NBA Return: Knicks Fans Should Follow the Toronto Raptors

Knicks fans are used to the game "When your team misses the postseason, who do you root for?" It's become an annual tradition since 2014. This year, there's some added twists. The Golden State Warriors' dynasty is taking at least one year off, meaning the field is more wide open than it's been in years. We're also in for an odd postseason in the midst of a pandemic with no home-court advantages. With the flexibility New York has under new management, it's anyone's guess as to which direction they go this offseason.

There are plenty of upcoming free agents to watch (Davis Bertans, Joe Harris), as well as pipe dreams (Giannis Antetokounmpo). I'm not focusing on a player in the NBA's return, however. Knicks fans need to root for back-to-back championships for the Toronto Raptors. That way, they can increase their chances of getting Raptors' general manager Masai Ujiri. 

Ujiri to the Knicks is not a new rumor. James Dolan has had his eyes on the Raptors' GM, and for good reason. Ujiri is a champion. He's won everywhere he's been, and if no star players want to come to New York, the Knicks could get a star front office member. All accounts are that Ujiri is content in Toronto, but we know how quickly things can change. If Toronto wins back-to-back titles, perhaps Ujiri will feel there's nothing left to conquer in Canada. Not only would he have won the franchise's first championship after nabbing Kawhi Leonard, but he would also be defending the championship without his star player. Once you've proven you can win no matter the circumstances, the only challenge left could be the toughest one in the NBA: bringing a title to New York.

The timing works out too. Ujiri is under contract with the Raptors through the 2020-2021 season, while the Knicks have Scott Perry as their general manager for one more year. Patience would be required, but Ujiri to the Knicks in 2021, just in time for one of the best free agent classes in recent memory, could come together without a hitch. 

If Leon Rose doesn't have that patience (his predecessors did not either), the Knicks could just trade for Ujiri before his contract is up to secure their guy. A deal like that would be similar in some ways to the Knicks trading for Carmelo Anthony midseason despite Melo making it known he was likely on his way to New York as a free agent. While Ujiri isn't hell-bent on the Big Apple like Anthony was, the concept of a trade like that would still be acquiring someone before even trying to sign them in free agency. And how ironic would that be; Ujiri was the Denver Nuggets' general manager that orchestrated the Melo deal. 

Ultimately, Ujiri would bring the Knicks something that no draft pick or star free agent ever could: stability in the front office. It's something New York has lacked for so long, and Ujiri would instantly set the tone from the top down, changing the entire culture of how Knicks' executives operate. It's been years since the Knicks had talented players on their roster, but the same can be said for their lack of top-notch front office members. Outside of a true stud in the mold of Antetokounmpo, a general manager like Ujiri would bring the biggest impact toward building a winner in New York.

There's also an added bonus to focusing on the Raptors if you're a Knicks fan. Fred VanVleet is a free agent this offseason and might be the most talented player the Knicks could get on the open market. With no Knicks on, fans can turn their eyes to VanVleet to see if the point guard is someone they'd want to give a contract to as an effort to jumpstart the rebuild. Perhaps a title run fueled by VanVleet would lead to the Raptors clinging onto the former Wichita St. Shocker and signing him to a long-term contract. But the team also has to worry about upcoming free agents Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, as well as a potential extension for OG Anunoby. If VanVleet plays his way to a major deal, it could make him the odd man out in Toronto.

Rebuilds aren't supposed to be easy, as Rose should soon find out. Even putting the best players in place doesn't guarantee anything. Acquiring perhaps the best general manager in the NBA in Ujiri, however, would lead to making the right decisions, consistent winning, and being put in the best position to take home a championship. Knicks fans have long been looking for their savior. Perhaps it was never meant to be a player.