Bing bong, that's the sound of the doors closing on the New York Knicks season.
Building off their first playoff appearance in eight years, the Knicks started the season out with a bang by defeating the Boston Celtics. The season-opening win seemingly galvanized the entire city of New York. A video of Knicks fans celebrating the win like New York won the championship even went viral.
Knicks Season Opener pic.twitter.com/RkzFM5O1pi
— Sidetalk (@sidetalknyc) October 21, 2021
Again, this was after the first win of the season.
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The Knicks were 1-0 and this video was a true encapsulation of the spirit of New York, which finally, could once again believe in their hometown squad.
However, all good things must come to an end. And unfortunately for the Knicks, that end came rather swiftly.
Playing inconsistent all season, the Knicks were just a mess of a team. Offseason signings of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier didn't really move the needle. Julius Randle didn't play at an All-Star level. Tom Thibodeau is Tom Thibodeau. And somewhat amazingly, an injury to Derrick Rose, who was a steady veteran presence off the bench, made a big difference.
So what's next for the Knicks? Here's a snapshot of where the Knicks stand heading into the offseason.
All salaries are from Spotrac.
Knicks upcoming free agents
The Knicks have several players under long-term contracts, so there are only two players that will be free agents for New York—Ryan Arcidiacono and Mitchell Robinson.
Arcidiacono was an end of bench player, signed when the Knicks were hit hard by injuries and Covid protocols. His time in New York is likely already over as the Knicks have no real reason to re-sign him.
Robinson on the other hand is a key player for the Knicks and could be the team's center of the future.
He presents an interesting situation for the Knicks this offseason. Robinson could be a top free agent this offseason and garner a lot of interest around the league. Will the Knicks spend money to keep him or will they just let him walk? It's likely one of many dilemmas the team's front office is facing this offseason.
| Unrestricted free agents | Restricted free agents | Player option | Team option |
| Ryan Arcidiacono | None | None | None |
| Mitchell Robinson |
Knicks future salaries, roster
The Knicks have a lot of money on their books but do have some flexibility. Randle is signed long-term but much like the rest of the Knicks' roster, he's on a tradeable contract. Here's how the Knicks salaries break down over the next four seasons:
| Players | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
| Julius Randle | $26,136,000 | $28,226,880 | $30,317,760 | $32,408,640 PO |
| Evan Fournier | $18,000,000 | $18,857,143 | $19,000,000 TO | $0 |
| Derrick Rose | $14,520,730 | $15,596,339 TO | $0 | $0 |
| Alex Burks | $10,012,800 | $10,489,600 TO | $0 | $0 |
| Nerlens Noel | $9,240,000 | $9,680,000 TO | $0 | $0 |
| Kemba Walker | $9,165,471 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| RJ Barrett | $10,900,634 | $14,301,632 QO | $0 | $0 |
| Obi Toppin | $5,348,280 | $6,803,012 TO | $9,170,460 QO | $0 |
| Taj Gibson | $5,155,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Cam Reddish | $5,954,454 | $8,109,966 QO | $0 | $0 |
| Immanuel Quickley | $2,316,240 | $4,171,548 TO | $6,128,004 QO | $0 |
| Quentin Grimes | $2,277,000 | $2,385,720 TO | $4,296,682 TO | $6,311,825 QO |
| Miles McBride | $1,563,518 | $1,836,096 TO | $0 | $0 |
| Jericho Sims | $1,576,305 QO | $0 | $0 | $0 |
PO = Player option
TO = Team Option
QO = Qualifying Offer
Knicks 2022 NBA Draft picks
The Knicks have one first round pick and two second round picks.
Tankathon has the Knicks projected at 11th overall in the first round. New York has a 9.4 percent chance of making it in the top 4 and 1.5 percent chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick.
One burning question
Is Julius Randle's tenure with the Knicks over?
After becoming a first-time All-Star last year, Randle's game regressed as he played inconsistently throughout the 2021-2022 season. Randle's numbers were down across the board. His three-point shooting, which was at 40.1 percent last season, really took a dive. Randle still averaged slightly over five threes a game but he shot a dreadful 30.8 percent.
But Randle's diminished statistical output wasn't his only issue. It probably wasn't even his biggest issue as he had several head-scratching moments this season.
The 27-year-old forward gave Knicks fans the "thumbs-down" gesture, was booed by those same fans in Madison Square Garden, and once, he strangely threw the ball and stormed away after his team won a game.
Randle knows that buzzer means we WON right??? pic.twitter.com/RYxDEDySm3
— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) March 29, 2022
Those are just three instances of Randle's peculiar behavior this season. There are actually a couple more but overall, Randle just gave off bad vibes all season long. And now the Knicks have to make a decision about him.
Do they continue to build a roster with Randle as one of their key players? Or do they trade him now and try to build more towards the future?
One thing is clear though, after not making a return trip to the playoffs, the Knicks need to change something up if they want to rekindle their previous success and their fans' belief in them.
