Empire Writes Back
Fansided

The New York Knicks are in better shape than the Lakers

By Andrew Elderbaum

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: RJ Barrett poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the third overall pick by the New York Knicks during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: RJ Barrett poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the third overall pick by the New York Knicks during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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New York Knicks
Kevin Knox, New York Knicks. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

There is serious doubt as to whether or not the New York Knicks improved enough this offseason. One thing is for sure, they are in better shape than the L.A. LeBrons.

It’s been a while, and I figured I’d make my return with a scalding hot take. The New York Knicks, as a franchise, are better than the Los Angeles Lakers. In fact, they might even have a better season THIS YEAR. I came to this conclusion without the aid of hallucinogens, I swear. Let’s delve deeper and I’ll explain.

As currently constructed the Knicks are kind of like a storage locker from those shows where people bid on them looking for treasure or something. There could be some priceless finds such as Mitchell Robinson, or R.J. Barrett. Then there could be some valuable stuff for the right collector like Dennis Smith, or Kevin Knox. Maybe there could be hefty bags of garbage (Frank Ntikilina), time will tell what’s behind that door.

Luckily for the Knicks, that uncertainty leaves them with hope the future. There is a version of this team that is a perennial playoff club with an all defensive first-teamer at center, good young scorers providing excitement and depth, and maybe even a superstar somewhere amongst them.

What they didn’t do was take all that potential and send it and their next fifty or so draft picks out of town. They did have all their eggs in a mercurial superstar basket, but thanks to a blown Achilles, their failure there may end up helping them in the long term.

KD was not on the same timeline as this team, and they would have had to mortgage their future on a roll of the dice that they could sign another superstar. Which brings us to…

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