PatCummings wrote:BlueKnickers wrote:PatCummings wrote:BlueKnickers wrote:We've retained Mo and Jose. Love the Mo deal and I am fine with the Jose deal if Coach Brown values him that much.Meanwhile, we added a sniper who will be given rotation minutes if he can deliver.
AFAIK, that's 3 pieces falling into place so far and not insignificant.
I can wait to see the rest.
Not like any of us have a clue what's going on in the war room anyway.
We just won a chip. I'd say we're in good hands. None of us are more equipped to get it done than our FO.
Don't let the information vacuum drive you crazy. It ain't worth it. They've got a plan and we will probably see it all fall into place by the end of SL.
That's about three weeks. Until then, finish that knitting project you left undone during the playoffs.
I’m with you on all those moves and agree we’re in good hands. I just think we’d be better off if we drafted Carr and Reed
I wanted to go over initially too, but the reality is past contenders or champions who went over the second apron had to decimate their rosters permaturely in subsequent seasons with godawfully sh!tty moves because of the constraints that limit your maneuverability once over the 2nd apron.
Whatever their logic in this draft was, it will somehow be related to their aggregated moves which are based on a primary objective:
Protecting the core of the club without having to resort to self-destructive subtractive actions in the seasons after you go over the 2nd apron.
Pipeline players and drafted players come AFTER that objective.
And the NEXT objective will likely be:
What players fill out the roster that can help us repeat NEXT year?
These will still be win now moves while trying to maintain their talent pipeline.
This is why I project Nickel as a rotation player. He's drafted to play now.
Whom they pick up or trade for will likely be about who can play NOW in a push to repeat.
This is a situation where they climbed to the mountain top and their opportunity to repeat with the existing core may be very much dependent upon staying under the 2nd apron.
All the things you are limited by and all of the future penalties that occur if you do go over are about more than Dolan's pocketbook. This is about protecting the core so you can make a dynastic run over the next three seasons. And that means extensions for Brunson, KAT and probably Hart. They are planning for those deals NOW by staying under the apron this year.
Therefore, this is about the FO's ability to modify the roster in upcoming seasons as much as this one.
You go over and flexibility goes out the window for years and it can precipitate a fairly rapid fall out of contention in upcoming seasons if they went over the 2nd and then tried to climb back under it.
I have no idea what they are cooking up, but it is pretty clearly going to be under the 2nd apron. How that influenced their thinking about this draft is not something you nor I have any understanding of yet.
Most of us here are speaking about checkers. This is a multi-year chess game 3-4 years into the future they are playing today.
I think it’s more likely that McCullar cracks the rotation over Nickel. McCullar is 25 and had a good year last year for Westchester. I’d like to see him get an extended look
As of now, Nickel is a Knick getting their rookie contact.
Nickel is a 6'7" SF sniper whose role does not overlap with the guards.
McCullar is presently an unsigned restricted free agent.
They are very different players even if McCullar comes back.
Our backcourt at present is:
Brunson
Hart
Jose
Kolek
Deuce
That is possibly what they intend to roll with, but we should hope not as that is a smurf village.
I agree bringing back McCullar is the right move.
He is not all redundant when you have a midget-sized backcourt like we do.
McCullar is a physical swing/combo guard that can defend small forwards and maybe even the occasional frontline player like Hart does. He's actually taller than Hart.
Since Deuce may be packaged in a trade, there is definitely a slot for McCullar if they bring him back.
If both McCullar and Nickel are on the roster, Nickel has an easier path to steady minutes even if I am the biggest advocate for McCullar on this board.
Nickel is a specialist being brought in for immediate impact. He has little competition at his size if he really is the best shooter in the draft.
McCullar is a very well-rounded player with sound fundamentals who may still require time to integrate in a regular role if they bring him back.
6/28/2026 3:17 PM
