The New York Knicks are due for a big-name signing. The Knicks managed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals this season before failing at the penultimate hurdle. The organization has been in rebuild mode since Tom Thibodeau took over, and the progress has been evident with the recent postseason success the team has found. Now that Thibodeau has been fired, the New York Knicks front office is looking to make some big-name additions to its roster for next season. The latest target is Kevin Durant, who reportedly was close to a deal last season.
Tom Thibodeau’s firing was just a step in a new direction for the Knicks.
When the Knicks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, the fans in Madison Square Garden showed their love, and the atmosphere in New York was electric. The fans in New York began to dream of a return to the Finals for the first time in nearly three decades. The Knicks’ superstar pairing of Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony-Towns held the dreams of a city on their collective shoulders.
That weight proved to be too much for the Knicks to handle. They lost to the Indiana Pacers in a series that entertained, but ultimately showed the weakness in New York’s roster. Now, the Knicks have decided to make some changes in an attempt to keep the good times rolling. Since the decision to fire Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks front office has been hard at work considering the best candidates for a very sought-after job in the NBA.
Along with the head coach search, the Knicks are hard at work in the trade department. Karl Anthony-Towns has been the easy target for the TV pundits to throw around the trade rumor table. He made an impact after being traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves to New York for another star, Julius Randle. And if the reports are to be believed, there are a few big-name players in their crosshairs this offseason.
Can the Knicks make a big trade this offseason for Karl Anthony-Towns?
Multiple star players are looking for greener pastures this offseason. Chief among which is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The star Nigerian-Greek MVP candidate is reportedly calling time on his Milwaukee career. He has dominated the trade talks that the NBA media personalities spend a large amount of time discussing. As well as the “Greek-Freak,” there is another NBA legend who is a candidate for a move to the Knicks.
According to NBA Guru, Shams Charania, the Knicks and Suns were close to a deal before the season began that would have seen Kevin Durant make the move to New York. Shams stated that there was mutual interest in the move as the Suns were in talks with Golden State as well, but Durant stated that he did not want to play in San Francisco again and wanted a move to a new team.
Reports are that New York is still interested in making a deal, despite the Thibodeau firing. Charania has made some predictions for this offseason, and he tends to be right. So the question then becomes, what, or rather who, would New York have to give up to get Kevin Durant in a Knicks shirt? Durant is in the twilight of his career and is seeking another championship ring to add to his collection before he retires.
Can the New York Knicks find a new coach and superstar player?
If the Knicks are aiming to have an even better season next year than this one, a lot of work needs to be done. They had the most successful season in 20 years, and the firing of Thibodeau came as a surprise to many in the NBA inner circle. With the Finals capturing the basketball world’s attention at the moment, the Knicks are forced to face the reality of a whole new organization next season with a new head coach at the helm. Whether or not Kevin Durant is part of that new organization remains to be seen, but we can hope.
