The 17-65 season, they could endure. The dealing away of franchise centerpiece Kristaps Porzingis, they could explain. And the embarrassments of the early stages of what they hope is a rebuild could be survived.
But like everyone else, Knicks executives Scott Perry and Steve Mills heard the team’s principal owner, James Dolan, go on the radio two months ago and confidently speak of his certainty that the franchise will land a pair of free-agent stars this summer. So with the salary-cap space cleared by the Porzingis trade providing the money, the pressure is on the front office to deliver.