‘University of Knicktucky?’- New York Knicks Continue Signing Former Kentucky Wildcats

The New York Knicks are building a roster of players to hopefully make it to the playoffs in the East. They have been pinching pennies to keep cap space open for the 2021 Free Agency class. However, the team that they ended up assembling seemingly looks worse than the team they had last season.

While that is definitely hyperbole, it would be hard to say that this team improved with the moves they made. Next year is when they will expect the improvement, by hopefully landing a top free agent. But they do have to fill the roster out before that, and a pattern seems to have been present.

As the Knicks sign Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as one of the few guards on their roster, they have added a fifth player to have formerly played for the Kentucky Wildcats.

The John Calipari led Wildcats do have a relationship with the Knicks. Calipari himself commented on this relationship a few days ago while talking about the Knicks signing Nerlens Noel, another former Kentucky player.

Currently, the Knicks have six former Wildcats on their team. This includes Noel, Kevin Knox II, Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and assistant coach Kenny Payne.

New York Knicks and their odd free agency strategy

The Knicks targeting former Kentucky targets like this is quite odd. Outside Knox and Randle, the Knicks have brought in four different Kentucky affiliated people into the team. One of the reasons for this could be the relationship that Leon Rose shares with Kentucky Coach John Calipari. Calipari was consulted before Rose took Kentucky assistant coach Payne for the Knicks.

This relationship could be fruitful, considering how players like Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns have emerged from the program. However, it doesn’t look like the top tier of those players are looking at the Knicks. The cycle of suffering seems inescapable, as most of these Wildcats aren’t necessarily generating a lot of buzz around the league.

Hopefully, Rose has a strategy in mind. Otherwise, these moves just chalk up to being bizarre. MKG wasn’t the kind of player New York needed anyway, but let’s see how it works out.