of new york knicks is in equilibrium.
They went 5-5, beating 5 teams under .500 and losing to 5 teams over .500. They sit right in the middle of the pack with offense, defense, turnovers, pace, free throws, and maybe 68 stats.
it is perfect. Perhaps the Knicks shouldn’t be playing another game for symmetry.
But there’s basketball to talk about, just in case.
Your question has been submitted. I have an answer.
(Question has been edited for brevity and clarity.)
John Hollinger of The Athletic noted that the Knicks were exactly average in every way.it just might be the worst place NBA: I’m not aiming for the title. Draft Savior has no shots. We’ve known them for years. What do you think they are doing to shake things up — either to get better now, or to take a few steps back to invest in the future (improve draft positioning, play more young guns by)? – Adam S.
Is Knicks a simulation? They are now 5-5 with a +0.0 point difference. 16th offense, 16th defense, 15th SRS. They played five games at home and five on the road. They are 1-1 in overtime.
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) November 8, 2022
There are three ways to value the untraded Knicks. Donovan Mitchell this past summer.
You can see the micro: The Knicks were the losing team in 2021-22! They were waiting for stars! Mitchell is one of them! go get him!
Let’s take a look at the macro. Mitchell is the Knicks’ first star, and the team hasn’t given up on its huge package of Banana No. 1s and lives to pass it on. They can only justify a trade if they have enough left over to trade or get a second star. If that’s not possible, they can’t give up almost everything for Mitchell, even though he’s a world-class scorer.
But there is another way to assess the situation. Let’s call this a supermacro.
Ever since Leon Rose took over the front office, its mission has been to develop youngsters and draft picks in hopes of one day trading for stars. The Knicks have mostly done that. They have a variety of young players with promising futures. They have all the picks and four of his picks protected from other organizations. But they didn’t want to give up everything for Mitchell, exactly for the reasons I wrote above in the macro.
The Knicks have finally done an admirable job of managing how the stars are traded (the biggest problem so far is jammed cap sheets). What will they do the next time All-Stars are available? Sure, it will cost the same or more to get someone as good or better than Mitchell. Doesn’t that leave them barren? Unless that player is a top 3 player, the same dialogue continues over and over again.
So to answer your question: there are tweaks the Knicks could make to the margins or even the core of their roster. It will be fascinating to see how it plays out from the later trading deadline into next summer.
is a trade-off of obi toppin‘s defense still isn’t enough to overcome the advantage he offers on offense?—Babber A.
Are you asking me or are you asking Tom Thibodeau?
I would say throw a man out there — especially Mitchell Robinson bystander. On Monday, Thibodeau agreed. Toppin played a season-high 26 minutes. Going forward, matchups will matter.
Julius Randle You will still receive starter minutes. Toppin’s chance to see more of the floor is when he plays alongside his All-Star teammates.
Since Friday it has happened. Over the past three games, Thibodeau has messed with the rotation like nothing he’s done since coming to the Knicks.
Take Friday’s victory in Philadelphia, for example.he pulled Evan Fournier Went with an 11-man rotation from the starting lineup.use thibodeau cam reddish Didn’t give him another minute in the final stretch of the 2nd and 4th quarters. When Robinson got hurt, he closed out Toppin Randle’s frontcourt. It was the first time this season that the two were used together. He’s paired them for two games as Robinson continues to sit with a sprained right knee.
On saturday boston celticsstarted thibodeau Isaiah Hartenstein at five.on monday Minnesota Timberwolveshe started Jericho SimsI wasn’t in Minneapolis, but the reason he chose Sims must have been the second-year center’s ability to guard off the rim. One of his first mentions is always the quickness of big guys. The Knicks needed it against Karl-Anthony Towns pick and pop.
Thibodeau mixes and matches like they haven’t in the last three years.
I don’t know if it will last. And when Robinson comes back, the rotation is jammed again. But for now, I think he has some positive momentum, especially if Toppin is looking to drain his 3-pointers. It’s hard to sit down a player who scores as often and efficiently as Toppin.
right RJ BarrettWhat are the game benefits of playing on a second machine until crunch time in the 4th quarter? I know he’s playing with them now, but playing 15 minutes every game without Jalen Brunson, Randle and Robinson (when he comes back) will give you more scoring chances in the paint. Do you think so? – Brian J.
I am completely obsessed with this idea. If Thibodeau messes with Barrett’s rotation, it’s possible. He pulled Barrett at his 6th minute mark in the odd quarter, brought him back around the 3rd minute marker, pulled him again at his 9th minute mark in the even quarter, and brought him back to close the half at 6 minutes. I was able to. -Minute mark.
This brings Barrett to 36 minutes, but in a new way. Of course, Barrett has to feel comfortable with it. Some players hate resting twice in half. I don’t know his specific thoughts on that.
But I think it helps his performance. Barrett has been running a mini hot streak for the past week and a half. In his last five games for the Knicks, he is averaging 21.0 points on his 49-43-84 shooting. After a slow start, especially after finishing around the rim, he did better in the paint. Barrett is closer to the line and has a smoother layup with either hand.
But he needs space to penetrate the paint, and a second unit gives him more than just a line-up with Randle and the Rim Diving Center. He’s also a stealthy and effective transition player.run together Immanuel Quickley And Toppin often hits on guys.
Do you think Cam Reddish has entered the rotation? Who misses if he has? — Jason B.
that’s right.And the answer to your second question seems to point towards Fournier (once Quentin Grimes He’s coming back from a left foot injury that has put him in and out of the lineup).
Fournier has averaged just 13 minutes since Thibodeau pulled him out of the starting line-up three games ago. Yes, not playing at all would undermine Fournier’s trade value, but I’m not sure there’s much hope for him in the trade market anyway, it’s unlike the Fournier we saw last season, especially this his 3 The match was a reserve.
Despite all the missteps Fournier suffered in the 2021-22 season, he was still one of the NBA’s best shooters. He finished fourth in the league with three points made. He had a quick trigger, splashing out of corners and firing step backs. Now he is playing hesitant and indecisive.
During a pre-season Q&A with MSG Network, Rose said he would not interfere with Thibodeau’s rotation. The Knicks have acquired Fournier since the February trade deadline, but he has not indicated his willingness to offer a compromise to close the deal. They owe him $18 million this season and $18.9 million for the 2023-24 season. If he’s completely out of rotation, the demand for him will be even lower.
However, the Red Dish have stepped up their defense since last season. Rough layups are less frequent. Neither does the pull-up his midrange his jumper that has become part of his identity. He is comfortable as his shooter with his 3 points up in the spot. And he’s only 23. Grimes is still 22 years old and is also a security guard.
One has to imagine Fournier being out when everyone is healthy, and the Knicks can see the team building results later.
(Photo by Tom Thibodeau and Obi Toppin: Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images)
