As bad as this Knicks season has gone, the final two weeks are going to be even worse.
The Knicks are 14-60 -- the worst record in the NBA -- but every game could still afford them an opportunity to get a closer look at the young players on the team to determine who might be a part of their future. Every minute a player who's a rookie or closer to 20 years old than 25 years old gets to play is an opportunity for growth and improvement.
The final two weeks could have been a good opportunity to give more minutes to Dennis Smith Jr., Frank Ntilikina, Allonzo Trier, Noah Vonleh and Kevin Knox to see what they need to focus on this offseason and where they might fit in on the 2019-20 Knicks. Those opportunities might be gone because all of them are hurt.
Smith has been out with a back injury since March 13, and there's a chance he might not suit up again this season. Trier has missed three straight games with a hamstring injury. Ntilikina missed two months of basketball with a groin injury before coming back to play Friday. He then suffered a setback Sunday, and the rest of his season is in doubt. Vonleh hasn't played since March 15 due to an ankle injury. Knox sprained his ankle Sunday, and it remains to be seen how long he is going to be out.
Given that the season is lost, it makes sense for the Knicks to be extremely cautious with all these players for the remainder of the season. Rushing them back and potentially setting them back in the offseason program would be more detrimental than squeezing a couple of regular-season games in when they aren't completely healed.
The downside is that it makes the remaining games nearly meaningless from a fan perspective. The shining star through this dumpster fire of a season has been Mitchell Robinson, who continues to put up impressive shot-blocking and rebounding numbers. He is still inexplicably playing behind DeAndre Jordan, and even sometimes playing fewer minutes than Jordan. But he is still fun to watch and an obvious part of the future.
Knox had been playing better offensively in March, driven nearly completely by hot 3-point shooting. He is shooting just under 47 percent from 3-point range this month, which also bumped up his field goal percentage to 42 in March. His ability to score around the hoop and create his own shot is still a hole in his scoring profile, let alone his terrible passing and defense. There's a chance he'll return to the court again before the season is over, but the offseason will be much more important for his improvement than the team's remaining eight games.
Damyean Dotson is the other player who gives Knicks fans some reasons to watch, but he is hardly exciting. His shooting and defensive ability are his calling card and the organization should know what it has in him by now. There's not much more to see there.
While a few Emmanuel Mudiay truthers out there might disagree, it is abundantly clear the point guard is not good enough to to deserve meaningful minutes on a good team. His decision-making and passing aren't nearly good enough, nor is his defense. Kadeem Allen has a shot to be a role player on a good team and is worth another look. Luke Kornet could be the third center on a decent team. Jordan should be jettisoned this summer with his significant slippage on defense. John Jenkins? Henry Ellenson? Lance Thomas?
It is going to be a long couple of weeks for Knicks fans, as they count down the days before their seasonlong horror show comes to an end. There really isn't much of a point to watch anymore. Fans would be far better off watching the NCAA Tournament and some of the players the Knicks might be drafting in June, players who actually have a better chance of being meaningful contributors next year than the players currently wearing orange and blue.
You can follow John on Twitter for everything Knicks, Giants and the world of sports at @Schmeelk. You can also check out his new podcast, "The Bank Shot," on RADIO.COM, iTunes and other services where podcasts are found. His most recent episode is with Mike Gribanov of The Stepien and previews the draft class.
