Perry's plan: How Knicks' quiet summer could pay off big in 2019

The New York Knicks went an entire summer without shooting themselves in the foot. By their standards, that counts as a win.

General manager Scott Perry broke Knicks convention by showing restraint. Instead of constructing an ill-conceived "superteam" comprised of over-the-hill veterans, Perry limited the Knicks to a remarkably quiet summer in which underachieving shooting guard Mario Hezonja was their biggest acquisition.

Don't confuse inactivity for a lack of ambition; there's a larger plan. Perry dreams of a genuine superteam in New York City, and his sights are set on the star-studded 2019 free-agency class that promises the likes of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, and Klay Thompson.

However, in the franchise's current state, its chances of wooing stars are laughable, which is why Perry spent the summer cleaning up messes. That meant figuring out how to create cap room, stockpiling young assets, and mending fences with their franchise player in order to make their 2019 ambitions possible.

Clearing the books

The Knicks could create nearly $70 million in cap room next summer, which would be enough to lure two max free agents and another mid-tier starter.

Here's how they could do it: Trade veteran shooting guard Courtney Lee in a salary dump, use the stretch provision on Joakim Noah, and extend an offer sheet to Kristaps Porzingis but renounce all their other free agents.

Finding a taker for Lee's expiring $13-million contract shouldn't be difficult, especially if the Knicks toss in a future second-round pick. Lee remains a productive 3-and-D player, and he's a solid vet to have around a young locker room. Lee scored 12 points last season on 40.6 percent shooting from deep.

The market won't be nearly as eager to recycle Noah's expiring deal, so that's going to require a difficult decision on the part of Perry. He can either stretch $19 million into three years of dead salary at $6.4 million, or he can try dangling a first-round pick for someone to take all of Noah's contract. Either way, it shouldn't be an impossible sell, and Perry could play it by ear next season depending on how much cap space he expects he'll need.

New York's flexibility in 2019 was made possible by Perry's willingness to stand pat this summer. He shelled out $8 million combined in one-year flyers for two low-risk redemption projects in Hezonja and Noah Vonleh, then resisted making any other moves.

Perry knows the Knicks have a one-year window in which he can create massive cap room and sign players before tacking on a new contract for Porzingis, who'll only count as a $17.5-million hold against the cap before he inevitably signs for the max. Perry just needs to sequence the signings to form a superteam - provided he can sell free agents on the project.

Stockpiling assets

There's another benefit to standing pat: It essentially ensured the Knicks will score another lottery pick.

New York finished with 29 wins last year, and the team figures to be even worse next season. Only seven Knicks victories came without Porzingis in the lineup - that's just 20 percent of their games without him - and team owner James Dolan already let it slip that the 7-foot-3 unicorn could be on the shelf for the whole season as he recovers from a torn ACL.

Without any immediate replacements for Porzingis, the Knicks could easily finish with under 20 wins next season and secure the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick in 2019. Their winning percentage without Porzingis last season would translate to 17 victories over a full campaign.

The Knicks can also justify their tanking by spinning it as player development because they have three intriguing prospects.

Frank Ntilikina was too raw to fill any role beyond defending during his rookie season, and he badly needs a steady dose of possessions in order to develop into a viable playmaker. Ntilikina was shaky in summer league, but he turned 20 just last week and is too tantalizing a prospect not to warrant a second look.

Kevin Knox, meanwhile, was the breakout star of summer league. After being booed on draft night (Knicks fans wanted Michael Porter Jr.), the No. 9 pick quickly turned detractors into advocates by averaging 23 points and six rebounds en route to first-team All-Summer League honors. Knox showed a smooth 3-point stroke, defensive versatility, and an uncanny ability to power his way to the rim despite his skinny frame.

Second-round selection Mitchell Robinson also generated buzz after leading summer league in blocked shots. He established himself as a hyper-athletic paint presence on both ends of the floor and finished the tournament with averages of 13 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks per game.

Mending fences with Porzingis

Regardless of who they land in free agency, the future of the Knicks rests with Porzingis, and they've been smart to prioritize him this summer.

It's no accident that Porzingis chose to carry out his rehab in Madrid over New York, nor is it a coincidence that he's rarely been depicted in Knicks gear during his video series about his comeback. Porzingis has known nothing but chaos in his three years with the Knicks, and he got an up-close look at how cruel life can be for stars in New York through the ugly Carmelo Anthony saga.

Anthony looked out for Porzingis, but the veteran couldn't shield him from the dysfunction that consumed the franchise. Former team president Phil Jackson reportedly demanded a top-four pick for Porzingis with the intention of drafting Josh Jackson. He even went on national television to broadcast his lack of confidence in Porzingis, the only good acquisition of Phil Jackson's disastrous tenure.

Mercifully, he was canned before he could make that kind of trade, but the franchise's relationship with its star still needed to be repaired. That job fell to newly hired head coach David Fizdale, who's gained a reputation for developing strong ties to his players.

Fizdale extended an olive branch right away by meeting with Porzingis' agent to dispel any notions that he doesn't get along with European big men after his falling-out with Marc Gasol. Then Fizdale took a trip to Latvia to build his relationship with Porzingis and the player's family.

Bringing Porzingis into the fold achieves two things. Not only does it increase the likelihood of Porzingis signing long term, but it signals to players around the league that a culture change is underway in New York. Dolan's ownership will always count as a strike against the franchise, but Fizdale and Perry can mitigate that by conducting business with a more player-friendly approach. Selling that change starts with making it clear that Porzingis is satisfied.