As the free-agency period breaks wide open, many teams are in a state of rebuilding or retooling. The recent firing of Phil Jackson has only increased the level of chaos as far as the New York Knicks are concerned. With the era of super teams upon us and NBA dynasties looking to deepen their rosters in an attempt to survive, the Knicks have their work cut out for them if they want to emerge as a legitimate contender next season.

Timing

Timing is truly everything and after three seasons of Phil in NY, his firing was a God send. During his tenure as President of Basketball operations only two teams have made it to the finals: the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. On the other hand, the Knicks failed to even make it into the playoffs. They were clearly preoccupied with switching coaches as well as creating tension between players and the front office. His stance with both Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony didn’t help things either, with other teams calling about securing a trade for the team’s two best players thanks to his apparent desire to escort them out of the Big Apple. With the reins out of Phil’s hands the Knicks’ number one priority should be to make sure that those two guys continue to play at the Garden for as long as possible.

A Good Foundation

If you want to build your house strong you must build it on solid ground. A natural born veteran scorer and a 7 footer who can shoot the ball from anywhere sound pretty solid to me. By drafting French point guard Frank Ntilikina in spite of his recent knee injury, the Knicks have definitely added depth at the position. Of course, because the rookie is still untested, the Knicks should be looking to add another point guard should they choose to go in a different direction from the injury-prone Derrick Rose. Also with Joakim Noah (who has also been vexed by injury) only in the second year of his contract it will be pretty hard to unload him without getting him to agree to a trade and a buyout. Even still, there are legitimate players out there that the Knicks could and should target to help them win a championship.

New Blood

Gordon Hayward, Kyle Lowry, Andre Iguodola, and Paul Millsap are players who have all had their names circulating around free-agency. Major moves have already been made, with big names such as Paul George and Chris Paul finding new homes in Oklahoma City and Houston, respectively. Many teams have been engaging in talks and plotting away in an attempt to make out like thieves before the new season rolls around. At one point the Knicks were at the center of rumors that would result in a trade of Carmelo Anthony for Kevin Love, but with Phil out of New York those rumors seem to have been tabled for now. With free-agency just opening up at midnight on Saturday it’s obviously not too late for the Knicks to add another player to their roster. As more and more super teams emerge in the West, moving slowly may be detrimental to the team’s future. Of course that doesn’t mean that the Knicks should act carelessly and risk signing another player that doesn’t really pan out. Careful consideration mixed with smart negotiation should allow the Knicks to make some truly worth while acquisitions and releases this offseason. While the likelihood of landing a Gordon Hayward or Kyle Lowry are slim, perhaps signing maybe a Rajon Rondo or a Jeff Green could be more in the cards for the Knicks going forward.

Going into the 2017-2018 season, Knicks fans can only hope that the team starts moving in the right direction towards another playoff appearance and ultimately a championship. The changes in the front office as well as around the league should be all the Knicks need to decide on how they want to fare this upcoming season. With a free-agency pool this good, it would be crazy for the Knicks not to cash in on some new talent.