Special to Sports News Highlights

(SNH) — The season is over for the New York Knicks, and it ended the same the way the previous 51 did: without a title.

While some teams have had longer droughts (or have never won a championship), this dry spell seems particularly glaring under the bright lights of the Big Apple.

It was a valiant effort by the Knicks, although it was only a matter of time before they were knocked out. They played the entire postseason without Julius Randle, their second-best player, and then over the course of two series subsequently lost their best rebounder, best defender and top bench player to injuries.

Even if they had made it past Indiana, they probably would’ve been without star guard Jalen Brunson for the remainder of the year, as he broke his hand during their final loss.

So, after coming off their best season in decades, how do the Knicks get over the hump? They’re entering a critical offseason in which they need to answer these questions:

Who Will – or Won’t – Be Coming Back?

While most of the Knicks’ core players remains under contract, there are several who have questions marks, including OG Anunoby. His acquisition from the Toronto Raptors in January proved to be one of the best in-season trades in team history, as the team went 26-6 when he was in the lineup.

Anunoby can opt out of the final year of his contract, and the speculation is that he’ll be looking for a new deal somewhere around $150 million for four years. For what he brings to the table, that doesn’t seem like an exorbitant number. The problem, however, is that he has missed a substantial amount of time with injuries. While he’s been pretty durable over the course of his career, the Knicks may not want to guarantee that much money to someone they aren’t entirely convinced they can count on.

Another impending free agent is Isaiah Hartenstein, who had a coming-out party during the latter part of the season and playoffs. Filling in for a hobbled Mitchell Robison, Hartenstein proved a force on the boards, and in the Knicks’ Game 5 blowout win against Indiana, he tied a team record with 12 offensive rebounds. He’s expected to seek a contract worth $12 million or more per year. The Knicks will also need to make decisions about key reserves Precious Achiuwa and Bojan Bogdanovic.

Do They Sign or Trade for a Star – and Do They Need To?

For years now, the general consensus has been that the Knicks are lacking a true star and without one, they won’t be able to contend. Even after Julius Randle put up All-Star numbers and led the team to the playoffs, naysayers said he wasn’t enough. Even now, after finishing fifth in MVP voting and becoming only the fourth player to score 40 or more points in four straight playoff games, many people have labeled Jalen Brunson a “1A” type of player.

In years past, gutting the team and building around Brunson would seem like a natural move for the Knicks. But, something has happened recently: They’ve actually made levelheaded decisions and not their customary kneejerk reactions. This means that even though they’ve been linked to impending free agents like Donovan Mitchell and DeMar DeRozan, there is also a real possibility that they stay the course and run it back.

Can They Stay Healthy?

Had the Knicks had their full complement of players at reasonable health during the season and playoffs, chances are very good that they’d be playing Boston right now – and they might even have home court advantage. While it seems impossible for a whole team to stay in great condition for a long season and grueling playoffs, it’s fair to ask if the Knicks are up for the challenge.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau is notorious for working his players hard throughout the season. He also doesn’t seem to believe in a very deep rotation, which means that the starters really rack up the minutes. Case in point: Josh Hart played nearly every minute of their first-round series against Philadelphia. If Thibodeau coaches as he’s always coached – and the Knicks don’t have better luck – the end of next season could look awfully familiar.

The championship window is clearly open for the Knicks right now. That’s why this offseason has to be about making smart moves – or non-moves – so it doesn’t slam shut.

Follow Sports News Highlights on Facebook and X platform to get our headlines in your social feeds.

Copyright 2024 Sports News Highlights. All rights reserved.