The New York Knicks have not been a model of success since the turn of the century.
In the ‘90s, the Knicks were a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference.
They made the playoffs 10 times, appearing in two NBA Finals and four Eastern Conference Finals.
Starting in 2000, New York has been in the playoffs a total of six times.
Just once have they advanced past the first round.
Playoff wins since 2000
Kings: 32
Knicks: 19— Simon Smith (@SimonSperling) August 16, 2022
Their fortunes have slowly started to reverse as of late.
The 2020-21 season saw them earn home-court advantage in the first round.
While they would fall to the Atlanta Hawks, it was a positive sign.
Their roster finally is not devoid of talent.
RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and recent signing Jalen Brunson form a solid top three.
Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Mitchell Robinson are promising young players.
And Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose, and other recent signing Isaiah Hartenstein provide quality supporting play.
But the Knicks still have not addressed the most important piece of a roster in today’s NBA: a true superstar.
Stars Win In The Modern NBA
Gone are the days when teams could win with a deep roster of good players.
If a team does not have at least one player who can make a case for being top 15-20 in the league, their chance at a title is severely diminished.
Look back at every team who has won a title since 2000.
The Lakers had Kobe Bryant and Shaq.
San Antonio had Tim Duncan.
Steph Curry led the Warriors.
Miami had Dwyane Wade; Boston had Kevin Garnett; Toronto had Kawhi; Milwaukee had Giannis.
And LeBron was the leader for the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers.
This is the gift & curse of the NBA. Watching the best players is what fans want. But having a top-15 player of all time is virtually a prerequisite for a championship & we get deprived of Cinderella stories.
We rarely get random title runs, like Eli Manning’s Giants in the NFL. https://t.co/rfHW8QLQwc
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) June 4, 2021
There are only three instances you could argue the title winning team did not have a top 15 player at the time – Detroit in 2004, Dallas in 2011, and San Antonio in 2014.
Even those teams were still littered with future Hall of Famers and former All-NBAers.
The Pistons had Ben Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, and Tayshaun Prince.
Dallas had Dirk Nowitzki who played like a top 15 player during his playoff run.
And San Antonio had aging veterans Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili paired with upcoming star Kawhi Leonard.
Without a true superstar on the roster, teams have nearly no shot at winning big.
For the Knicks to become a contender they will need to address the superstar-sized hole.
Knicks Leaders In Mitchell Sweepstakes
So far, the Knicks have had a decent offseason.
Brunson was the headline signing, but backup big Hartenstein was a shrewd move as well.
Both players, Brunson especially, should elevate the floor of the team.
They also picked up a few extra picks in next year’s draft and brought back promising young big men Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims.
But their final grade will be incomplete until the Donovan Mitchell trade saga is ended.
By trading All-NBA center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Utah Jazz signaled they were entering a rebuild.
Entering a rebuild means they have little use for a player of Mitchell’s caliber.
And to this point, all reports say the Knicks are the frontrunners.
After several weeks of no conversations, the Knicks and Jazz recently re-engaged in trade talks centered on Donovan Mitchell, sources tell me and @Tjonesonthenba.
Story at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/Z4sRvsbCaw
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2022
What they will have to give up remains to be seen but Mitchell is surely worth the price.
The soon-to-be 26-year-old New York native is already a three-time All-Star.
He averages 23.9 points per game for his career, a number that jumps to 28.3 in the playoffs.
Mitchell also still has four years and $135 million left on his contract, meaning New York would have him for the beginning of his prime.
New York would instantly become a playoff lock instead of a playoff hopeful with Mitchell in tow.
And better play in the short term would not be the only benefit.
Stars like to play together – acquiring one instantly makes you more attractive to acquire a second.
In a market like New York with the history of the Knicks, they would become an attractive target.
The Knicks may be close to addressing their lack of a superstar.
NEXT: Former NBA Star Wants The Knicks To Think Twice