The Knicks should be taking notes as they watch the Thunder and Pacers face off in the NBA Finals, writes Kristian Winfield for the New York Daily News. The two teams represent the blueprint for the new era of teambuilding when it comes to championships.
For the Knicks, who had their own title aspirations dashed in a hard-fought series with Indiana, depth and flexibility should be two key takeaways when it comes to how the two smaller-market teams have built themselves into the powerhouses they are. Both teams have hit big on the margins. The Thunder picked up Isaiah Joe after he was cut, drafted Aaron Wiggins at 55 in 2021, and added Lu Dort as an undrafted free agent, while the Pacers landed Andrew Nembhard in the second round and Ben Sheppard at the end of the first round.
As important as identifying talent is, though, Winfield writes that the next Knicks coach needs to prioritize developing the role players so that they’re ready when the time comes. With the financial burdens the team faces, getting contributions from the lesser-known names will be crucial if the team wants to continue making deep playoff runs.
We have more from the Atlantic division:
- While the Knicks don’t own a first-round pick, one such place the Knicks can hope to find value is with the 50th pick in the 2025 NBA draft. James L. Edwards III of the Athletic breaks down some of the candidates the Knicks could look at, saying that adding an older, more ready-to-contribute prospect could be beneficial for a team needing all the depth it can find. One such name would be Kentucky’s Koby Brea, arguably the best shooter in the draft at 6’6″. Edwards also looks at Micah Peavy (Georgetown), an athletic defender with a questionable shot, Jamir Watkins (Florida State), Kobe Sanders (Nevada), and Dink Pate (Mexico City Capitanes). Pate is only 19 years old and is much more raw than the rest of the names, but at 6’8″ with real ball skills, he could be an interesting developmental flier for down the road.
- The Raptors‘ desire to make a splash with a big-name addition is no secret. With that in mind, The Athletic’s Eric Koreen goes through the roster to determine who is most likely to be moved. In his opinion, Ochai Agbaji and RJ Barrett are the two least likely to be back next season. Moving Agbaji would likely be done to avoid going into the luxury tax, while Koreen writes that Barrett’s game is too duplicative with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram for the team to pay all three. He adds that at least one of Barrett, Ingram, Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, or Jakob Poeltl will be needed in a big deal, though it appears unlikely that Poeltl will be moved.
- If the Celtics go into next season without making changes, they’ll be looking at a $500 million bill, considering both salaries and luxury tax, writes Spotrac’s Keith Smith in his off-season preview. With Jayson Tatum out for the season, it’s crucial for them to find a way to avoid the second apron, not only to save tax money, but also to ensure future flexibility, including keeping their 2032 first round pick from being frozen, meaning it can’t be traded and will automatically be at the end of the first round. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Sam Hauser are the notable names to watch, as two of them will likely need to be moved, and it will be difficult to bring back both Al Horford and Luke Kornet, though they can likely keep one of them.
- When it comes to what the Sixers need most for next season, the answer is simple for The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey: a healthy Joel Embiid. Given the money committed to the current roster, even before they make their decision on whether or not to re-sign Quentin Grimes, who is likely to receive a deal between $15 and $20 million per year, ensuring Embiid’s future availability is paramount for the team’s outlook.
