What Will the New York Knicks Do Next?

If you're a Knicks fan just like I am, you're probably wondering what's going to happen during this offseason after a rocky second half of the season.

We will go position by position, and run through the lineup.

Point Guard

The Problem

This position is definitely an interesting one, and probably one where we can upgrade.

Chris Duhon is clearly feeling the fatigue of averaging a career-high 37 minutes a game, and is much more suitable for a back-up role rather than a starting job. He is entering the final year of his contract and re-signing him could take a chunk out of our cap for 2010.

Possible Solution: The Draft.

The 2009 draft is not the strongest draft in the last couple of years, but the Knicks are looking to get a lottery pick in the five to ten range.

There are a lot of point guards out there that can help us, like  Brandon Jennings, Johnny Flynn, Stephen Curry, Ty Lawson, or Tyreke Evans.  This would really reap benefits for the 2010 season's salary cap issues, and give us a high-potential player which we are currently short on.

Shooting Guard

The Problem

The shooting guard position is relatively okay right now, with Larry Hughes, Nate Robinson, and Quentin Richardson rotating.  But this summer Nate Robinson is a restricted free agent and could sign with another team. 

Donnie Walsh is looking to trade Larry Hughes expiring contract for a possible first-round pick in 2010, since we don't have one.

Possible solution: Nate Robinson

If we lose Nate Robinson and David Lee it would be too much, so we have to sign one. And the winner is...Nate Robinson. Not because he is better, but because Lee's season should allow him to demand a more substantial amount of money, and many more teams are interested in Lee's services rather than Nate's.

So we should re-sign Nate this summer, and keep Hughes if we can't get anything for him, and look for either a star in 2010 like a Joe Johnson or Michael Redd.

Small Forward

The Problem?

Not really any problem here, we are overloaded with potential at SF. Wilson Chandler has the potential to be a defensive stud, Quentin Richardson is a swing-man who fits the offense well, and Danillo Gallinari—who has some skills if he can just stay on the court.

Power Forward

The Problem

If we keep David Lee this problem wouldn't be that big of one. But assuming we do not, we do have a problem. If David Lee signs with another team, we probably will not re-sign Chris Wilcox looking at the amount of playing time he has gotten since he arrived in New York.

Al Harrington is solid for next year but what about the year after?

Possible solutions

If we look ahead though 2010 power forward free agents don't look too shabby. Amare Stoudemire, a guy who is really fond of Mike D'Antoni—as well as a more obvious candidate, Chris Bosh, who the media is already going after with questions about New York.

But right now Al Harrington is playing the position, and will probably be the go to guy next year.

Center

The Problem

In a D'Antoni offense a center is never really a true center.  The center in Phoenix was Boris Diaw, and the current center for the Knicks is Jared Jeffries.

Eddy Curry unfortunately just can't fit the offense and is leaps and bounds away from being in any type of physical shape to play on any team.

Although Jeffries has been playing adequately, we need a major upgrade at this position.

Possible Solution:

If you look at the players in the Antoni offense that play center, they are more of the small forward type that can do a variety of things with the ball. This brings me to the 2010 season and a player who owns the 2010 summer free agency—LeBron James.

Yes, there has been a lot of news lately that James is likely to stay in Cleveland but if they win a championship in either 2009 or 2010, I can see him leaving to start a new dynasty with New York, and be willing to go through a rebuilding process again.

But this will only happen if we can get a legitimate compliment to LeBron, like a Stoudemire, or a Bosh, or even a long shot Wade—who is a very close friend of LeBron I might add. 

LeBron would be the perfect fit in New York to start a new dynasty and lead the Knicks to a championship.