What Blue Saturday proved is Knicks senior vice president William Wesley’s connections and charisma won’t draw top players to New York overnight.
While striking out so far in free agency has given the Knicks cap flexibility for the star-studded 2021 free-agent class led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and maybe Anthony Davis, that wasn’t Plan A. Or Plan B.
When their priorities fell by the wayside, including landing Gordon Hayward, the Knicks resorted to Plan T — Tank. One-year deals on fringe guys with dreams of 2021.
The Knicks entered free agency with a league-high $40 million in cap space and with heady visions. They wanted to be a playoff threat in coach Tom Thibodeau’s first season and bring glamor back to the Garden — even if it might be empty for the 36-game home schedule.
That is why they drafted a more ready-made forward in native New Yorker Obi Toppin, age 22, over Israeli project Deni Avdija, 19, when both surprisingly dropped as far as No. 8.
Avdija, a playmaking forward, could be the next … Gordon Hayward. Avdija has his fans in the Knicks organization.
The Knicks acted like a title contender on Wednesday’s draft night. They wanted to keep open a roster spot for free agency and decided to hastily trade the 33rd pick — which most executives covet — for a 2023 second-round pick. They had little time to wheel as their best targets came off the board, including Duke center Vernon Carey Jr. at 32.
Those are not the actions of a rebuilding team, but one looking to turn around its miserable fortunes in a hurried, chaotic 2020-21 season. The Knicks wanted to give their star-caliber coach, who usually doesn’t covet rookies, the best chance.
As it unfolded, the Knicks went from potentially being a legit playoff contender (10 teams qualify in each conference) to competing for the No. 1 lottery seed in the 2021 draft.
That will give the Knicks the best chance at 6-foot-7 combo guard Cade Cunningham of Oklahoma State, whose season begins Wednesday versus UT Arlington. He’s the NBA’s Trevor Lawrence.
Things are fluid, of course, if Russell Westbrook happens. Or Victor Oladipo, who is on the trade block and was originally drafted by Knicks general manager Scott Perry when he was in Orlando.
Suddenly, the three years, $131 million left on the 32-year-old point guard’s contract doesn’t look so unappealing. If the Knicks decide to go after it, they’d only execute a trade at a big discount.
The latest dream scenario for team president Leon Rose’s squad was using cap space to sign D.J. Augustin to start at point guard and Hayward or Carmelo Anthony to plug in as forwards.
The Post has learned once the Knicks found out recently that point guard Fred VanVleet only had eyes for staying in Toronto to continue his close bond with backcourt mate Kyle Lowry, Augustin became top priority at point guard.
Don’t believe a rumor the Knicks were unwilling to give VanVleet the four years, $85 million the Raptors offered. Sources say they would have done it.
But that’s irrelevant. VanVleet wanted to stay. The bigger issue is why they didn’t land Augustin. Perry, according to sources, adored Augustin when he had him in Orlando. Augustin is not a Creative Artists Agency client, and Rose did not have that edge.
Augustin signed with the powerful Milwaukee Bucks for a reasonable three years, $21 million. The Knicks decided against massively overpaying with a larger offer.
Thibodeau considered his former Minnesota point guard, Jeff Teague, as a possibility, but he wasn’t too high on the list, and the Knicks let him sign with Boston for one year.
Ultimately, the staff didn’t think Teague was too much of an upgrade over CAA-controlled Elfrid Payton, their starting point guard last season, who inked a one-year, $5 million deal. And now they have added Austin Rivers on a one-year guarantee.
The biggest downer was not being able to get Hayward to New York. They were not willing to risk Hayward’s injury history by coming close to matching Charlotte’s four-year, $120 million offer.
The Knicks entered free agency feeling they could sign Hayward for two years. Hayward’s pact was a major overpay by Charlotte. Hayward had some minor interest in New York, but it didn’t seem the former Butler forward really wanted to be here. His hometown Pacers were his top choice.
The Knicks have used more than half of their cap space on Ed Davis’ contract, bench scoring forward Alec Burks, re-signing Payton, former Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel and Doc Rivers’ son.
That’s four Kentucky players now on the roster, continuing the “Orange and Bluegrass” state of affairs. They could still use their $17 million in cap space on inheriting contracts for more draft assets.
So far, the Knicks haven’t bolstered the roster in a significant way after 2 ½ days of free agency, What does it say when even Anthony preferred to be on a playoff team in Portland and repay the Blazers for resuscitating his career than returning to New York?
Anthony had to say no to his beloved former agent. So did former Rose client Chris Paul, whose addition originally was Plan A-plus before he was traded to the Suns.
Those events actually might be blessings in disguise. On Blue Saturday. Rose got saved from himself. Tank on.