Mitchell Robinson, NY Knicks (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
As this is being written, the NY Knicks are coming off of a heartbreaking, overtime loss to the Lakers with 3 games left on the schedule.
Needless to say, these games are all must-win games.
As a fan, I’m very much so living in the here and now but as a journalist, I do need to look toward the future for what’s to come.
Covering the Knicks has been a ton of fun this year. They’ve embodied the quintessential Cinderella story.
They went from ashy to classy real quick.
As a team that was viewed as a bottom dweller before the season kicked off, ESPN estimated they’d win no more than 24 games or so.
The Knicks have performed well beyond expectations due to some key contributors coming in during the offseason and players like RJ Barrett and most notably Julius Randle really stepping things up.
Who do you think the NY Knicks will let go of this offseason?
Behind an All-Star caliber performance this season, Randle is likely to win the Most Improved Player award this year.
As I said, a lot of fun to both watch and cover.
The Knicks have accomplished something that many thought would be impossible with the pieces they’ve got on the current roster.
They’re guaranteed a spot in the playoffs and cannot fall out of the top-6 seeds at this point.
The beauty of where the Knicks’ roster stands is that they have a ton of roster flexibility this offseason.
So getting substantially better should not be all that difficult.
The problem with getting better is that some players whom we’ve grown attached to likely aren’t going to be around during the following season.
As we say, Once a Knick, Always a Knick…
But these are the 3 players I believe who are the least likely to be on next season’s roster.
NY Knicks</a> are coming off of a heartbreaking, overtime loss to the Lakers with 3 games left on the schedule.</p>
<p>Needless to say, these games are all must-win games.</p>
<p>As a fan, I’m very much so living in the here and now but as a journalist, I do need to look toward the future for what’s to come.</p>
<p>Covering the Knicks has been a ton of fun this year. They’ve embodied the quintessential Cinderella story.</p>
<p>They went from ashy to classy real quick.</p>
<p>As a team that was viewed as a bottom dweller before the season kicked off, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://www.espn.com/basketball/story/_/id/30427736/2020-21-nba-preview-wins-standings-projected-all-30-nba-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN estimated they’d win no more than 24 games</a> or so.</p>
<p>The Knicks have performed well beyond expectations due to some key contributors coming in during the offseason and players like RJ Barrett and most notably Julius Randle really stepping things up.</p>
<h2>Who do you think the NY Knicks will let go of this offseason?</h2>
<p>Behind an All-Star caliber performance this season, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/03/11/knicks-julius-randle-most-improved-player/">Randle is likely to win the Most Improved Player award</a> this year.</p>
<p>As I said, a lot of fun to both watch and cover.</p>
<p>The Knicks have accomplished something that many thought would be impossible with the pieces they’ve got on the current roster.</p>
<p>They’re guaranteed a spot in the playoffs and cannot fall out of the top-6 seeds at this point.</p>
<p>The beauty of where the Knicks’ roster stands is that they have a ton of roster flexibility this offseason.</p>
<p>So getting substantially better should not be all that difficult.</p>
<p>The problem with getting better is that some players whom we’ve grown attached to likely aren’t going to be around during the following season.</p>
<p>As we say, Once a Knick, Always a Knick…</p>
<p>But these are the 3 players I believe who are the least likely to be on next season’s roster.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Elfrid Payton </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-117723" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1232097202.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1232097202.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1232097202-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Do you think the NY Knicks should bring Elfird Payton back next year?</h2>
<p>Ok, let’s just get the most obvious one out of the way right off the bat.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to use this as an opportunity to slander <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/paytoel01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Elfrid Payton</a> even more than he has been this season.</p>
<p>I just think it’s blatantly obvious he won’t be back next year.</p>
<p>I’ve mentioned in previous articles in full detail how and <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/04/27/ny-knicks-rant-derrick-rose-must-start-over-elfrid-payton-in-playoffs/">why the Knicks are winning in spite of Elfrid Payton</a> being on the team.</p>
<p>During the 9-game winning streak, he was the only player to have a negative +/- stat on the whole team.</p>
<p>His minutes have been reduced down to around 10-15 per game. Derrick Rose has been outplaying him for the past 2 months.</p>
<p>I think everyone in the organization knows that with a higher level of point guard play, it could elevate this Knicks team to much higher heights.</p>
<p>Of all of the Knicks players on this least, I’d definitely be the least upset to see Payton go, but I do wish him well in his future endeavors.</p>
<p>I know he’s a quality player and in the right situation, he could really contribute to a team and their ability to win basketball games.</p>
<p>His fit on the Knicks has always been questionable due to his inability to stretch the floor.</p>
<p>I think he can find a home somewhere with a solid bench full of shooters and be one of the first players off the bench for a pretty solid team.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Taj Gibson </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-118319" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1210462584.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1210462584.jpeg 1600w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1210462584-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Would the NY Knicks be smart to bring back Taj Gibson?</h2>
<p>This one is surely going to ruffle some feathers, but let’s be real here…</p>
<p>Taj Gibson, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/08/taj-gibson-the-new-york-knicks-unsung-hero/">while incredibly impactful this season</a>, is turning 36 in June and will be going on 37 by the end of next season.</p>
<p>There may not be a whole lot left in the tank.</p>
<p>I do believe he may retain some kind of role within the organization, as he is a Brooklyn-born native of New York and may fit in nicely on the coaching staff one day.</p>
<p>That being said, Taj could very well be back if he does in fact have some game left in him.</p>
<p>He would likely be in the role that Norvel Pelle is in now, as the 3rd string center.</p>
<p>I’d personally love to have him back if he can play as effectively as he has been this season.</p>
<p>Taj has played for Coach Thibodeau for basically his entire career so perhaps muscle memory and just overall understanding of Thibs’ systems can help propel him next season even if he does lose a step both physically and athletically.</p>
<p>Gibson doesn’t fit the mold of what the Knicks or Coach Thibs likes in his centers whatsoever in that the other guys are bouncy, long defenders.</p>
<p>Taj is a bit smaller and not as defensively sound when protecting the rim as the other 3 guys on the roster, but his basketball IQ makes him incredibly useful.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Mitchell Robinson/Nerlens Noel </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-118320" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1309860509.jpeg" alt="NY Knicks" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1309860509.jpeg 1600w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1309860509-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><p class="wp-caption-text">NY Knicks (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Do you think the NY Knicks will bring back Mitchell Robinson or Nerlens Noel?</h2>
<p>The honorable mentions for this article are Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, and Obi Toppin for the following reasons.</p>
<p>Frank Ntilikina as we know can be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.</p>
<p>The Knicks can choose to match any offer that may come Frank’s way, but if a team were to come out and offer him a beefy contract, I doubt the Knicks would match anything too high.</p>
<p>If he can be brought back on a reasonable contract, I don’t see why the Knicks wouldn’t do that.</p>
<p>Kevin Knox has one year left on his rookie contract at around $6 million for the season.</p>
<p>He’s been riding the end of the bench for the bulk of the year so far and the same will likely happen next season as well.</p>
<p>He’s still a massive liability on defense and can’t really score the ball from anywhere aside from the corner 3-pointer, so trading him may be the way to go instead of paying someone $6 million to play very limited minutes.</p>
<p>The Knicks can find a budget forward to take his place for much less money and trade Knox for something of value. Perhaps a pick?</p>
<p>Still, I could definitely see Knox returning regardless of the points I’ve made.</p>
<p>Obi Toppin has been playing far better as of late, but because he plays the same position as the best player on today’s roster, he could be viewed as expendable but I doubt he’s moved in the offseason if at all.</p>
<p>Now, as far as Mitch and Noel…</p>
<p>I would love to have both back but I just don’t see it happening.</p>
<p>Noel has played well and has earned himself a nice little multi-year contract.</p>
<p>I’d love to have him back either as a starter while acquiring another bench piece to take a chunk of minutes at the 5 behind him or as a reserve himself.</p>
<p>Mitchell Robinson is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is likely going to be looking for an extension soon.</p>
<p>The Knicks have all the leverage now but won’t next year at this time when Mitch enters unrestricted free agency.</p>
<p>If the Knicks offer Mitch a nice deal and he declines for more money, I see them trading him this offseason or at next year’s trade deadline at the absolute latest.</p>
<p>If both are back next year AND Mitch doesn’t get extended, I would be shocked.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Comparing RJ's 2nd season to Jimmy Butler's 3rd season" data-url="https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/12/ny-knicks-comparing-rj-barretts-2nd-season-to-jimmy-butlers-3rd/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/14/ny-knicks-the-3-most-unlikely-players-to-be-on-next-years-roster/"https://dailyknicks.com/2021/05/12/ny-knicks-comparing-rj-barretts-2nd-season-to-jimmy-butlers-3rd/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Comparing RJ's 2nd season to Jimmy Butler's 3rd season </a> </div>
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