This summer will determine whether this ranking is far too high or laughably low. For now, so it should be just perfect.
The’Bockers are almost a blank canvas. The Kristaps Porzingis deadline deal erased all long-term obligations. Their highest guaranteed salary for next season is Frank Ntilikina’s $4.9 million. No dream is too big for the Knicks right now. Since Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale broke down, it’s not impossible to discover a scenario where Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis all call Madison Square Garden home next season.
Is it likely? Not in the least. But when the Knicks have their built-in market benefits, and loads of cap room and a decent shot at securing the No. 1 choice, that’s an army of resources many clubs will struggle to match.
There’s also an flooring to take into account.
Cap distance may not mean Irving and/or Durant. Maybe it’s Kemba Walker and Khris Middleton. Maybe it’s not any one. Given the revamped lottery chances, the Knicks may end up drafting fourth or fifth. So, rather than Zion Williamson (and a possible route to Davis), maybe the draft haul is just Cam Reddish or even Jarrett Culver.
New York already has some youth set up, although its potential is in flux. While Mitchell Robinson appears ahead of schedule and Allonzo Trier was a tremendous surprise, Kevin Knox looks predictably raw. Additionally, Dennis Smith Jr. is far from a sure thing, and Ntilikina’s outlook is cloudy at best.
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