The New York Knicks suffered yet another losing season in 2019-2020, finishing with a 21-45 record that put them at the No. 12 spot in the Eastern conference. As a result, the team ended up with the eighth overall pick in the NBA Draft. After rumors swirled leading up to the draft that the Knicks were looking to trade up, they decided to stay put and selected Obi Toppin, who many believed would be a top-five pick.
Toppin is a forward from University of Dayton who was named the National College Player of the Year this past season, after averaging 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He also comes into the league at 22 years old, making him one of the older prospects in the draft. He is expected to make an immediate impact for the team and should see a lot of time on the court.
Along with Toppin, the Knicks will be relying heavily on their other young players this season. RJ Barrett will be looking to improve upon his rookie season. After being selected third overall by the Knicks in the 2019 draft, Barrett had high expectations, and didn’t quite live up to them, averaging 14.3 points, five rebounds and 2.6 assists in 56 games. At just 20 years old, he still has plenty of time to develop into the type of player the Knicks hope he can be.
Mitchell Robinson is also expected to have a big impact this season. The 22-year-old center has already established himself as one of the best defenders in the league, as he has averaged at least two blocks per game in his first two seasons. He does not provide a ton of offense, but has served the team well by scoring near the rim. Kevin Knox will be looking to finally get it going in his third season. He has struggled with scoring so far in his career, particularly from outside, and he is running out of time to prove to the Knicks that he can be a reliable scorer.
Free agency began just a few days following the draft, and the Knicks were quite active. While they did not sign any of the top free agents, they added some veterans to play alongside the young core, such as Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Perhaps their most intriguing free agent signing was Austin Rivers, who signed a three-year, $10 million deal. He is the son of Philadelphia 76ers head coach and former NBA player Doc Rivers. Austin has been in the league for seven seasons and has established himself as a reliable player, providing solid minutes off the bench at both guard positions. He may get a chance to start for New York, but if he doesn’t, he will likely maintain the same role that he has had for most of his career, which would strengthen the Knicks’ bench. Some returning veterans will include Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton and Reggie Bullock, who should all see some playing time.
The team hired Tom Thibodeau as its head coach this season. Thibodeau is a well-respected coach in the league, and he has had success with previous teams. After taking last season off, the defensive-minded Thibodeau is back hoping to develop several young players while relying on a group of seasoned veterans.
After a decade of disappointment, the Knicks will be looking to start off the new decade strong. Though they are not legitimate championship contenders at this stage, they might have a shot at making the playoffs if all of their players work well together throughout the season. The Knicks are set to begin their season in Indiana on Wednesday, Dec. 23 against the Pacers.
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