I really like this writer Jeffrey Bellone of The Knicks Wall.

This is a detailed article with charts so I suggest going to read it but here's an excerpt:

The Knicks have a franchise player in Kristaps Porzingis. They need to be careful not to waste his prime playing years by avoiding trades for star talent at the cost of draft picks.
>Snip<
It seems the common thread among Knicks fans is woven with the idea that building a competitive team around Porzingis should be done by using future draft picks. Porzingis is only 21 years old (he’ll be 22 by the start of next season), the team is coming off a 31-win campaign, and Carmelo Anthony is presumably moving on to greener pastures. The team is not built to win now, so why acquire veteran pieces? Draft more young studs and let them develop alongside Porzingis, and together, they will become a future contender.

This logic is correct, until you start doing the math. The Knicks don’t have the luxury to wait for future draft picks to develop into elite talent to play with Porzingis. The clock is ticking. It takes a really long time for 18 year olds to become top players on contending teams, if they become top players at all.

There are eight teams that won at least 50 games last season. Looking at the three best players on each of those teams (using Value Over Replacement Player — VORP), none of the 24 players observed were younger than 24 years old last season. Each team had at least one of their star players in the thick of their prime (age 28):

>Chart<

If we project the Knicks roster ahead to 2020–21, when Kristaps would be 25 years old (and a potential free agent), and if we assume the Knicks keep Frank Ntilikina along with their 2018 and 2019 draft picks, we find a team that would have Porzingis and a trio of 20, 21, and 22 year olds. In other words, it is unlikely that any of the Knicks 2017, 2018, or 2019 draft picks would be ready to perform at a contending level by the time Porzingis is entering his prime-age seasons (age 25 and up).

When Kristaps Porzingis is ready to compete for a championship between the ages of 25–30, the Knicks’ future draft picks would still be in their developmental years until the tail end of that window.

The Knicks could speed up the process by trying to acquire a player like Kyrie Irving. The 25-year-old guard is already in his prime, with an upward trend fully possible. While his contract will be more expensive over the next two seasons than a rookie, his production will be far superior. Remember, rookies are cheap, but they start to get expensive (through qualifying offers and restricted free agency) around the time they are finally ready to compete at a championship level.

FiveThirtyEight projects the production of players over a five-year window. The Knicks fell to the eighth overall pick in the most recent draft, so let’s use a slightly higher pick to articulate the point. The fifth overall selection, De’Aaron Fox, projects to produce -0.3 wins above a replacement level player next season. Kyrie Irving projects to produce 5.6 wins. It is not until the 2022 season, five years from now, when Fox reaches his potential of about three wins per season. His ceiling never projects to be as high as Irving’s:

Similarly, drafting Frank was as dumb of a pick as you could make if you are trying to flip draft picks and young talent to get an established player. Who knows if Frank ends up better than Smith or Monk. That said, what is obvious is that either of those guys has more trade value than Frank at present, and that has nothing to do with the summer league... both are known commodities and appealing to more teams that don't rely on the triangle or triangle aspects or triangle remnants or whatever the **** we're doing

SupremeCommander wrote:That said, what is obvious is that either of those guys has more trade value than Frank at present, and that has nothing to do with the summer league... both are known commodities and appealing to more teams that don't rely on the triangle or triangle aspects or triangle remnants or whatever the **** we're doing

The reason he was high on draft boards wasn't just because the Knicks were interested.

Porzingis window is not closing. The reality is he's going to have endure a bit of losing. Just like Steph Curry did for a couple years.

Porzingis is the 2nd best prospect in the NBA. The criteria for that simple... any player in a rookie deal. KAT is better. Before this offseason KP would have been 3 behind KAT and greek, but Giannis is no longer a prospect. He's a 5th year star player making max money.

This expectation and notion that the clock is ticking on KP is really dumb. He's said a 100x he loves NY. If healthy KP will sign a max extension after his 4th year. THEN the clock start ticking. The biggest x-factor is Willy. At worst he looks like a Greg Monroe. Useful player, good numbers, defensive liability, can be schemed around pretty easily. At best he's Marc Gasol. If that is closer to the case then Willy will also be maxed out.

There is just no rush. As of right now the Knicks are playing it right. Obviously seeing is believing. However they are currently advertising building a team around a young defensive minded core that can grow together. They have specifically mentioned KP/Willy/THj/Frank as that core. They gave Baker a nice handout after his hard work last year. That strikes me as a coaching and continuity move. Two things that are consistent with stability and culture. THjr signing is consistent with that. I think they are doing it right holding pat. Now if (for once) they at least included some protection I would be a bit more open as that denotes some rationality. See the Lakers who dont lose Lonzo Ball as they had some protection on that owed pick.

Knicks have Frank 18, Hardaway 25, KP 21, Willy 22. If they move Melo for Harkless and possibly a draft pick they would have 5 players 25 and younger.

Given their situation. If they waited 2 yrs, they can stretch Noah, move Lee for a shorter deal and free up a good chunk of cap space. They could also possibly add another lottery pick this coming season. Adding another young player to the mix under the age of 25-26. To go with Baker and Dotson if they prove to be contributors.

So in 2 years the Knicks could have cap flexibility and some solid pieces. They could then package future picks since they would have enough talent to fall back and their cap space(or player(s) that would eat into cap space when they need to be renewed) for a stud player to ADD to an already established group of players.

Again in 2 years, KP(23), Hardaway(27), Willy(24), Frank(20), maybe Baker(26) & Dotson(25), maybe Harkless(26) and future draft pick, 2018 lotto pick(20?), 2019 draft pick(20?). Cap space, and all our picks going forward.

With that type of flexibility.
They could then package future draft picks(Since we would have enough young talent) to pair with that cap flexibility for a star player to ADD to that group of players that have grown together over the last 2 yrs.
And or they can cherry pick trades of maybe Willy alone for a veteran that fits better & helps us win more right away.
Frank alone for a veteran that helps the team win right away(like when Dallas traded Harris for Kidd).
Harkless, Dotson and future draft pick for an upgrade somewhere.
Maybe trade that 2018 lotto pick at the draft for a stud player to ADD with the core group of players without sacrificing anyone from the core group or future picks.

Endless possibilities to build something.

BRIGGS wrote:The warriors first two trips to the finals were with all organically drafted players

That's good for the Warriors, but their path is not the ONLY path and our circumstances are different. The Knicks can't expect to match exactly what the Warriors did. KP is going to be 22 and it's very interesting to compare his with Steph Curry's Warriors career. Curry's team was not in the playoffs his 1st 3 years.

The thing is that with Kyrie and THJ, KP would be able to accelerate the process of building a competitive team. Having young Vets right at the start of their primes it only helps the Knicks shorten the time but also to make it much more of a sure thing that the team can be competitive since we aren't merely HOPING the 19 yr old draft picks eventually turn into something good.

Season	Age Tm	Pos	G	GS	MP	PT
2009-10	21  GSW	PG	80	77	36.2	17.5
2010-11	22  GSW	PG	74	74	33.6	18.6
2011-12	23  GSW	PG	26	23	28.2	14.7
Playoffs Per Game 
Season	Age Tm	 Pos	G	GS	MP	PTS
2012-13	24  GSW	 PG	12	12	41.4	23.4 SEMIS
2013-14	25  GSW	 PG	7	7	42.3	23.0 1ST RD
2014-15	26  GSW	 PG	21	21	39.3	28.3 FINALS
2015-16	27  GSW	 PG	18	17	34.1	25.1 FINALS
2016-17	28  GSW	 PG	17	17	35.4	28.1 FINALS

Knickoftime wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:The warriors first two trips to the finals were with all organically drafted players

Correct, and the Timberwolves haven't finished over .500 in 12 years.

Knicks spent a trillion dollars over the last 16 years and how many playoff games won? I'll take the wolves over 41 wins next year

BRIGGS wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:The warriors first two trips to the finals were with all organically drafted players

Correct, and the Timberwolves haven't finished over .500 in 12 years.

Knicks spent a trillion dollars over the last 16 years and how many playoff games won? I'll take the wolves over 41 wins next year

Correct.

As I wrote recently, building through the draft is a valid personal preference, there is no overwhelming history as a superior strategy.

StarksEwing1 wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:The warriors first two trips to the finals were with all organically drafted players

Correct, and the Timberwolves haven't finished over .500 in 12 years.

Knicks spent a trillion dollars over the last 16 years and how many playoff games won? I'll take the wolves over 41 wins next year

Correct.

As I wrote recently, building through the draft is a valid personal preference, there is no overwhelming history as a superior strategy.

Building through the draft doesnt mean we are only focused on the draft. However given our lottery position lately it akes more sense to keep those draft picks and devleop them while still looking at free agency to add onto that young core.

I am not arguing against building to get draft, and I'm not arguing for Irving. Just that there's no method that is proven against others.

StarksEwing1 wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Knickoftime wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:The warriors first two trips to the finals were with all organically drafted players

Correct, and the Timberwolves haven't finished over .500 in 12 years.

Knicks spent a trillion dollars over the last 16 years and how many playoff games won? I'll take the wolves over 41 wins next year

Correct.

As I wrote recently, building through the draft is a valid personal preference, there is no overwhelming history as a superior strategy.

Building through the draft doesnt mean we are only focused on the draft. However given our lottery position lately it akes more sense to keep those draft picks and devleop them while still looking at free agency to add onto that young core.

I am not arguing against building to get draft, and I'm not arguing for Irving. Just that there's no method that is proven against others.

Oh i agree. Im not trying to say that building exclusively through the draft is the only way because we see teams do that and fail. HOWEVER since basically 2000 wehave traded so many picks and young players and it just has never worked out for us. I kinda like that we are trying something new with youth and keeping our picks. time will tell if it works but id rather try this new path

That's what I say it's a perfectly valid preference. But it's like the old analogy about flipping a coin and getting heads nine times in a row. Your odds to get tails on the 10th aren't improved. The Knicks lack of success in the past has nothing to do with their future, at least in terms of a chosen strategy.