More NBA Front Office content
In our ongoing NBA Front Office series, Tom Penn (general manager), Chad Ford (assistant GM), George Karl (coach), Amin Elhassan (scouting director) and Kevin Pelton (analytics director) weigh in on hot-button topics from around the league. Today, the group debates three high-profile teams from the bottom half of Insider's Future Power Rankings, discussing the rebuilding efforts and outlooks of the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers.
Want in on the conversation or have a question for one of the guys? Use #NBAFrontOffice.
1. How can the New York Knicks alter their bleak outlook (25th) in the Future Power Ranks? What steps can they take now to avoid it?
Tom Penn (@1TomPenn): This year should be about establishing a culture and maintaining flexibility for a "big move." New head coach Derek Fisher needs to lay the foundation for his style, system and leadership. Then the front office needs to be patiently aggressive, wait for the right time to make the bold move. They have cap room next summer to get an impact free agent. Can they find a better deal in the interim? Either way, they should surprise their fans with a better-than-expected season, given the low expectations, and continue to build a good foundation.
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider): The Knicks spent years trying to chase a title without the right players and ended up overspending and mortgaging their future by trading away draft picks. They have Carmelo Anthony, which gives them one true star. But the next-best player on their team? Ugh. The good news? They actually own their first-round pick this year. They need to use it wisely. The team doesn't really have any young potential stars to build around. (No, Tim Hardaway Jr., Iman Shumpert and Shane Larkin don't really qualify.)
If I were Phil Jackson, I'd seriously consider tanking this year. Getting a top-five pick would do wonders down the road. Even if they end up in the late lottery, with good scouting they should be able to get a player to help them. With their first-round draft pick gone in 2016, they need to make this one count. They are also getting the huge contracts of Amar'e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani off the books next summer, which will give them some real cap flexibility for once. New York still is a destination and if the Knicks can lure a legitimate free agent or two there next year (LaMarcus Aldridge, Rajon Rondo and Marc Gasol are probably the headliners), they'll be fine. But what they can't keep doing is paying big money for mediocrity and trading away draft picks for bloated contracts.
George Karl (@CoachKarl22): New York improved its roster and the leadership is much better than last year. But I still don't see the Knicks being much of a threat. Yeah, they could make the playoffs as a low seed. But for what? Their mission has to be finding better, more talented players. That is going to take a while. The players who want to come to New York probably aren't available until next offseason, so the Knicks are still going to have to wait a year. And they have to drop those big overpaid contracts.