NEW YORK — Only the New York Knicks could spend $70 million and get worse.

But that’s why despised owner James Dolan’s woebegone franchise remains the laughingstock of the NBA.

There’s no plan. No direction. No identity. No superstars. And no hope.

Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry claimed everything was fine going into the 2019-20 campaign — even after trading Kristaps Porzingis, striking out in free agency and signing four power forwards in an all-out effort to win now.

The only problem with all of that — nothing is fine.

Mills and Perry were quickly forced to admit as much after Dolan made them face the media during an impromptu press conference on Nov. 10.

The Knicks are currently on a seven-game losing streak — including a 132-88 blowout loss to the Bucks on Monday night in Milwaukee.

They are 4-17 (second-worst in the league), compared to 7-14 at this point last season when they finished a league-worst 17-65.

They have trailed by 20 or more in eight of their 17 losses. They rank last in offensive efficiency and 23rd in defensive efficiency — an insult to the glory teams of the 1990s.

Julius Randle isn't exactly working out for the Knicks. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) More

Embattled coach David Fizdale (21-82 with the Knicks) is on the hot seat, the likely scapegoat for the front office’s incompetence.

Mills (167-346 with the Knicks as president and GM) and Perry are under fire as well.

It’s an organizational failure from top to bottom. And it all starts with Dolan, who has lorded over two decades of dysfunction at Madison Square Garden.

Everything continues to go wrong. Monday night served as New York’s latest debacle. Knicks fans deserve better than this.

“I don’t feel like we came in with the idea that we could beat this team from the beginning,” Fizdale said after the Knicks were demolished by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. “And that was what was most disappointing. They got whatever they wanted whenever they wanted, and we never took a real stand.”

The Knicks have a laundry list of issues.

Flawed roster construction

It remains comical that Mills suggested on media day that Dolan felt the Knicks were successful in free agency despite missing out on Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and Kemba Walker. Instead, New York added Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, Elfrid Payton and Wayne Ellington.

The results have been about as expected.

Randle (three years, $63 million) has been able to score (17.3 points per game). But he hasn’t shot the ball well (44.9 percent from the field, 25 percent from 3-point range and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line) and has been turnover prone (3.4 per game). He’s also a subpar defender. Morris (one year, $15 million) has been the best of the bunch, connecting on an NBA-high 52.4 percent of his 3-pointers. The Knicks could presumably get something for Morris (18.7 points per game) via trade down the line. They could certainly use Payton, who has missed the last 18 games due to a hamstring injury.

Randle and Morris — in increased roles — have had to rely heavily on creating out of isolation sets due to a lack of playmaking. The Knicks rank last in field-goal percentage (42.2), free-throw percentage (67.4) and assists (19.6 per game).

“The roster is just a mess,” an NBA scout told Yahoo Sports.

Untenable situation for Fiz

Fizdale is in a strange predicament. He needs to win to keep his job. And that means often relying on veterans. But that mentality goes against what should be the organization’s goal — playing and developing young players.

Yet it’s the unfortunate hand Fizdale was dealt by Mills and Perry. Fizdale hasn’t gotten results, but it would be tough for anyone to have success coaching this roster. Bad teams consistently find a way to lose games — whether they’re close or not. Either way, the team’s no-show in Milwaukee was very disappointing, given its lack of energy and effort.

Story continues