The New York Knicks: Stuck in Mediocrity

The Knicks have arguably one of the biggest and most loyal fanbases in sports. But throughout the past decade, management and ownership have really tested fan patience. After losing superstar forward Carmelo Anthony in the 2017 offseason, (partially due to some differences with the star and then-team president Phil Jackson) the Knicks became the laughingstock of the NBA. They hoped to build around the young Kristaps Porzingis.

The next three season were practically torture for Knicks fans. With draft disappointment after draft disappointment and acquiring no big-name free agents during the off season. The Knicks won a total of FORTY-SIX games in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. But right before the trade deadline in 2019, they traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks after several injuries to their young franchise player and some locker room issues. In only 2 years, 2 stars were driven out of New York.

But things started looking up during the 2019 off season, after only winning an abysmal seventeen games the year prior, they were set to have a top 5 pick in that year’s draft. They hoped to acquire Duke universities’ Zion Williamson, who was the consensus first pick. And with rumors of Golden State’s Kevin Durant and the Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving wanting to team up in the big apple, the tension in the city was high. But in classic Knicks fashion, only disappointment followed.

They fell to the third pick, losing the chance to draft the young power forward. And with Kevin Durant coming off an Achillies tear he sustained in that year’s finals, they were nervous to offer him a max contract, ultimately losing the free agent, who decided to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, who then made the moves to acquire Kyrie Irving. Knicks fans were let down once again.