Spring ahead
How the knicks can get an early jump on next year
The Knicks return from the All-Star break to a Tuesday night practice in Tarrytown on familiar turf — playing for next season.
Carrying an eight-game losing streak and 23-36 record, Jeff Hornacek’s crew is headed for its fifth straight season missing the playoffs. This will be the fourth straight year the Knicks have been out of the race before March.
“We’re going to start from zero,’’ Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina said during All-Star Weekend. “We will go there with a new mindset from the break. Everybody’s going to be ready to compete to get the most wins we can get to be competitive. KP [Kristaps Porzingis] is injured, we might have a losing streak [but] we have 23 games and a lot of time to keep working and build a good team for when KP is back.’’
Indeed, the final 23 games are about doing what will make 2018-19 more palatable. Here’s four suggestions:
JACK THE KNIFE: Thanks for your service Jar- rett Jack, but it may be time to cut ties. You did OK work. Moving on to the three 25and-under point guards is a necessity. Hornacek has said Jack’s playing time will decrease after the break. But not only should Jack be out of the starting lineup Thursday in Orlando, he shouldn’t play anymore. If Jack’s agents find interest elsewhere, waiving Jack is the decent thing to do — despite the leadership he provides. Ntilikina needs to start to get his confidence back. Emmanuel Mudiay and Trey Burke should play in all sorts of two-point-guard alignments.
KO KOQ: The depressing part of Kyle O’Quinn’s emergence as backup center, which helped lead to the Willy Hernangomez trade, is that the Queens product probably won’t be around next season. He can opt out of the final $4.3 million of his pact. With the mid-level exception at $8 million, O’Quinn probably can fetch a chunk of it in a long-term scenario. Hence, his playing time should be sliced. Luke Kornet, the 7-foot-1 two-way G-League prospect who had a double-double in his Knicks debut, should get the backup minutes. He’s a 3-point shooter who can block shots.
HEY JO: The Knicks have no plans to bring Joakim Noah back anytime soon as they try to force a buyout. But the better strategy is bringing him back into the fold, giving him backup minutes and try to show the NBA he has some game left. Draft night is the next wheeling-and-dealing frenzy. Teams asked the Knicks for their 2018 firstround pick to even consider taking on the rest of Noah’s $72 million pact that expires in 2020. Hornacek and Noah are grown men. Smoke a peace pipe.
COACHING QUANDARY: Hornacek looks a long shot to return next season, unless there’s a genuine change in the team’s defensive aptitude and growth from the young players, particularly Mudiay and Ntilikina. Hornacek is a smart basketball man and keeping him around to develop and work with the young guards is the smart play. What is the point of removing him now?