Front office can save face by unloading some of the vets and reverting back to full youth movement with Barrett, Knox, Mitch, and Frank all showing varying degrees of growth/promise. They can sell it as using the vets to have expedited development and maybe we don't see it in the record but we see it in the growth of the young players. Knicks can still keep big free agents Randle and Morris in useful roles. I look at what Atlanta has done. They are not a good team by any means, but you see the plan to build around Young with shooting/defense and toughness, and the Knicks can do the same with Barrett. Knox should eventually replace Randle in the lineup and slide Morris over to the stretch 4 where he belongs. I want to keep Morris as he can be the emotional leader and fits as a 3 and D player plus someone who can take over from time to time. Randle can move to that bench role that Jabari Parker is excelling in for Atlanta.
C Mitch F Morris F Knox G Barrett G Frank 6th Randle
You improve floor spacing in the lineup and are really investing in the youth. Then the goal should be to draft an elite PG who can penetrate and spread the floor. Frank absolutely has a place moving forward in a reserve role as a combo guard, but unfortunately lacks the speed and aggressiveness as a starting PG. Again, it's about fitting the pieces around the core players. If we don't win games, at least make it look like there is a purpose and not just a bunch of pieces that don't fit. In the new NBA you need floor spacing and versatility, especially around a player like Barrett that shows a ton of promise, but needs the cast around him to make sense in order to maximize his talent. Also, address the coaching situation this year and make sure you have the right guy. If you don't, don't wait until the offseason. Fix it now to get a jump start.