December 22 has been a date floating around about a potential restart for the season to squeeze in 72 games to accommodate the leagues TV deal (and $$$ they would get because of it- between $500MM -$1B).
As a basketball fan, like the rest of you reading this... I’m psyched to not only get basketball riiight back but to also get my Knicks back on TV (I miss you, Mike Breen... Bang.).
Unfortunate for us, this could push the Knicks back at least 1 more year in terms of becoming legitimate and I’ll explain why:
1. Thibs and this staff are BRAND NEW on Broadway. With training camp officially opening on December 1st, Coach Thibs only gets around 20 days with his FULL TEAM and staff to develop the chemistry and work on the culture he wants this team to be about, not to mention the fact he will have to incorporate his brand new offensive and defensive schemes on the #KnicksKids, a tall order to accomplish during an entire offseason let alone one that gives you less than a month before the season starts.
2. When the hell is free agency starting? With the draft scheduled for November 18th, free agency usually begins a week BEFORE the draft to adjust your teams new needs based on who you were able to sign. This years new wrinkle, because it’s 2020, (why not, right?) is that you’ll be drafting before you see what traction you’ll get with free agency.
Speaking of traction with free agents... with such a truncated and clunky off-season, unless you are insanely unhappy in your current situation (or they don’t want you back and you’re desperate) I don’t see a lot of players leaving (Brandon Ingram, FVV, Hayward) especially if they are on a winning team or close to the playoffs just to come to NY and play on a construction zone of a basketball team with no real identity yet.
That’s a lot of faith to put into an organization who has been consistently messy for the last 20 years.
BUT ever the optimist that I am, I wouldn’t give you such a grim insight without some positive thoughts to balance it out.
This short offseason could deter free agents this year and it would give NYK a chance to show how they grow under Thibs and Woody with some young studs and become more attractive to the 2021 free agent class which features, you guessed it (he’s still not coming here so please curb your pipe dreams, but) Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum (RFA) and Victor Oladipo just to name a few.
With the 2021 class being exponentially better than this year, not breaking the bank or being considered by the free agents could actually be a blessing in disguise.
Would you take another free agent L this year to be a more attractive destination next year? Let's continue the conversation on Twitter