Knicks Rumors: Acting GM Steve Mills Reportedly 'All In' on Youth Movement
New York Knicks acting general manager Steve Mills is reportedly "all in" on a youth movement moving forward.
On Wednesday, Marc Berman of the New York Post noted league executives who've spoken with the Knicks confirmed the focus on acquiring younger assets. In addition, Berman reported it's possible the franchise "tanks" the 2017-18 NBA season in order to land a top draft pick.
New York must alter its approach. The effort under former team president Phil Jackson to surround Carmelo Anthony with complementary pieces didn't work, as the team missed the playoffs four seasons in a row.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News noted Mills is keeping things quiet:
The franchise has won just a single playoff series since the 2000-01 season after more than a decade of contention, including two losses in the NBA Finals during the 1990s.
In this "superteam" era, the Knicks' best option is taking a couple of years to clear out bad contracts (Joakim Noah) and create cap space for the future, while also losing enough games to acquire high picks.
"The focus is on young players, but they still need some veteran presence," a source told the New York Post. "They're waiting to see where there are good young players that would take shorter deals. The focus is definitely on building around young guys."
The next step toward a rebuild would be moving Anthony, who's been in the rumor mill since the season ended, but the process is complicated by his no-trade clause.
