Knicks, Russell Westbrook can increase team competition

The Knicks missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons. They have been lottery dwellers, one of the worst teams in the league, having not even smelled a place in the playoffs since the 2013-14 team won 37 games.

While rebuilding takes time and it’s important to give young players the lion’s share in minutes, adding an All-Star playmaker would no doubt improve the Knicks’ chances of playing competitive basketball next season. What does competitive with Westbrook mean? He probably wouldn’t turn them into playoff contenders. But at least he would have kept them from being the worst team in the league.

Westbrook has many miles on his body, but one of his biggest strengths is his stamina. He played in 57 games last season shortened by the coronavirus, having played at least 70 in his previous four campaigns.

Although he is no longer an MVP candidate, he was still part of the All-NBA third team last season. Putting a player of his caliber alongside RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and whoever picks the team in the next draft should help those players develop in a competitive environment.

There is a lot wrong with adding Westbrook to the Knicks, but you can’t overlook the fact that he still plays at a high level and that would be a drastic upgrade from their current point guard rotation.