Stay or Go? Knicks face 5 key questions about players and coach as offseason begins

The Knicks’ dream season came to a crashing end with a disappointing Game 7 loss to the Indiana Pacers Sunday, one defeat short of a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Instead of preparing for a matchup with the top-seeded Boston Celtics, the depleted Knicks were forced to begin preparing for the next steps as they head into an offseason quicker than the team and its fans hoped it would.

There’s plenty on the agenda. But first? Some time off.

“There’s the internal development, then there’s the draft, which you can always add talent there,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Then free agency and the trades, so we’ll dig in deep, but usually what we try to do is take a couple of weeks to recharge and then do the deep dive and figure the plan out.”

Part of that plan involves Thibodeau, himself.

Here are five questions facing the Knicks as they head into the offseason:

1. Will Tom Thibodeau receive a contract extension?

To say he deserves one is a massive understatement.

After two decades of coaching futility, the Knicks finally have stability with Thibodeau, who has guided the Knicks to three playoff appearances in his four seasons at the helm.

He did a masterful job of guiding this year’s team to the No. 2 seed in the East as injuries to key players continued to pile up.

And to his detractors to cling to the belief that he plays his players too many minutes – give it up. That’s not the reason the Knicks aren’t going to the conference finals.

Thibodeau’s teams are always prepared. He’s proven to be a good developer of talent. And most of all, his players love him.

Thibodeau is heading into the final year of his current contract.

Leon Rose and the Knicks front office need to lock Thibodeau down with a long-term extension. The Athletic’s Shams Charania recently reported that his annual salary could exceed $10 million. Given the explosion in head coaching salaries of late, that’s not surprising.

It’s also well-deserved.

“That’s something that my agent will take care of,” Thibodeau said. “The Knicks have been great to me. This is where I want to be.”

2. What will the Knicks do about OG Anunoby?

OG Anunoby’s situation for next season is unclear.

He has a $20 million player option for next season, and the New York Post reported Monday that Anunoby is likely to decline it, making him an unrestricted free agent. Since the Knicks own his Bird Rights, they can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him.

Anunoby dealt with injuries after joining the Knicks in a trade with the Raptors at the deadline, but he was a clear difference maker when he was healthy.

His defensive ability was especially important.

Anunoby is a big piece and the Knicks will have a decision to make about how much they offer to bring him back.

But this is a high priority.

3. What about Isaiah Hartenstein?

It remains to be seen whether he’ll be back.

Hartenstein is set to become an unrestricted free agent. The Knicks own his Early Bird Rights, so they can only offer him a contract up to a salary of about $16 million.

The center was a dependable and valuable piece this season, averaging 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in 75 games (49 starts).

Hartenstein could very well land a bigger contract from another team.

But the Knicks will certainly try to bring him back for as much as they’re able to.

4. Will Jalen Brunson ink an extension?

Brunson has one more guaranteed year under his current contract, then a player option worth $24.96 million for the 2025-26 season.

But he’s eligible for a contract extension this offseason.

Brunson is the Knicks’ catalyst, their engine. He was outstanding during the playoffs. He was just the type of point guard the Knicks needed. And he’s adapted to the scrutiny of playing New York, and has completely embraced it.

That’s not easy to find.

It would behoove the Knicks to get something done with their current biggest star.

Brunson, though, wanted nothing to do with the topic after Game 7.

“I’ll talk about that another time,” Brunson said.

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5. Will the Knicks trade for another star?

This team proved a lot this season. They made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals despite a mountain of injuries and ailments.

So imagine if they were healthy. Also imagine if they added yet another star to play alongside Brunson. And Julius Randle (depending on who the Knicks target, Randle could be part of the deal). And OG Anunoby (assuming he re-signs).

The Knicks have assets. They have contracts they can use in a trade.

It’s just a matter of who becomes available.

One player who’s not a superstar, but would certainly help is the Brooklyn Nets’ Mikal Bridges, another Villanova product.

The Knicks could’ve drafted him with the ninth overall pick in 2019, but they instead drafted Kevin Knox, who clearly didn’t work out.

The team could avenge that decision by landing Bridges this summer.

Still, he’s just one possibility.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Should Knicks sign Tom Thibodeau, OG Anunoby to long-term contracts?