The front office running the New York Knicks knows that NBA basketball is a young man’s game.
Yes, there are some guys like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony who are still doing it after nearly two decades.
But, generally, the best teams have a mix of experienced vets and a young core of players ready to prove themselves.
Sports Illustrated ranked the top young cores in the NBA
The Knicks were #14 pic.twitter.com/uHlwrNjSiK
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) September 1, 2022
Speaking of young cores, Sports Illustrated ranked all of the top ones in the league.
The Knicks didn’t come in too high on that list, securing the number 14 spot.
This shows that many expert analysts still feel the Knicks aren’t yet ready to be genuine contenders.
This might be true but perhaps this Sports Illustrated ranking will also fire up the Knicks and have them over-perform.
The Knicks Core
The Knicks have some gifted, tenacious young stars, including RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Jalen Brunson, and others.
The oldest guy on the team, Derrick Rose, was born in 1988 while most others were born in the late 1990s or early 2000s.
Regardless of their ages, these guys could all be superstars.
But the Knicks have not been able to find much success lately.
Last season was a mess, resulting in the Knicks securing a 37-45 record.
The team attempted to make some big changes in the offseason, including signing Brunson.
They also fought hard for Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz but the re-signing of Barrett makes that acquisition a lot less likely.
The team has a young, driven core but it remains to be seen if they have what it takes to create a better upcoming season.
The truth is that there are many impressive young cores in the NBA and they all want to beat the Knicks.
