Grant Riller was waived by the Sixers on Sunday and new details have emerged why that move was made. He’s undergoing right shoulder surgery and will miss the next four-to-six months, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Riller was on a two-way contract and could return to Philly next season after he recovers. Riller, a 24-year-old point guard, suffered a torn meniscus in early October and injured the shoulder in a G League game last month.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Boston has new vaccine requirements for indoor dining, fitness, and entertainment establishments going into effect next month, according to a Boston Globe report. However, all professional athletes are exempt, meaning it won’t have any impact on the Celtics or visiting players, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps tweets. Under the new mandate, proof of at least one vaccine dose will be required after January 15 to enter those facilities except for medical or religious reasons.
- Brad Stevens has had far more hits than misses in the moves he’s made since becoming president of basketball operations 200 days ago, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston opines. Forsberg breaks down each transaction while noting that those moves can’t be fully judged until Stevens utilizes the cap flexibility generated by them.
- Kemba Walker and Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau have not discussed the point guard’s situation since he was removed from the rotation, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. However, Walker doesn’t want to be a distraction. “I’m not starting, I ain’t playing,” Walker said. “So I’m here for my team, I’m here for my teammates. I can’t say it enough. Whatever’s asked of me that’s what I’m here for.” Walker erupted for 29 points in 37 minutes for the depleted Knicks on Saturday, his first action since Nov. 26.
- Thibodeau has been impressed by the team’s rookies, particularly guard Miles McBride, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. “The thing that I was most proud of is the way those guys all worked. ,,, they’ve been phenomenal and not just in the way they work but when they were competing in practice,” he said. McBride is currently in the health and safety protocols.
Thibs gonna be outta ny asap smh
He better not be. He’s not the problem. Charles Barkley said it best … last year they won on hard work. But hard work only gets you so far. The Knicks roster just doesn’t have a lot of talent. Who’s their second best player? Do they have any players who are top 50 in the NBA? Last year Randall was, but this year he’s not. No one after him besides Rose even cracks the top 100, right? The Knicks are still rebuilding. It’s not the coach, or Walker or Fournier. It’s lack of talent. Best thing we can do is try to trade Fournier and Walker just to relieve us of their contracts. Then let’s give this kid Samancic a chance. 6’10 athletic big man who can shoot. Last I checked he’s killing it in Westchester. Why not give him a shot, we may have something in him. If we do, this would be a good year to develop him. I hear rumors about getting Gordon and maybe Bledsoe. But why? So we can exit the first round? I agree with creating a winning culture and im bit saying let’s tank. But I’d rather let some of our young guys develop. Then hopefully next year we can lure a star here and our supporting cast will have that experience and development. That’s my take on the Knicks and what my plan would be if I’m them.
Last year they won on Randle and RJ hitting over 40% from 3, having much more rest than everyone else and going for it when everyone else was tanking.
Even if it’s suddenly the lack of talent Thibs looks even worse since he won’t develop or even look at young talent until ever vets he can play is injured or exhausted.
Hopefully next year lure a star???? With no cap space?
Thibs isn’t going anywhere. He’s the one that lifted the team out of its hapless state (20 win / no development club), and we’d almost certainly head right back there without him. Practically, Rose would have to do it, and he’s not that stupid. Among other things, doing it would end his current rebuild, and destroy his own credibility.
Walker was signed as a flyer, with a meaningless contract. There’s no issue here, not even a little one, regardless of how the disenfranchised NY media wants to play it, along with playing the most clueless elements of the fanbase.
I can’t believe how many people credit thibs with lifting the Knicks out of their quandary by ruining our best chance at drafting a star and switching the focus from developing young players and the draft to ignoring them and going with a core of Rose, Taj, Payton, Bullock and Burks.
End his current rebuild? Didn’t we just double down on Thibs vets to make a playoff run while not even using the 19th pick in a really good draft knowing it’s pointless to even draft young players when thibs is coach?
I can’t believe there are still people who equate rebuilding with tanking, and player development with merely getting young players minutes. History laughs at both notions. True rebuilds are as much about team culture as raw talent acquisition, and very little (positive) player development occurs outside of a solid team structure (which requires veterans) and the coaching process.
Yes, Thibs’ coaching likely cost us a lottery pick, and perhaps (ping pong balls willing) a high one. A good case can be made that they should have waited a year to hire a real HC. But anyone who’s really watched this team knows that another year of hapless losing, without a coherent team structure, which was certain under a clown like Fizdale, would likely have been just as costly (and more certain to be paid). Starting with the impact on the young players. Yes, Thibs is, and has always been, GOOD for young players, at least the ones any team should want around.
The Knick performance on draft night deserves a high grade, even if 2k’ers don’t like it. Thibs’ impact on it was about identifying guys that fit the emerging culture, not about avoiding bringing in rookies (since we brought in 3). The 2021 draft was NOT a strong one in the back half of the 1st round, and picks like #19 and #21 (in particular) were not in high demand. They got the two guys they wanted if they ended up stuck down there (Grimes and McBride) and picked up a future 1st and 2nd to boot. Watch these two guys (and IQ) play, and maybe then you’ll get the beauty of targeted drafting of guys who fit (vs volume drafting of any talent that might be around).
Young players can’t develop without actual NBA experience. That’s just common sense. Not sure why you disagree with that. No need to over examine the Knicks anyways. They simply just don’t have a lot of talent right now. Until they get a superstar, they aren’t going to compete for any titles. No team ever wins without a star. There’s def a huge difference between tanking and rebuilding. Tanking is purposely setting lineups to put your team in position to lose games in order to get a better pick. You can rebuild without doing that.
History laughs? What does that even mean? Lol sounds silly to me, who talks like that?
I’m not sure what your point is, as I didn’t respond to or disagree with much in any of your prior posts, but I’ll keep it simple here:
Anyone who believes that giving a young player unearned PT principally in the hope that it will aid the player’s individual development vs the team objective of winning accomplishes anything positive is clueless (not only does it preclude a healthy team culture, but it doesn’t even serve the development purpose).
Yes, its true that teams don’t win titles without a star, but it’s also true that teams that get their star via tanking and a top 5 or so draft pick don’t win them either, and teams that don’t win don’t attract stars in the FA market. So, if you’re saying the Knicks and their fans shouldn’t care about a thing until they (one way or another) find a superstar, that’s truly silly, and if you knew even a bit about recent NBA history you’d know it is (like that better).
Yeah, I disagree. But I don’t call people clueless and question peoples knowledge. That’s kind of arrogant of you, so I’m really not interested in taking hoops with you ever again. Can’t respect anyone who doesn’t speak with respect.
This is annoying as hell. Is he going by Miles or by Deuce? At WVU he was Deuce and we loved him!