Tom Thibodeau, Knicks
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New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau talked about a big offseason ahead after their playoff exit.
The New York Knicks‘ top-heavy roster fell short of reaching the NBA Finals, losing to a deeper Indiana Pacers team in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the aftermath of the Knicks’ elimination, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the team is not content with their first conference finals appearance in a quarter century.
“I’m told the Knicks have internal meetings this week to evaluate everything from the roster, different changes they could make, especially the roster,” Charania said on SportsCenter. “If the last year and a half is any indication, Knicks president Leon Rose has gone out and gotten OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. I expect him to be just as aggressive this offseason — whether it’s a landmark player that you could bring in there or definitely [add] depth on that bench.”
The Knicks, however, have limited tools to reshape their roster unless they trade one or two of their starters. If they keep their core together, they will have a $200 million payroll with only four roster spots to fill using the veteran’s minimum and the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception. But using that taxpayer MLE will make them a second apron team, according to ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks, which further restricts their access to roster-building tools.
‘Big Offseason’ Ahead
The Knicks are coming off a consecutive 50-win season for the first time since the 1994-95 season, and first under James Dolan’s ownership.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who has guided the Knicks to the playoffs in four of his five seasons at the helm, hinted at a pivotal offseason for the team and the organization following their playoff exit.
“Like you would do after every season, you take a step back,” Thibodeau told reporters. “You decompress. You take a deep dive on the team, and then you analyze what you think you need to improve upon. We have the draft, and then, we have free agency, then, there are trades, and then, there is the internal development. Then, it’s the study and preparation for next season. So, it’s a big offseason for us.”
With limited spending power in free agency, improving the team will come either via trade or internal development.
Thibodeau leaned heavily on his starters this season. Their starting lineup averaged 94 points per game, which Marks noted as the second most since 1986-87, per ESPN Research.
The Knicks’ shallow bench, composed of veterans Cam Payne, Delon Wright and Landry Shamet is all headed to unrestricted free agency.
Their Sixth Man Mitchell Robinson will enter the final year of his team-friendly four-year, $60 million descending deal next season. Robinson, Towns and Bridges are all extension-eligible this offseason.
Knicks Coach Hints at Internal Development as Key
If the Knicks decide to stay the course and run it back, Thibodeau drilled in that internal development will be the key to their success.
“There’s disappointment because you fall short of what your goal is,” Thibodeau said. “In the end, there’s only going to be one team that achieves the goal. And so I think the challenge for us is to look at it for what it is. We finished in the top three, but we’re falling short of the ultimate goal.
“So for us, it’s to use that for motivation and determination to work all summer to prepare ourselves to make the final step and keep improving so we can achieve our goal.”
Continuity has what propelled the Boston Celtics and the Pacers to reach the NBA Finals over the last two seasons after falling short in the conference finals in prior season.
The Knicks are banking on Ariel Hukporti and Tyler Kolek to take the next step to get into the regular rotation while last year’s first-round pick Pacome Dadiet and Kevin McCullar Jr. continue to develop in their pipeline.