Roster analysis:
Bigs:
Mitchell Robinson - as one of the longest, most athletic and high motor BIGs in the league, I expect (hope) major ascension up the learning curve. Reasonable stat projection: 12/10/2 in 30 min per night.
Nerlens Noel - solid back-up with many similar traits as Mitch. Reasonable stat projection: 6/4/1 in 18 min per night.
Omari Spellman - Big bodied (not in a good way) that needs to take fitness seriously to capitalize on good shooting, surprising athleticism to have a career. Otherwise, it'll quickly be over. Reasonable stat projection: Not a rotation player.
Julius Randle - will be interesting to see how Thibs mitigates the "bad" Randle which rears its ugly head whenever he over dribbles or thinks his shooting range is & gt; 15 feet. The good Julius is relegated to his rebounding, finishing and overall effort/muscle on the boards. Reasonable stat projection: 14/8 in 22 min per night.
Obi Toppin - Certainly a good "above the rim" finisher, should be a solid shooter, may be an adequate handler and secondary facilitator. The challenge for Thibs is his defense. Reasonable stat projection: 16/5 in 26 min per night.
Wings:
RJ Barrett - Very strong lefty wing with scoring savvy, particularly on the interior. Intangibles, most notably toughness, prideful work ethic are positives. Shooting, first step etc. are concerns but I don't want to be pessimistic this early. Reasonable stat projection: 20/6 in 32 min per night.
Kevin Knox - Has been a mess so far. His best path to a viable NBA career is a wing with adequate defense (haven't seen it yet), good shooting (not unreasonable) and straight line finishing skills. Still, its hard to be optimistic at this point. Reasonable stat projection: Not a rotation player.
Reggie Bullock - Good shooter, responsible defender. Probably a trade candidate in Feb. Reasonable stat projection: 7 in 18 min per night.
Frank Ntilikina - He's a wing not a lead guard. Not enough confidence or many of the other necessary traits to lead a team/offense. Could he be a Thabo Sefolosha (versatile defender, adequate catch and shoot guy)? Sure. Reasonable stat projection: 6/4/3 in 15 min per night.
Alec Burks - Interesting player that has never "taken off". He's long passed the prospect stage of his career, but he's an efficient, athletic, good sized "2". Reasonable stat projection: 7 in 15 min per night.
Austin Rivers - I have never been a fan. At his best, he's a versatile guard who can score 8 points in a quarter on a rare occasion. More typically, he's an inefficient guy with not a good enough shot to play wing and not enough facilitation skills to play point. Reasonable stat projection: 7 in 18 min per night.
Lead guard:
Elfrid Payton - Has a lot of traits (size, passing skills, ability to push tempo) that could make him an adequate lead guard. But alas, he is one of many subpar NYK shooters. Reasonable stat projection: 9/9 in 30 min per night.
Dennis Smith Jr. - At his best, he's a dunk contest candidate. He will even tease you with a drive and powerful dunk finish. Beyond this, he has no redeemable traits of a viable NBA player. He's lazy, has bad body language, doesn't shoot it well, chooses not to distribute or defend. Reasonable stat projection: He will be in the Chinese league soon.
Immanual Quickley - The diametric opposite of DSJ. Honest day's work player who will shoot, defend well. May not ever be a lead guard. But could very well be a contributing player to a winning team and have a career arc like Avery Bradley. Reasonable stat projection: 8 in 18 min per night.
but if the 3 young players (RJB, Mitch, Obi) develop nicely
+ Quickley who should be solid
and even a surprise reclamation project of Ntilikina or one of the other disappointments
I would consider this a reasonably successful season
I think you will see an even minutes split between him and Noel.
I am afraid Tibs will over play Randle, Rivers, Burks, Noel, and Peyton to try and win early.
I won't be surprised if that's the starting 5.
Quickley i think will surprise people..
I think you will see an even minutes split between him and Noel.
I am afraid Tibs will over play Randle, Rivers, Burks, Noel, and Peyton to try and win early.
I won't be surprised if that's the starting 5.
so you think Rj and Mitch wont start?
RJ and Mitch will play all they can handle
Obi will play plenty but yeah, Randle's presence (especially given his alma mater) complicates matters
I know the lack of star power is clear to see but I truly believe this team will surprise this season. Behold the real NBA coach. The task master. Thibs is going to push these guys harder than anyone has ever pushed them and it's going to manifest into wins. Wait and see.
2021 will be even better but 2020 will be a step in the right direction.
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I am a Robinson fan but he has not shown he can stay out of foul trouble.
I think you will see an even minutes split between him and Noel.
I am afraid Tibs will over play Randle, Rivers, Burks, Noel, and Peyton to try and win early.
I won't be surprised if that's the starting 5.
so you think Rj and Mitch wont start?
I hope so but I don't trust Tibs not to run the Vets in the ground and not trust the younger players.
I don't think he is the right coach with a young team.
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In comment 15064000 larryflower37 said:
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I am a Robinson fan but he has not shown he can stay out of foul trouble.
I think you will see an even minutes split between him and Noel.
I am afraid Tibs will over play Randle, Rivers, Burks, Noel, and Peyton to try and win early.
I won't be surprised if that's the starting 5.
so you think Rj and Mitch wont start?
I hope so but I don't trust Tibs not to run the Vets in the ground and not trust the younger players.
I don't think he is the right coach with a young team.
Based on what? Thibs played Rose, Noah, Deng, Gibson, butler all young guys..
This Fallacy that Thibs doesnt play youngs needa to stop, he plays the players that deserve to play, if frank, dsj, Knox cant beat out Payton, Ricers and Burkes that is on them..
Development is 25% coaching 75% on the player..
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In comment 15064000 larryflower37 said:
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I am a Robinson fan but he has not shown he can stay out of foul trouble.
I think you will see an even minutes split between him and Noel.
I am afraid Tibs will over play Randle, Rivers, Burks, Noel, and Peyton to try and win early.
I won't be surprised if that's the starting 5.
so you think Rj and Mitch wont start?
I hope so but I don't trust Tibs not to run the Vets in the ground and not trust the younger players.
I don't think he is the right coach with a young team.
Here is a better perspective on Thibs. He is the right coach with young players if they are smart, diligent guys. If they are the opposite, say...an Andrew Wiggins type, he doesn't do well w those guys (nor does anyone else). I expect he will love the 3 young Knicks that matter (RJB, MR, OT). You can even include Quickley in that group in terms of who he will like.
100% CORRECT
Where does that leave Toppin, though? Don't they play the same position? I know Randle can play some 5 and Toppin can probably play some 3 but I haven't heard anyone who thinks they can defend those positions well.
@ShamsCharania
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $85 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, CEO of Klutch Sports, Rich Paul, told @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
I won't be surprised if that's the starting 5.
I'll watch about one game with that starting lineup and walk away.
@ShamsCharania
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has agreed to a two-year, $85 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, CEO of Klutch Sports, Rich Paul, told @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
AD most likely signing a 4 year extension as well, but if the cap doesnt go up it is pretty much just them 2 for the next 4 years
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I am afraid Tibs will over play Randle, Rivers, Burks, Noel, and Peyton to try and win early.
I won't be surprised if that's the starting 5.
I'll watch about one game with that starting lineup and walk away.
Yeah, that's pretty bad. I don't think that will be the starting lineup. They'll want to start RJ and Toppin. I agree on the other three though. I'm guessing Noel-Randle-Toppin-RJ-Payton. With a short leash on the Randle-Toppin combo defensively, and Toppin getting minutes at the 4 when Randle rests.
Indeed - and its not because I don't like him. Seems like a Joe Ingles kind of personality with some skill similarities (more athletic, stronger but not the elite 3 ball). I hope recent rumors that he fell out of favor and would lose a spot to garbage like MKG are false.
Randle may start over Obi, but if they turn out to be our two best scorers, which is very possible, a 26/22 split doesn't maximize them. Either Obi is going to have to play some at the 3 (more likely) or Randle some at the 5. Maybe Obi backs up both the 4 and the 3.
While I expect RJ to be a top score, fair point that they could be two of the top three. I think Randle could get a little run at the 5, especially given both Mitch and Noel will have games with foul trouble. I really don't want to see Obi at the 3 - his defensive issues seem to get worse IMO by shifting down position. Also all of this assume no minutes for Knox at the 4 when that might be his best position, but I need to see competence from him (likely at the 3) before I get worked up over his time. Honestly 50/50 to me they exercise is fourth year option.
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Randle may start over Obi, but if they turn out to be our two best scorers, which is very possible, a 26/22 split doesn't maximize them. Either Obi is going to have to play some at the 3 (more likely) or Randle some at the 5. Maybe Obi backs up both the 4 and the 3.
While I expect RJ to be a top score, fair point that they could be two of the top three. I think Randle could get a little run at the 5, especially given both Mitch and Noel will have games with foul trouble. I really don't want to see Obi at the 3 - his defensive issues seem to get worse IMO by shifting down position. Also all of this assume no minutes for Knox at the 4 when that might be his best position, but I need to see competence from him (likely at the 3) before I get worked up over his time. Honestly 50/50 to me they exercise is fourth year option.
Unless Knox wakes up defensively he will get zero minutes, he is not good enough offensively..
I still hope Randle is willing to come off the bench but i think next frisays starting lineup is
Rivers Rj Obi Randle Mitch
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Randle may start over Obi, but if they turn out to be our two best scorers, which is very possible, a 26/22 split doesn't maximize them. Either Obi is going to have to play some at the 3 (more likely) or Randle some at the 5. Maybe Obi backs up both the 4 and the 3.
While I expect RJ to be a top score, fair point that they could be two of the top three. I think Randle could get a little run at the 5, especially given both Mitch and Noel will have games with foul trouble. I really don't want to see Obi at the 3 - his defensive issues seem to get worse IMO by shifting down position. Also all of this assume no minutes for Knox at the 4 when that might be his best position, but I need to see competence from him (likely at the 3) before I get worked up over his time. Honestly 50/50 to me they exercise is fourth year option.
Unless Knox wakes up defensively he will get zero minutes, he is not good enough offensively..
I still hope Randle is willing to come off the bench but i think next frisays starting lineup is
Rivers Rj Obi Randle Mitch
I'd go w Payton, RJ, Bullock, Randle, Mitch. And I'm not a fan of that lineup. But Bullock at least provides some spacing. Obi will get a MIN of 26 min a game though.
Why do you have Rivers over Payton (neither will be confused with Magic Johnson I realize)?
And I don't know why they drafted Toppin unless he is going to get serious minutes and Randle will not be happy sitting for the rookie. Randle should be traded.
And of course the Knicks still don't have a PG.
4-Randle
5-Robinson
3-Burks
2-RJ
1-Payton
I think the ball will be in Rjs hands..
And I don't know why they drafted Toppin unless he is going to get serious minutes and Randle will not be happy sitting for the rookie. Randle should be traded.
And of course the Knicks still don't have a PG.
Isnt this what we wanted? a few vets and a team led by the young guys?
Randle will start out as the #1 scoring option on this team.
I hope they move him at the deadline and open it up for Toppin
Makes for a long season, but it was the right play. The quick fix wasn't available to them, and I think the third year of Westbrook's contract was a deal-breaker (rightfully so). They'll take their swing next offseason in the draft and free agency - I they land outside of the top six in the draft and strike out again in free agency, the panic moves will start.
There wasn't a good FA class, so the cap space didn't help.
So lose some games, but develop players and hopefully a star comes free at the deadline or in the offseason or we just tank and get a top 5 pick in a loaded class.
I would have loved for Rose to pull off a big franchise changing move. But I'm glad he didn't overpay for fools gold like basically every Knicks GM before him for 20 years.
But for once they held tight and haven't done anything stupid yet. They hired a NBA professional coach and the new front office are NBA insiders although it remains to be seen if they can do the jobs they've signed up for.
The only chance the Knicks have to end the Dolan reign of terror is to get lucky in the draft and get to 40 wins somehow with a home grown player other NBA want to play with. They might have had that with Porzingis but that went very sour quickly. Hopefully this front office isn't as player toxic as Dolan like Jackson was.
But most of you, if not all of you, underestimate how detrimental Dolan's fascist draconian environment is when trying to recruit free agents. Every NBA player saw how Oakley and Anthony were treated by Dolan.
The star players in the most socially activist sports league in history aren't rushing to sign up to play for an owner with a media gag policy who refuses to allow the players to do a simple interview unless one of his brown shirts is hovering nearby with a recorder.
The NBA is much more than just a sports league in 2020 as you can see if you've followed what is going on in Houston.
Really? Why do we think he's any good?
That's fair - Bogie or Malik Beasley would've been solid additions for the contracts they got.
Really makes no sense why they weren't in on Bogdan. Really good player that would have fit nicely here. Very close with Giannis too if the Knicks truly want to dream...
A 4some of RJ, Robinson, FVV, and Bogdan is a nice group to build around.
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Zhaire Smith? Hmmm. Something...fishy...
Really? Why do we think he's any good?
He was the 16th overall pick in 2018, was linked to us before we opted for Knox and is insanely athletic.
Walk to the locker room on his own but it didn't look good