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New York Post
What happens if the Knicks miss out on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving?
The New York Knicks’ love for Kevin Durant is the worst kept secret ahead of the coming offseason. The real question is whether the Knicks will have the right sales pitch to attract two max free agents this summer. Trading away the team’s lone star in Kristaps Porzingis was a ballsy move. It made the Knicks’ eventual pursuit of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving much more likely. All signs point to that being New York’s definitive plan for the summer. Even if they can’t acquire either, a shot at the No.1 overall draft pick packaged with other assets could help swing a trade for Anthony Davis. However you look at it, the Knicks will be chasing a superstar this summer to come to revive the Garden. But what happens if they can’t acquire a superstar? What’s Plan B? What Knicks fans should hope for is restraint from the front office. The team can’t throw its surplus of cap space of B-list starts and long contracts. If New York is unable to acquire a true superstar, it would be best to continue to sign veterans to short, tradeable deals and continue to develop the young core. The Knicks currently have the best odds to acquire the #1 overall pick in the draft and will have six more first round picks over the next four years. Very unlike the New York Knickerbockers. Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox, Allonzo Trier, and Damyean Dotson have shown enough flashes to be considered key assets moving forward, but also building blocks. Add a potential top-3 pick this season, and that’s a nice core of players going forward. Avoiding the Joakim Noah and Tim Hardaway Jr. type deals have to be considered a top priority. The Knicks do not need to rush into a quick fix. Just because you have the money, doesn’t mean you have to spend all the money. Signing veterans to one-year deals may still allow you to make a potential playoff push in a weak Eastern Conference. Likewise, it means the Knicks can try to swing for the fences again next off-season. Plan B for the Knicks needs to be to remain patient. If a star doesn’t come now, keep the flexibility, and reserve a shot at future free agents in 2020 and beyond.