I think there is potential here with Fields, Lin, Shump, Melo, Tyson, Amare, but a number of things need to happen.
1. Carmelo get your fat ass in shape
2. Amare drop 15 pounds and regain the quickness he lost
3. Shumpert needs to be healthy and improve his outside shot
4. We need to retain Bird Rights so we can sign Andre Miller, Nash is getting more money in Dallas or a better situation in LA
5. Lin needs to average 14pts 7rbs
6. We need to draft someone with some balls that can get in people's faces
7. Melo ball needs to be destroyed
If we can accomplish that list the Knicks can be a challenger, but the chances of Melo buying into an offense where ball movement is stressed and getting in the shape he needs to punish everyone he faces is a pipe dream.
Bird rights is going to either change the course of this franchise or we are going to be the Atlanta Hawks