th in Eastern Conference
Notable additions: RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Ignas Brazdeikis, Marcus Morris, Taj Gibson, Bobby Portis, Wayne Ellington, Elfrid Payton
Notable subtractions: Emmanuel Mudiay, DeAndre Jordan, Noah Vonleh, Luke Kornet
It’s not until I wrote it all out above that it sunk in just how baffling the New York Knicks offseason has been. In a vacuum, none of their additions are bad players, and none of them were signed to bloated contracts. Put them all together, though, and it’s hard to form a coherent rotation for the coming season.
You could argue that their four best signings all play the same position; Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, Taj Gibson, and Bobby Portis are all different players and can play multiple positions, but all have been used mostly as power forwards in recent years. They are all veterans who will expect to play meaningful minutes on a struggling team, and how coach David Fizdale utilizes them will be fascinating to watch.
How those veterans interact with RJ Barrett will also be a major storyline, as it seems increasingly likely that the fourth overall pick will be handed the keys to the offense from day one. While Barrett may not be listed as a point guard on game day, the lack of a reliable floor general on the roster suggests that the Knicks will throw him in at the deep end for extended stretches.
That should be good for his development but could be bad for New York’s win total. During five games in Vegas, Barrett shot just 34 percent from the field while taking more than 15 shots per game. While many rookies struggle to transition to the professional game, that change won’t get any easier moving from Summer League competition to the regular season.
By signing their plethora of role players, the Knicks are no longer the most talent-barren team in the East. That doesn’t mean they won’t be one of the worst, though, as their mix of talent is a perplexing one whichever way you look at it.