The improved play of 2019 Knicks free agent signee Julius Randle since Mike Miller became the team’s interim head coach can be attributed to several factors, The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov observes.
“I’m just playing with confidence,” Randle said. “I try to take things on a game-by-game focus, not really worried about the big picture of things when it comes to that.” Randle’s jump-shooting accuracy has improved for the Knicks lately. He has been less prone to on-court mistakes, and has been penetrating inside more instead of settling.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe feels that Celtics coach Brad Stevens continues to search for consistent help at the back end of his rotation. Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart, Daniel Theis, Enes Kanter and Brad Wanamaker make up the team’s top eight players. Himmelsbach opines that Stevens wants his ninth and 10th options emerge from among Robert Williams, Semi Ojeleye, plus rookies Grant Williams, Javonte Green, Romeo Langford, and Carsen Edwards.
- Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports that the backcourt health of the Nets has worsened, thanks to starting guard Garrett Temple missing tonight’s matchup against the Mavericks with a sore knee. Caris LeVert, Kyrie Irving, and the just-waived David Nwaba have all missed significant time for Brooklyn.
- The rise of springy second-year center Mitchell Robinson numbers among the big reasons why the surging Knicks (10-24 overall, but 6-6 since adding new head coach Mike Miller) seem to be legitimately better, according to the New York Post’s Marc Berman. Robinson’s 70% field goal percentage leads the NBA. “He makes the job really easy for us by running the floor, setting screens and making the right read at the right moment,” guard Frank Ntilikina said of Robinson.
Robert Williams, Semi Ojeleye, plus rookies Grant Williams, Javonte Green, Romeo Langford, and Carsen Edwards.
These guys are all trade bait except for Langford.
Id move langford in a heartbeat for a big addition (likely as part of a larger package including picks). With Brown, Tatum, and smart on the roster long term (plus heyward in tow for at most another season) i dont really see his fit. Needs minutes to develop due to time missed in college and the nba, and not the 5mpg hes going to get as an end of the bench player on the C’s. Now would i trade him for marginal big man to help this year’s squad? No. But if there was even a starting caliber player available id move him and not think twice. Let alone for all star lvl talent. They cant play langford enough to build his value, so the longer they keep him the more it drops. A year or two from now if hes still averaging under 10ppg with a couple assists and rebounds to boot in lets say 10-15 minutes per night theyd be lucky to get anything for him. Move him now while you can still sell him as a lottery level talent. I dont get the fit.
It’s not a good look to trade away a player before trying him out. Makes a GM look wishy-washy.
“Trade bait”?!?!? For who? To who?