For the better part of the past decade, the New York Knicks have been one of the most underwhelming, disorganized franchises in all of basketball. Rotating through several coaches, front office personnel and star players has been the norm for the club, but some clarity on the team’s future was finally reached in 2017 for two reasons: The dismissing of President Phil Jackson, along with the trading of Carmelo Anthony.
Upon dismissing Phil Jackson as President, the Knicks would bring in new general manager Scott Perry to help change the focus of the organization. For Perry, unlike many other GM’s, the word “tanking” isn’t on his mind. Tanking, of course, comes when management works to cause the team to lose intentionally for a high draft pick. Perry, however, has other plans in mind when it comes to the new-look, rejuvenated younger Knicks.
“I think it’s very important if you’re playing meaningful basketball late in the season because of the culture you’re trying to build here,” Perry said, according to the New York Post. “I’ll also say wherever we wind up in the draft, whether on the playoff side or lottery side, I have extreme confidence in the scouting and front-office staff we’re going to add some talented players to the mix here.”
Playing meaningful basketball rather than focusing on the draft is the culture Perry would like to help establish with the Knicks. Institutionalizing losing, as Perry calls it, should not be acceptable.
“I just believe it’s important to compete hard, do the very best you can, let the amount of wins organically happen vs. trying to put your team in position not to win,” Perry said. “I don’t think that’s healthy for any culture. I think if you try to institutionalize losing, that’s hard to get out of your building. You may never get that out of your building.”
The Knicks currently hold the ninth best record in the Eastern Conference at 12-13, and sport a young core consisting of players such as Kristaps Porzingis, Frank Ntilikina and Doug McDermott.
Establishing winning habits within an organization is vital towards building a successful program, and it’s something Scott Perry hopes to continue working for as time moves forward with the Knicks.
