Knicks Winners and Losers from 2022 NBA Free Agency

It's already been a splashy summer for the New York Knicks, but it could get a lot splashier if they're ever able to broker a blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell.

For now, though, they have had a productive 2022 NBA offseason even without a Mitchell megatrade.

They potentially plugged a years-long hole at point guard by adding Jalen Brunson. They beefed up the interior by retaining Mitchell Robinson and signing Isaiah Hartenstein to back him up. They got younger by subtraction after splitting from Taj Gibson, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel.

This was all a big step toward a potentially brighter tomorrow. It will take some time before we know for sure how much progress the Knicks made this summer, but we know enough now to spotlight a few winners and losers in free agency.

Winner: Jalen Brunson

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DALLAS, TX - MAY 24: Jalen Brunson #13 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball during Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors on May 24, 2022 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Last offseason, Jalen Brunson could have locked himself into a four-year, $55.5 million extension with the Dallas Mavericks, but they never offered it, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

The 25-year-old subsequently engineered the kind of breakout campaign that elevated him a few economic tiers.

Once he put pen to paper on a new pact, it was a four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks.

Whether Brunson is worth that kind of money is a moot point, at least for this exercise. He more or less doubled his earnings in a single season. That's a massive victory.

If he can earn his keep and make Knicks fans forget all the problems they have encountered at the point guard position, he could earn legendary status in the Big Apple.

Loser: Ryan Arcidiacono

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 02: Ryan Arcidiacono #51 of the New York Knicks in action against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden on April 02, 2022 in New York City. The Cavaliers defeated the Knicks 119-101. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

For most free agents who haven't signed a deal yet, this is officially the time to worry.

A few players aren't sweating like the rest. Collin Sexton, for instance, will get paid by someone, he just happens to be trapped in the thorns of restricted free agency at the moment.

It's different for Ryan Arcidiacono. His next NBA payday isn't guaranteed. Just last season, it took him until January to find a big league deal, and even then, it started as a 10-day agreement with the Knicks.

He isn't the worst option for a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency reserve, but he's also a 28-year-old lacking any standout skills. Maybe a win-now team seeks him out at some point for back-of-the-bench protection, but this league could move on without him.

Winner and Loser: Jericho Sims

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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 8: Jericho Sims #45 of the New York Knicks looks to pass the ball against the Golden State Warriors during the 2022 Las Vegas Summer League on July 8, 2022 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

While exercises like this are supposed to be straightforward, it gets complicated with a case like Jericho Sims.

On the one hand, the 23-year-old spent last season on a two-way contract and scored a big league pact this summer. If everything breaks just right, the deal could last three years and pay him up to $5.7 million, per Spotrac. That is, objectively speaking, fantastic news for the bouncy big man.

So, how could Sims also qualify as a summer loser?

Well, only the first season of his contract is fully guaranteed, so it's possible the deal won't be nearly as long or as lucrative as it sounds. Plus, the Knicks hardly cleared him a path to playing time. Even with Noel and Gibson gone, Hartenstein should play a sizable role, while Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle and Obi Toppin are all still around.

This summer could have gone a lot worse for Sims, but it could have been better, too.