'Jobs Are on the Line': ESPN Analyst Lobbies Knicks to Make Moves
Having gone the extra mile (and maybe more) to land Jalen Brunson and recharging their interior game, it appears that the New York Knicks have accomplished their offseason goals. But one ESPN analyst believes that more is needed for the current front office to hang to their jobs.
The Knicks' adding of Brunson wasn't enough to crack Jay Williams' list of major NBA free agency talking points on an edition of the Worldwide Leader's "Keyshawn, JWill, and Max" this week. He was, however, more than happy to address it when addressed by substitute co-host Freddie Coleman ... by claiming the Knicks should be nowhere near finished if they're hoping to truly return to relevancy next season.
To be precise, the former college superstar and NBA All-Rookie team nominee wants the Knicks to "go get Donovan Mitchell", the Utah Jazz superstar whose Salt Lake City future is in doubt as the team appears to be gearing toward a rebuild after another playoff disappointment. New York has lingered on the cusp of the Mitchell discussion but Williams thinks that the current management group should be doing their utmost to lure him east, lest they be looking for jobs this time next year.
"I believe (president) Leon Rose, and (executive vice president William Wesley), I believe like their jobs are on the line with making a move," Williams explains. "They've compiled the assets. The fanbase has been patient. They made a run, they dropped off that run when they gave Julius Randle that (four-year, $117 million) deal. People were questioning whether he deserved that type of money."
Though Williams called the Knicks to further action, he and Coleman went against the popular narrative that the Knicks wasted their time on draft night, which was spent dealing away their picks to build a de facto Brunson budget. It also helped the Knicks stockpile draft picks to use in future trades: the team currently has four 2023 first-round picks to barter with if they opt to explore another transaction.
The pair also partly justified the $110 million set to be bestowed to Brunson over the next four seasons. Williams sang the praises of what Brunson can do for a developing team's mindset moving forward while Coleman referred to the former Dallas Maverick as a "quality guy."
"People are going to be fixated on the price tag and I understand that," Williams said. "I like what he brings culture-wise to a team. I still think people can say, 'well, they (could've made different moves in the draft, get younger, continue to accumulate more assets'. But I think, from a workman-like perspective, what he brings to the table on a day-in, day-out basis is going to be critical for that franchise."
