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How to Fix the New York Knicks in NBA 2K17

There is no worse position in basketball than to be mediocre. You lack the hope of a potential NBA Championship, and you can't pin your hopes on snagging a top three pick in the draft. 

The Knicks could find themselves firmly planted in that sort of territory if they don't get lucky in the Lottery and end up in that 6-8 pick range. Long term, they might be unable to climb the standings for a playoff bid and too stubborn to sink the ship altogether. 

So what can we do to fix the Knicks in NBA 2K17? It might be time for a full-on rebuild. 

Trade Carmelo Anthony

This isn't an easy proposition. Carmelo Anthony has two years left on his deal after this season, each paying in excess of 25 million dollars -- assuming he doesn't use his early-termination option after the 2017/18 season. At just an 84 overall and declining returns (plus a no-trade clause), Anthony may fetch little more than a draft pick or two, while you take on salary in return. It's important to approach this trade situation at the right time, even if that means re-playing through the 2016-2017 season in your franchise. Best-case scenario, you wind up finding a Timberwolves-like deal, trading Anthony to a championship contender and grabbing an early first or a budding star in return. 

One thing that you should avoid is dealing Anthony for a similarly talented player. It could be a chemistry issue, but the fact of the matter is this: the New York Knicks just aren't talented enough. Behind Porzingis and Anthony, there's not even close to enough there. Another superstar isn't going to fix the problem, especially when you would just need to re-negotiate a contract in a year or two, anyway. 

Build Around Kristaps Porzingis

When the Knicks drafted Kristaps Porzingis in 2015 with the fourth-overall pick in the draft, nobody quite knew what his ceiling was. Even now, it's hard to tell what the 7-foot-3 power forward (and maybe future center) can become as a player. At an incredible 85 overall at just 21 years of age, there's not many better players to build around than Porzingis. 

Going back to the earlier point, finding a point guard that can help develop Porzingis should be priority number one. There are too few available via trade, so targeting one in the draft is likely your best route. If not, you may be able to snag someone like Goran Dragic if you put the right deal together, but that age timeline might not line up. Another possibility is Eric Bledsoe, who the Suns might be willing to move due to a potential clog in the backcourt. If you start from step one, don't be afraid to give up Rose, who is still rated as one of the league's better guards at an 82 overall. 

Give Yourself Some Cap Space

This one is important. The New York Knicks are one of the NBA's most prestigious teams and they are in a very lucrative market. In an effort to patch together a playoff team, they spent money extremely unwisely this past offseason. If you can get rid of Carmelo (Rose only has a year left, so trade him if you can, but it's not a long-term concern), you might be in a fantastic position to bring in a star in 2018 after you've been able to put some younger talent around Porzingis. 

With both of those 20-plus million dollar contracts gone, you can focus on ridding yourself of Noah, who may have been the worst signing of 2016 (getting anything for him would be a minor miracle). With Kyle O'Quinn and Willy Hernangómez, you'll have plenty of frontcourt to tie with Porzingis. But again, Noah has a massive contract for a player who is more of a role player than anything, so see what you can do to get the contract off the books. Courtney Lee is the final piece here to potentially move. He didn't necessarily sign an awful contract, but he just doesn't fit the timeline.

Focus On The Future

It may sound redundant at this point, but the Knicks have zero hopes of being a contender right now. Next year is just as unlikely. Give yourself a workable deadline, like 2018, to build the foundation for the next great New York Knicks team. They have benefited from some decent draft picks in the last couple of years, so make sure to see what you have in that youth. There are enough assets available that you can foster some hope in the otherwise tragic recent history of the New York Knicks.


Member Comments
# 1 ehh @ 03/16/17 04:43 PM
The beauty (and problem) with video game basketball is that a team like the Knicks doesn't have to be rebuilt in 2K, they're contenders as is. As the user, you eliminate chemistry problems and issues such as Melo and Rose being ball-stoppers and lacking court vision. You throw the Triangle out the window. As a user, I'm essentially putting LeBron's brain and court vision into Melo's head. I turn Rose into a prime Rondo (more or less).

Start KP at the 5 and Melo at the 4 and you'll have two big mismatches most games. Rose is still quick and can get past his man, just pass the ball more in the PnR game and never take mid-range shots unlike the real-life Rose. Don't iso that often with Melo and limit the amount of mid-range shots he takes. Play an up-tempo style predicated on ball movement and PnR. KP and Melo can get tons of open looks from deep this way. Focus on threes, attacking the rim and getting to the charity stripe, just like the real-life successful teams in the NBA.

The bench isn't too shabby in video game-land either though it can be improved, especially at the PG position now that Jennings is gone. It could use a knockdown shooter as well. You can find cheap guys or FAs to fill that void. Hernangomez and KOQ are good front court role players and for some reason Kuz always shoots the ball well from deep for me.

Basically, on paper in 2K's world the Knicks can be a monster as long as you change their style and strategy. Their defense will still be a challenge, depending on how often you switch who you're controlling on D.

If you want to play it more realistically, blow things up and do a true rebuild while hanging on to KP and Willy.
 
# 2 Mintsa @ 03/16/17 05:26 PM
I thought they were the East's "Super Team" ? Well, that was according to DRose in late august.....clown. Anyone with an IQ of a fish could've told you the Knicks were doomed in the summer time.
 
# 3 JustCallMeSleepy @ 03/16/17 05:47 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mintsa
I thought they were the East's "Super Team" ? Well, that was according to DRose in late august.....clown. Anyone with an IQ of a fish could've told you the Knicks were doomed in the summer time.
It's better to bottom out as opposed to getting prepped to lose to CLE in the 2nd round. Just saying.
 
# 4 fzdoom @ 03/16/17 06:59 PM
I'm currently running a MyLeague with the Knicks, in the middle of year two (the 2017-2018 season) and the steps I took were:

Boston won the draft lottery and I got the 6th pick. I offered Melo and the 6th for the 1st pick and they agreed while also throwing in Jae Crowder. I drafted Markelle Fultz 1st overall. The Celtics added Melo and the 6th pick (they chose the big kid Markkanaen from Arizona) to a 50 win team to make their championship run.

At the trade deadline in year two I placed Noah on the block and the TWolves offered two expiring deals for Noah. The Twolves at this point were 6th seed in the West and adding a veteran - and one of Thibideau's favorites - seemed realistic to me for them to make a playoff run. I like to make trades that make sense and not just rape to CPU.

So there you have it. I'm now about 10 games under .500 at the break (i wasnt expecting to be good, im rebuilding of course), Fultz is a ROY candidate, KP is a beast, i still have Courtney Lee and his contract but its the only big contract left on the team, and i'm sure to get a top 10 pick in the next draft. Im on my way,
 
# 5 jeremym480 @ 03/17/17 11:37 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ehh
The beauty (and problem) with video game basketball is that a team like the Knicks doesn't have to be rebuilt in 2K, they're contenders as is. As the user, you eliminate chemistry problems and issues such as Melo and Rose being ball-stoppers and lacking court vision. You throw the Triangle out the window. As a user, I'm essentially putting LeBron's brain and court vision into Melo's head. I turn Rose into a prime Rondo (more or less).

Start KP at the 5 and Melo at the 4 and you'll have two big mismatches most games. Rose is still quick and can get past his man, just pass the ball more in the PnR game and never take mid-range shots unlike the real-life Rose. Don't iso that often with Melo and limit the amount of mid-range shots he takes. Play an up-tempo style predicated on ball movement and PnR. KP and Melo can get tons of open looks from deep this way. Focus on threes, attacking the rim and getting to the charity stripe, just like the real-life successful teams in the NBA.

The bench isn't too shabby in video game-land either though it can be improved, especially at the PG position now that Jennings is gone. It could use a knockdown shooter as well. You can find cheap guys or FAs to fill that void. Hernangomez and KOQ are good front court role players and for some reason Kuz always shoots the ball well from deep for me.

Basically, on paper in 2K's world the Knicks can be a monster as long as you change their style and strategy. Their defense will still be a challenge, depending on how often you switch who you're controlling on D.

If you want to play it more realistically, blow things up and do a true rebuild while hanging on to KP and Willy.
I agree with this... The Knicks are actually a decent team in 2K with the Melo, KP and Rose trio. In my MyLeague Melo was injured for most of the first season and they ended up tanking and getting the 4th pick in the draft. The following year they drafted a 77 OVR Center and really didn't pick up anyone else, just swapped out Jennings for Ty Lawson. Melo played all season and they made the Eastern Conference Finals against my Celtics. They even forced me to a Game 7 before I finally knocked them out. Hopefully, they continue playing well because a good virtual Boston/NY rivalry should be fun.
 
# 6 Dice @ 03/17/17 01:28 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ehh
The beauty (and problem) with video game basketball is that a team like the Knicks doesn't have to be rebuilt in 2K, they're contenders as is. As the user, you eliminate chemistry problems and issues such as Melo and Rose being ball-stoppers and lacking court vision. You throw the Triangle out the window. As a user, I'm essentially putting LeBron's brain and court vision into Melo's head. I turn Rose into a prime Rondo (more or less).

Start KP at the 5 and Melo at the 4 and you'll have two big mismatches most games. Rose is still quick and can get past his man, just pass the ball more in the PnR game and never take mid-range shots unlike the real-life Rose. Don't iso that often with Melo and limit the amount of mid-range shots he takes. Play an up-tempo style predicated on ball movement and PnR. KP and Melo can get tons of open looks from deep this way. Focus on threes, attacking the rim and getting to the charity stripe, just like the real-life successful teams in the NBA.

The bench isn't too shabby in video game-land either though it can be improved, especially at the PG position now that Jennings is gone. It could use a knockdown shooter as well. You can find cheap guys or FAs to fill that void. Hernangomez and KOQ are good front court role players and for some reason Kuz always shoots the ball well from deep for me.

Basically, on paper in 2K's world the Knicks can be a monster as long as you change their style and strategy. Their defense will still be a challenge, depending on how often you switch who you're controlling on D.

If you want to play it more realistically, blow things up and do a true rebuild while hanging on to KP and Willy.
If your playing coach mode like me, your going to struggle with the Knicks. I'm controlling the Bulls in MyGM and having a hard time getting into the playoffs. Can't imagine what the Knicks are going to be like.
 
# 7 Teleo @ 03/17/17 03:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dice
If your playing coach mode like me, your going to struggle with the Knicks. I'm controlling the Bulls in MyGM and having a hard time getting into the playoffs. Can't imagine what the Knicks are going to be like.
Dice - as a coach mode player - what sliders do you use?
 
# 8 tarek @ 03/18/17 05:59 PM
As a Knicks fan it makes me so sad that this is pretty much an annual article.
 
# 9 VAWereWolf65 @ 03/19/17 02:03 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by de5m0n
6. Move Porzingis to Center because he can't guard small 4 that are everywhere nowadays.
He's definitely got the size but he needs to work on his strength and physicality before he can play center
 

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