Although Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks have yet to secure a meeting, there are incredible reasons Kevin Durant should consider it.
This isn’t your father’s New York Knicks. It’s a certainty that has hit home for quite some time now.12 losing seasons over the last 15 chances hits the point home. Only four playoff appearances over the same time frame smacks the depressing point out of the park.
The Knickerbockers have been a dreadful organization over the last decade and a half.
There is no Walt “Clyde” Frazier picking pockets and dishing dimes. There is no Patrick Ewing swatting balls to the front row. There is no John Starks showcasing his larger than life heart. There is no Charles Oakley or Anthony Mason intimidating not just opponents, but every living body in Madison Square Garden.
That’s all gone. It’s ancient history.
What the Knicks do have is Phil Jackson. What they do have is Carmelo Anthony. What they do possess is a possible once in a generation basketball figure in Kristaps Porzingis.
Despite the last 15 seasons, the Knicks current Summer of 2016 status is a positive one.
There are attractive pieces and plenty of cap space. In fact, nobody in the NBA has a cleaner cap than the Knicks following the 2016-17 NBA season. Nobody.
This forces extreme optimism upon the most pessimistic of fans.
Enter Kevin Durant, the big fish of the moment.
As of right now, Durant does not have the Knicks included in his already infamous “list of teams” he’ll have a meeting with. Jax and the Knicks are optimistic that’ll soon change. Even Melo sends waves of positives signals regarding the recruitment.
Though most say it can’t happen, others believe it will. For those who think it can, or actually will, here are their rallying cries for why Kevin Durant will consider the New York Knicks come Jul. 1.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Did we previously mention that Kristaps Porzingis has a chance to be a once in a generation basketball figure?
Yes? Good, because we mean it.
At 7’3” and 220 lbs., this 20-year old phenom is dripping wet with basketball talent from head-to-toe. He runs like the fastest gazelle in the pack and once strong enough, will dominate on every area of the court.
Moreover, his complete raw physical abilities pale in comparison to what he is off the court. It’s amazing to see how the kid just “gets it.” He’s a coaches dream who’ll never say the wrong thing and will always tip his hat towards the team first.
The drafting of KP in the No. 4 hole last spring was the very first cornerstone aspect to Phil Jackson’s regime as boss of the Knickerbockers. This decision means everything now because when stars look for their next team in free agency, who their running-mate would be is priority number one.
Any superstar would love to play with Porzingis. There couldn’t possibly be any negatives.
KP is a four-man at heart, but can play a ton of five in this NBA. Kevin Durant is a three-man at heart, but can play the four. Those two together would be scary beyond belief. Inside, outside – the duo would create nightmare matchup problems for a decade.
Durant, 27, would have a legendary running mate for the rest of his career. That is, if, he chose to come to New York City.
Cap Flexibility
Right now Jax’s Knicks have a little over $37 million in cap space. This is with Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick Rose, Kyle O’Quinn, and Justin Holiday on the books.
The only players on the books following the 2016-17 NBA season are Melo, KP and O’Quinn. This means Phil Jackson positioned the Knicks to have the cleanest cap in all of The Association.
Make no mistake about it: When Kevin Durant is looking at potential suitors, having this cap flexibility widens the eyes. It means a limitless pool of possibilities for the few select stars and the pieces that would eventually be plugged in around them.
Jackson has positioned the Knicks correctly and tremendously in this regard.
Legend Status
Should Kevin Durant stay in Oklahoma City and win an NBA Championship, he’d lift his NBA status phenomenally.
Should Durant head to Golden State, Miami, or San Antonio and win an title, again, he’d lift his NBA status to another degree.
Should Durant head to New York City, however, and win a title, he’d automatically become legend.
The fans of this franchise are starving. When you couple starving basketball fanbase with the fact that it’s residing in the one city basketball is king (New York), a recipe for a legend to come around has been created.
The only question is, “Would Durant want to take this upon his shoulders?”
He’d have plenty of help with Melo and Porzingis, but his issues with the media have been well documented. It’s an issue, no doubt, but the positive end is too incredible to ignore.
It’s been so long since the city has seen a winner. Durant can spearhead changing that.
The East Is Least
When looking at it from a strategic point of view – as these guys no doubt do – playing the Eastern Conference is where it’s at.
Forget the fact LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers just stunned everybody in winning the NBA Championship. The East is most definitely least in terms of basketball quality.
How big the gap is, we truly don’t know.
What we do know, though, is should Durant come to the Knicks, his path to playing on basketball’s greatest stage every spring (NBA Finals), will be one much easier.
The Bright Lights Of New York City
New York is a baseball town first and foremost. It’s always been that way and will always continue down that path (barring unforeseen events).
When it comes to pockets in certain parts of the five boroughs, however, basketball is the main event.
Baseball is the town’s game, while basketball is the city’s bloodline.
Kevin Durant – being the basketball historian he claims to be – understands this very well. He’ll also understand the ridiculous wave of momentum his heading to the Big Apple would create for not only the NBA, but basketball itself.
The Knicks would finally stamp themselves as “for real,” while LeBron James would suddenly be dethroned as the automatic champ in the East.
Even while knowing the year 2016, in this incredible social media age, creates all cities as more equal, there is nothing more enticing than the bright lights of New York City if the fit is right.
And yes, the fit is right in having Phil Jackson, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, and most importantly, young Kristaps Porzingis.