As the Knicks ready to embark on the most important two weeks of their best-laid plans for rebuilding, it’s worth taking a look at who was holding the championship trophy and spraying champagne Thursday night.
The Knicks hold the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, giving them their third straight lottery pick. They have stashed away $74 million in salary cap space, enough for two max salary stars. And that is the centerpiece of the long, painful path to rebuilding.
But as the Raptors celebrated their first NBA championship, there was not a single lottery pick on the roster, not one max contract player - at least until Kawhi Leonard’s free agency kicks in on June 30 - on a roster that outplayed the most star-studded team in the NBA.