As we prepare to bid a not-especially-fond farewell to this vampire of a year and hope tomorrow we’ll find better things, this holiday week’s Four Corners roundtable asks: what New Year’s resolution would you like to see the NBA, or NBA teams, stick to in 2017?

Here’s what we’ll be thinking about come midnight on Sunday, as we’re eyeball-deep in “Auld Lang Syne” and noisemakers of various makes and models. Share your answers in the comments below.

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Please, for the love of all that’s decent, call traveling again

It’s a gimmick that nobody loves, but for whatever reason, I stuck to it. Any time I was presented with a “give me your best New Year’s resolution for the NBA” pitch, I dove into the lamest of sizzlin’ takes: Kelly says that the NBA should lighten up its over-reliance on block/charge calls in the few months it has before the playoffs.

By 2017, though, I think we’ve eased in. Referees don’t seem as quick to call any bit of contact around the rim a block or charge, as Derek Fisher weeps somewhere solemnly. Failing that, with old age and further cold approaching, we look to something we’ve previously dismissed: the traveling call.

Referees have quite a bit going on, but they’re missing what feels like an unending series of shuffled feet. The refs need to make a resolution to ease back into looking for blatant travels now, before the glare of the postseason sets in.

Steve Kerr can’t take it. Mark Cuban agrees. Even George Karl is allowed into this party:

George Karl: still got it.

Hey, Blue? Watch the happy feet, OK? — Kelly Dwyer

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Hey, Kings: give us a reason to watch the throne

Incredibly, if the regular season ended today, Sacramento would be in the playoffs for the first time since Peja Stojakovic was wearing a Kings uniform instead of a suit. Of course, they’re still a sub-.500 team, as has always been the case in the DeMarcus Cousins era, but the top-heavy Western Conference has created what’s developing into an intriguing race for the eighth seed between a Trail Blazers team that’s fallen from grace, a suddenly frisky Nuggets squad seemingly always in this race, and a Kings franchise accustomed to falling on its face.

Any basketball fan outside Portland and Denver with a soul this holiday season should be rooting for the Kings to earn that last spot. Not just because it would be fun to see these unlovable losers do battle with the Golden State Super Villains in the first round (and boy, would that be some odd fun), but because we need Playoff Boogie (for the first time) in 2017.

Once again, this season has run the gamut for Cousins. It began with him leading members of his team in a police-community relations summit, only to face a lawsuit for his alleged role alongside new teammate Matt Barnes in a New York City bar fight a month later. And 2016 is ending in a similar juxtaposition, with Cousins chewing out a middle-aged columnist in a strange and unpleasant tirade off the court, only to achieve Peak Boogie on the floor in an equally strange and far more pleasant 55-point performance that featured the first un-ejection (we think).

This is the dichotomy that’s left so many wondering whether to root for or against Cousins, and the playoffs might be the only way for us to know for certain what to make of him. He is an extraordinary talent, as indicated by both his per-game averages (29.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 blocks) and a top-20 ranking in almost every individual advanced statistical metric. Yet his Kings have never won more than 33 games, and he’s developed into somewhat of a mascot for a franchise that’s become synonymous with troublesome decision-making.

Of course, we’ve been here at least once before, with Sacramento hovering around .500 into December 2014, but the Kings made now-Nuggets coach Mike Malone the first of two coaches fired that season and finished out the campaign on an 18-40 run. After years of wondering if the Kings can make it to January, they’ve at least made it this far under new coach Dave Joerger, whose job appears safe. Now, it’s on Cousins and a roster full of misfits to keep it that way. — Ben Rohrbach

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The Knicks should be big and small at the same damn time

The New York Knicks have been a fairly pleasant surprise through the season’s first two months, jockeying for position in the middle of the East’s postseason pack thanks in large part to the emergence of sophomore star Kristaps Porzingis. And yet, as awesome as it’s been to watch the 7-foot-3 Latvian develop into a bona fide All-Star candidate as one of just four players averaging at least 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and one assist per game — the others: fellow mythical beasts Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo — you sometimes get the sense that the Knicks aren’t maximizing his gifts.

Basketball-Reference.com’s play-by-play stats estimate that Porzingis has spent 36 percent of his minutes this season at center, up from 30 percent last year. A look through NBA.com’s lineup data, though, reveals that only 110 of his 1,032 minutes — 10.7 percent — have come both with Carmelo Anthony on the court and without one of New York’s other big men (Joakim Noah, Kyle O’Qunn, Willy Hernangomez or Marshall Plumlee) riding shotgun. No single KP-at-the-five, Melo-at-the-four lineup has seen more than 15 minutes of floor time. This seems like a misappropriation of resources that shouldn’t continue in 2017.

Granted, a 110-minute sample split up among 19 different configurations is inherently noisy. In that sample, though, the Knicks have scored like crazy, averaging 120.4 points per 48 minutes of play, up from their season average of 105.4. They’ve generated 28.8 3-point attempts per-48 and hit 11.8 of ’em, both nearly four more than their season average, with a 42.4 percent accuracy rate that would rival the sharpshooting Spurs for the best marksmanship in the league.

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Those numbers would likely come down as the total playing time went up, but on balance, they pass the smell test. Moving Porzingis to center and Anthony to power forward creates room for two shooters on the wing — ideally a pair of 3-and-D types from the group of Courtney Lee, Justin Holiday and Lance Thomas — with either Derrick Rose or Brandon Jennings orchestrating on the ball. That mix is tailor-made for a five-out offense that can spread opposing defenses out, force tough choices in the pick-and-roll, generate open 3s or create driving lanes for ball-handlers to attack.

This is the luxury of having a 7-foot-3 dude who can shoot over the top of anybody, who has range out to 28 feet, and who has gotten comfortable enough with pulling the trigger that he’s now launching 5 1/2 long balls a game and drilling nearly 41 percent of them. This is the luxury of having an All-Star scoring savant who’s still nominally a “small” forward but who has — for years, both at home and abroad — been most dangerous when deployed at the four spot. Why not live in the lap of all that luxury?

There are caveats and counter-arguments. KP-at-the-five/Melo-at-the-four lineups have given up baskets nearly as quickly as they’ve scored them this season, conceding an average of 115.6 points-per-48 (nearly nine points more than the Knicks’ season mark) and allowing 31 3-point tries per-48 (compared to 26.6 per contest for the full campaign). Those numbers likely wouldn’t dissuade Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek from the belief that leaning more heavily on Porzingis as his lone big would have a damaging effect on the Knicks’ perimeter defense, rim protection and defensive rebounding. Plus, devoting more time to lineups with Porzingis at center and Anthony at power forward means limiting the spin of Noah, whom the Knicks signed to a four-year, $72 million deal this summer; O’Quinn, who’s playing arguably the most productive ball of his career this season; and Hernangomez, who has shown signs of being a legitimate NBA finisher, rebounder and banger in his first season, all while exposing the 21-year-old Porzingis to increased physical pounding.

It makes more sense, though, for Porzingis to guard centers closer to the basket and protect the rim than to chase stretch fours around the perimeter, and for Anthony to match up with power forwards instead of sprinting after speedier swingmen. With those two guarding their more natural positions and more versatile defenders manning the swing spots, color me optimistic that the offensive benefits would outweigh the defensive dangers in the long run. And protecting the minutes of Noah (who has looked better of late, but is still a far cry from his salad days), O’Quinn (a valuable reserve but not a defining player) and Hernangomez (ditto) should not prevent Hornacek from giving longer looks to lineups that could unlock the very best version of his team.

Besides, the Knicks stink on defense and at cleaning the defensive glass anyway. Why not try to supercharge the offense and make the process of trying to return to the playoffs — and maybe even to relevance — as bombs-away exciting as possible? I know that putting players in the best position to succeed and having fun in the process hasn’t always been a Knicksian pursuit, but if New York’s looking to turn over a new leaf in the new year, letting KP and Melo cook would be a pretty rad place to start. — Dan Devine

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Focus on teams other than the Warriors and Cavaliers

Previews the 2016-17 season said that the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers would meet in the NBA Finals for the third time in a row. Little that we’ve seen through these first few months would suggest otherwise. While the Warriors have questions to answer and the Cavs could be one injury from a difficult title challenge, both squads have established themselves as far ahead of the competition and the odds-on favorites to play in June.

However, that doesn’t mean fans have to forget the rest, and not just because last spring proved a favorite can become vulnerable over the course of a seven-game series. A certain amount of certainty regarding the best teams in the league opens up the opportunity to assess other groups by other metrics. Does the Oklahoma City Thunder’s status as a No. 5 seed make it any less exciting to see Russell Westbrook try to average a triple-double? Is DeMarcus Cousins any less fascinating because the Sacramento Kings might not make the playoffs at all? (Some would say it makes him more interesting.) Should anyone forget Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ascendance to stardom because he’s obviously not as good as LeBron?

Cast off the tyranny of the win-loss record and enjoy these players and teams for their entertainment value. If the best teams are decided, then embrace the fun ones instead. — Eric Freeman

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