After months of speculation that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving could be headed to New York this summer to join the Knicks, the two star free agents only delivered on half of that scenario — they’ll move to New York, but they’ll join the Knicks’ cross-town rivals in Brooklyn.
Having missed out on their top free agents, the Knicks have reached agreements so far with Julius Randle and Taj Gibson and still have about $40MM+ in cap room available. With fans expressing disappointment in the Knicks’ summer, the team’s president of basketball operations Steve Mills issued the following statement tonight:
“While we understand that some Knicks fans could be disappointed with tonight’s news, we continue to be upbeat and confident in our plans to rebuild the Knicks to compete for championships in the future, through the draft, targeted free agents, and continuing to build around our core of young players.”
The Knicks’ original statement, before it was amended and re-issued, ended by saying the team would rebuild its roster “through both the draft and targeted free agents,” without mentioning the “core of young players” (Twitter link via Steve Popper of Newsday).
Breaking News!
Knicks Nation has signed Charles Oakley to a free agency max contract to officially go kick the åss of Steve Mills and James Dolan
I wish
Why? Because we have a talented young core, tons of draft capital & cap room? Not a bad place to be lol. All the 2k GMs might’ve had all their eggs in the KD/Kawhi/Kyrie(why?) basket — but having multiple solid young players on rookie deals, then extensions (and those Bird Rights) is a good start.
Go ask Charlotte fans about their outlook rn.
As a Knicks fan who agrees with you, I would still like to see Charles Oakley give the business to Dolan and Mills. Even if they’d signed KD and Kawhi, I’d still want to see it.
For sure. I’m not thinking about Dolan or that high-pitched voice joke Mills. I like the the measured approach from Perry tho.
Build it the right way & let the chips fall where they may.
It’s sad how long this franchise has been an irrelevant joke. They’ve done nothing since getting smacked around by Jordan in the 90’s. I believe the NBA is stronger, better when their largest market puts a competitive team on the floor. The hiring of Isiah Thomas followed by Phil Jackson set this franchise back 2 decades.
It’s pretty telling when the lowly Nets become the most desirable destination in NY. I know from experience how much that city loves the game and hates Dolan. It’s borderline criminal what he’s done to this franchise.
No legitimate player wants to play for James Dolan. He’s Donald Sterling Jr. Sorry Knicks fans.
I find Knicks fans hilarious. You thought all along being in NY we made you somehow deserve top FAs. Well, Brooklyn is NY now in the NBA world.
But as New York’ers, the Nets will always be second fiddle to the Knicks. The Islanders were a dynasty while the Rangers went 54 years without a championship, yet the Rangers were still New York’s team. Same can go for the Yankees and Giants.
Where are the statements from other FO’s-?
The Stooges made their bed here. They focused everyone on their cap space and this summer’s FA market, as justifying their apparent ineptness since last summer.
Well let’s see. The Knicks missed out on Durant, who may be shot after his blown Achilles, they missed out on Irving, who has a reputation of being a clubhouse cancer, they losses DeAndre who was a nice player 3 years ago but is not worth the deal he got from the Nets.No one knows where Leonard will wind up,possibly in L.A., nut my money says he stays in Toronto. They picked up a few useful pieces on short term deals, still have cap space, all their draft choices, and all their youthful and promising core players. I think the Knicks get out of this whole thing looking pretty good.
It’s more the lack of returning talent than Dolan that turns off the top tier guys.