The New York Knicks are the laughingstock of the NBA.

There's simply no denying it now. Not only did James Dolan's boys finish a league-worst 17-65 this past season -- tying a franchise low set just four years earlier -- but their plan to land at least one of this summer's big-name free agents has completely and utterly failed. Now, Dolan and Co. are fully entrenched in efforts to explain why they were above giving max money to arguably the best player in all of basketball.

With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving headed to Brooklyn while leaving the Knicks in the dust, let's take quick stock of some of the most embarrassing moments in the team's recent history, limiting our scope to just the last five years so as not to take up your entire work week:

Whiffing on KD and Kyrie

Yes, this week's big blunder was probably the biggest of recent memory. There was just so much buildup for a moment like this, only to see the Knicks come away completely empty-handed (unless Wayne Ellington knocks your socks off). If Dolan could've convinced just one half of the Durant-Irving duo to suit up in orange and blue, things might've been OK. But to go through so much cap clearing and then miss on both superstars, both of whom desired a move to New York, is outrageous.

Tanking for... R.J. Barrett

Nothing against Barrett, this year's No. 3 pick. He should at least make the 2019-20 Knicks intriguing alongside Ellington and Julius Randle. But this is the Knicks we're talking about! This is the team that was supposed to alter its core with world-class talent this summer. The lottery is a lottery, of course, but for New York to absolutely stink it up a la the Sam Hinkie 76ers and then watch their prized target, Zion Williamson, end up in New Orleans, which has a roster the Knicks probably dream of owning, was a huge loss.

Mismanaging Kristaps Porzingis

This kind of goes hand-in-hand with the failed pursuit of KD and Kyrie, but it was also its own sideshow. For the sake of sparing you an exhaustive rehashing of the Knicks' incompetence here, let's keep it simple: Somehow, in part due to miscommunication over injuries and Porzingis' concern with the Knicks' losing culture, the team thought it best to deal its 23-year-old All-Star big man in exchange for draft picks and DeAndre Jordan, who's now reportedly fleeing the scene to team up with -- wait for it -- KD and Kyrie.

Overpaying Tim Hardaway Jr.

Just because they offloaded Hardaway in their blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks in January doesn't mean the Knicks get a pass for supremely overpaying the man. All of this stuff is just further evidence of New York's bungled roster construction. Hardaway flashed ability in both stints with the club, but everyone and their mother knew the Knicks were in over their heads committing $71 million to a still-unproven guard in 2017. Proof? Less than two years later, Hardaway was dumped in Dallas.

Falling victim to J.R. Smith

This one predates the last two years worth of mismanagement, which has seemed a whole lot more like a decade, but it confirms how long the Knicks have been battling themselves. Different reports about Smith's 2013 deal have suggested different things, but here are the facts: The Cleveland Cavaliers veteran got $18 million from New York, then underwent serious knee surgery four days later. No matter who you blame or who "manipulated" the situation, it was a bad look.

Playing absolute garbage basketball

Let's be honest: This is the single biggest problem haunting the Knicks, and it's been haunting them for a while. You can obviously lump it into the whole "tank for Zion" plan, but that would discount the fact New York hasn't been to the playoffs since 2012-13. Front-office discord fuels poor performances on the court, but at the end of the day, what's on the court is what most people see, and what people have seen from the Knicks is, well, not good. We rest our case on this gem from 2016: