Golden State Warriors: 3 reasons the Knicks shouldn’t have low-balled Dubs for D’Angelo Russell
Actual promise
The New York Knicks have had draft pick after draft pick the last several seasons, and they just haven’t changed the organization’s future.
Frank Ntilikina, R.J. Barrett, Kevin Knox, Kristaps Porzingis, and even back to Tim Hardaway Jr., the Knicks continued to pass up on quality franchise-changing talent.
Porzingis was that talent, and while he was injured last season, playing only 48 games, the big man returned after being traded to Dallas as strong as ever. Making the Knicks again look incapable, their lack of drafting talent has been an issue.
They need to just mortgage their immediate future and secure a capable star.
After all, just take a look at the talent that they passed on. In 2018, they took Knox over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This past season it was Barrett after brutally losing the lottery. In 2017, it was Bam Adebayo and Donovan Mitchell.
Unlike the players they’ve drafted, Russell is a star, and he’s already proven that. Having played five seasons, Russell’s improved in each of those five, averaging over 20 points per game the past two consecutive seasons.
He’s an elite guard, and he’s been good enough to give up a few picks and players for. That’s not quite all though.