New York Knicks: 5 offseason targets to make jump to contender status

Chicago Bulls Zach LaVine (Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports)
Chicago Bulls Zach LaVine (Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports)
1 of 5

Exploring five realistic offseason targets that could help the New York Knicks make the jump to contender status in the Eastern Conference. 

The New York Knicks have had a great season. They are on pace to win 48-49 games, which would be their most games won in nearly a decade. Even though they may not make it out of the first round of the NBA Playoffs, this is a team that is on the way up and could be one successful offseason away from being a real player in the Eastern Conference next season.

Heading into the offseason, the Knicks are in a great position to make a big move. In fact, recent speculation has the Knicks in a place where they could potentially make two plays for significant improvements this summer.

The New York Knicks are another star away from contention in the East

Looking at the landscape of the East, you can make the argument that the Knicks are one big move away from contending. The team’s trio of Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett, and Julius Randle is strong but the addition of one more impactful player could make all the difference for the team heading into next season.

With that in mind, we explore five realistic targets that should be on the New York Knicks’ radar this offseason.

Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers

Buddy Hield may not be considered a unanimous star across the league but he’s a true difference-maker. And we’ve seen that in recent years. This past season, Hield averaged 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists on  46 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from 3-point range.

If you inject that into the Knicks’ rotation and you begin to answer some of their concerns about their ability to keep up with the other high-octane offenses in the East.