The mentality they should have:

Lets see if these young guys can play. Start Wilcox and the PG they draft (either Dickau,Parker,Salmons). Let them continue playing there unless they show they definitely cannot handle it. Give them at least 25 games to prove themselves. Lets see how the team meshes and make changes after 25 games. Move Sprewell if the price is right (see what hes worth to other teams), if not keep him.

The mentality they probably will have:

Knicks are shoe in for the playoffs. Play the veterans. Let the rookies play in garbage time ( most likely when we are getting blown out). Jackson has earned the starting spot and it is his until he can no longer walk.

or

Knicks need a center and then we will be OK.

Knicks aren't going to give rookies a ton of time since they think they can compete. And if Camby gets hurt it'll once again be a long and terrible season.

This isn't a Pat Riley or Jeff Van Gundy team anymore. I expect the first rounder to get some PT, especially if it's Wilcox, considering how highly Chaney spoke of him. If the #7 pick doesn't get playing time on a team with Travis Knight and Felton Spencer as backup big men, then everyone ranking above Mike Saunders needs to be fired.

Posted by martin:

this next season has to be the "play all of the young talent to tank games and get the LeBron James #1 lottery ticket".

That's all.

I think the Knicks need to blend the youth into the line up much the same way that Byron Scott did with the Nets. By the end of the season the rookies on that team made Kittles expendable and Van Horn expendable. The Knicks should do the same and get the Rookies playing time right away. I give the Knicks 20 games if they start fast out the gate then take it to the playoffs. But if the play mediocre or worse than that play the Rookies and get them experience and let the tanking begin.