The New York Knicks aim to rebuild the team, but they would need to trade for the right players if they want to successfully attain this goal.
Steve Mills, the new president of the Knicks, had a vision for rebuilding the team when he took the job last year. He envisioned a more youthful and athletic team "grounded in a core philosophy and a guiding vision," he wrote in a blog post. According to Mills, the team has already gotten the ball rolling on this new vision, mentioning the presence of young players like 22-year-old Kristaps Porzingis and 19-year-old Frank Ntilikina on the team.
How the Knicks intend to continue pursuing this new vision remains a question. The team is expected to pursue younger players in the summer, but which players can help the team grow in the right direction?
The Knicks are already expected to trade out 32-year-old starter Courtney Lee, although it is unknown which player (or players) the Knicks will trade him for. Twenty-four-year-old Alex Abrines and 28-year-old Patrick Patterson of the Oklahoma City Thunders may possibly be a good trade for both Lee as well as Knicks forward Michael Beasley.
Abrines, in particular, is a sharpshooter who does not have Lee's experience but has the potential to improve over time. Thus, he may fit in well with the Knicks' current team-building philosophy.
Other teams, most notably the Golden State Warriors, have also expressed interest in Knicks power forward Kyle O'Quinn. It seems that the Knicks do not have to worry about trading O'Quinn out, since he has a $4.2 million player option for 2018-2019. However, the Knicks do need to worry about trading out 33-year-old Joakim Noah, whose future in the NBA still seems to be up in the air.
Noah was effectively exiled from the squad after a feud with Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek. The player's relationship with his team remains uncomfortable, and he has refused a buyout that would release him — and the Knicks — from his $72 million contract.
It looks as though the standoff between the Knicks and their exiled player will continue until Sept. 1, when the salary mathematics will come out to better results for both sides.
Point guard Jarrett Jack also seems somewhat unhappy in the Knicks, having spoken to his agent about perhaps moving to another team. However, he has expressed that he would like to stay in his current team and mentor younger players, unless a better offer comes along.
Although the Knicks are aiming to build a younger squad, the presence and guidance of seasoned veteran players may still be invaluable. However, whether or not the present veterans are deemed fit to guide younger players under the Knicks' new vision remains to be seen.
