2019-2020 NBA Betting Preview – Is there Betting Value in Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and the New-Look New York Knicks?

Is there Betting Value in Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and the New-Look New York Knicks? New York Knicks 2018-2019 Record 17-65 2018-2019 Point Differential -9.2 2018-2019 Pythagorean Record 16-66 Offseason Additions RJ Barrett - 3rd pick overall Julius Randle Bobby Portis Marcus Morris Taj Gibson Elfrid Payton Offseason Losses DeAndre Jordan Mario Hezonja Emmanuel Mudiay Projected Starting Lineup (This is a fluid situation) Dennis Smith, RJ Barrett, Marcus Morris, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson Key Bench Players Bobby Portis, Kevin Knox, Taj Gibson, Elfrid Payton 2019 Over/Under 28.5 Overview The Knicks stunk last season, getting in the tank early and often with the hopes of securing Zion Williamson in the draft as well as ensuring they opened up enough cap space to grab two max-level superstar types in the offseason. To sum it up: shit didn’t work. Not only did Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving sign across town with the Nets, but the Knicks’ pick fell to three in the draft and they *settled* for RJ Barrett. So it’s easy to have a doom and gloom approach to the Knicks heading into the 2019-2020 seasoned based on the prior expectations, various pieces of organizational mismanagement and just a general feeling that the Knicks are a mess. Though, even with everything going *wrong* this is still a much improved team from last year. For starters, it’s very unlikely they’ll once again be committed to a full on tank. They, almost for sure, saw the downside of that approach (right?) after last season considering it may have signaled more a general malaise than a strict *plan*. Because if the tank doesn’t work out (so to speak) then you are looking at a fairly grim situation. Their offseason signings, after striking out on the big boys, signaled a different approach going forward. They got every power forward type imagineable with Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Marcus Morris and Taj Gibson while inking everyone on two-year or less deals. It theoretically paves the way for another run at after the 2020-2021 season when there’s a load of dudes hitting the market once again. Like the Nets and Clippers (by way of example) the Knicks might take the win-now approach in an effort to be a more attractive free agent destination. And the players they are bringing in do have some upside in a weakened Eastern Conference. The big addition is Randle coming off a single season in a screwed up New Orleans situation that at times saw him sharing the court with Anthony Davis and other times being part of the Pelicans’ tanking plans. This was following a stint with, at the time, a rudderless Lakers’ team. Yet last year Randle still managed to make...