Pacers center Myles Turner, a prime trade candidate, is displaying significant progress from his foot injury. Turner, who is sidelined with a stress reaction in his left foot, had a scan which showed sufficient healing. He’ll ramp up his activity level, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. Turner has been out since January 14.
Pacers forward T.J. Warren had another scan on his left foot this week and will begin to play 1-on-1 for the first time since surgery over a year ago, Agness adds in another tweet. Warren appeared in just four games last season before he was sidelined.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Pistons swingman Rodney McGruder returned to Detroit after a trade with Denver fell through due to the Pistons’ medical concerns regarding Bol Bol. What could have been an awkward situation has instead led to more playing time for McGruder, Rod Beard of The Detroit News notes. “He came back here in the right frame of mind and attitude, and the basketball gods have been good to him because he has handled it properly,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said.
- Could the Knicks soon be RJ Barrett‘s team? Newsday’s Steve Popper raises that possibility due to Julius Randle‘s struggles. Randle has not only played poorly, he’s feuded with fans, shunned the media and generally not acted like a leader after signing to a four-year, $117MM extension. Barrett is averaging 22.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 3.4 APG this month and the Knicks might ultimately decide to ride with youth.
- What will the Raptors do before the trade deadline? The Athletic’s Eric Koreen and John Hollinger discuss potential moves, with Hollinger concluding that Toronto will hold onto its top players while seeking bench help and an upgrade at center.
I’m not sure if it’s RJ’s team yet, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be Randle’s going forward.
Either way RJ’s play of late is some much welcome good news. Kid’s still only 21—if he could develop into a Tatum/Brown level wing that would open up a ton of possibilities for the FO.
Knicks need to just trade for the veterans that Thibs will trust.
Get rid of Randle, Fournier, Robinson, Toppin, Quickely, and Kemba.
Target Sabonis/Turner, Barnes, Smart. Picks are useless if Thibs doesn’t want to play rookies/sophs.
Sabonis isn’t a Thibs type player, nor is Barnes (who is also a bad contract). Fournier was signed with his endorsement. As for playing rookies, etc. he’s played IQ quite a bit and Grimes is getting some good minutes. Granted many of those minutes are due to injury, but he could also run Burks into the ground if he wanted, but hasn’t.
Like you said, due to injury, once Rose comes back it’s the bench for those 2.
I think hed be good with Sabonis, more offensive upside than Mitchell and Nerlens and he isnt a defensive liability. He isn’t the defender that Turner is, but the Knicks are anemic on offense. Barnes is still a quality 3 and D player with only 18M for next year. Fournier has shown to be a bad signing already no consistency.
Wow. I am shocked that no one is talking about Thibs being part of the problem. He has marginally improved as a coach with NY but is still a terrible offensive coach. As well he is still terrible with managing players and developing chemistry. His teams always have polarizing locker room issues and it seems the same is happening here. I hear “oh but what about Chicago?” He didn’t coach the offence, just gave Rose free reign. They had a lot of talent and he played his main guys too many minutes. I remember watching a young D-Rose coming up and every amazing game I cringed. I said if someone doesn’t reel this kids game in he will blow out his knees. Thibs used him up like a dish rag because he’s only a defensive coach. Luol Deng gave everything for nothing. Minnesota was a joke and he couldn’t control the egos on that team and the locker room was fractured. Now with NY and they are having similar problems. The signs were there last year but he fooled everyone with one good season on a high usage career year by Randle. In this league you need some guys with a chip on their shoulder and Randle gave them that. Isn’t that why they gave him the deal? He didn’t just produce, he lead with confidence and swagger. Now everyone is turning on him because he’s not the saviour of a mediocre team with a mediocre coach. Thibs needs a high usage stud/ball handler to make his offence work and right now he doesn’t have one. He got lucky with Randle playing like a perimeter initiator last year, but in reality, NY needs a PG and a better offensive coach. I’m surprised Thibs hasn’t resorted to his 6/7 man panic rotation. Oh, maybe that’s coming soon.
If you watched the Heat gm. You saw RJ is actually physically bigger than Jimmy. Yes RJ is only 21 and he’s still got upside. I strongly believe in going with youth. But in NY home of the 15 mins of fame. It’s never a sure thing. I hope they do go with the young guys. I like their upside. And Randle at 27 is best to use him to get more young talent.
Randle for whatever reason. Is his own worst enemy. His regression is self imposed. It’s all about ego and selfishness. It was so obvious in Heat gm. How the second team plays team ball. Ball movement player movement focus on energy. Then the Starters with Randle just stopping the offense. And everyone looking for threes with no movement. This is on Thibs for enabling him. No player is bigger than the Knicks. Real fans know only Teams win in Sports. I’m all about the rebuild. I hope Rose steps in and makes Thibs go that way too. There is no such thing as a quick fix. RJs development should tell us all that.
A lot of people turning on Randle this year?
Knicks fans have a history.
He carried this team them into the playoffs last year putting up 24-10-6, which is a pretty crazy stat line. Shooting super efficiently aswell. Was made NBA most improved player, voted in as an all star and made the all nba second team.
This year he has fallen off abit but is still putting up 19-10-5 although his shooting has really fallen off. Even on a poor season he leads the team in points, rebounds and assists.
It does seem a little harsh to want to trade him. And whatever you get in return isn’t going to be an nba level talent
I think it would be more for the ledger than the assets acquired. Highly doubt he’s moved in next 2 weeks but I also highly doubt he makes it thru the next 4.5 yrs in NY
I think there are two factors with Randle:
1) He just signed a pretty large extension
2) He has (1) season of playing at an All Star level
Add those up and it looks like the guy had one great year, in a contract year, and then showed up the next year back to basics.
He plays 35mpg and dominates the offense so the counting stats will be there. But his eff stats (15.6 PER, .508 TS, +0.3 BPM) are all pretty horrendous for a guy who seems to think he’s a #1 option on a playoff team.
For myself, I don’t want to trade Randle (his value can’t get much lower) as much as I just wish the FO waited a summer before extending him.
The worst is his decision making. He has lapsed on D and O. He’s playing more like he did two yrs ago. He put up 19.5 pts. 9.7 reb, 3.1 ast. And the reason they drafted Obi. But it wasn’t just numbers he put up last yr. He led by example and was more efficient than ever. This yr he’s back to two yrs ago. And that’s not going to work here. Plus he’s fighting with media and fans. This is a rebuild. We haven’t accomplished anything. I rather see Obi start at this point. I’m tired of seeing him kill the offense. I rather use him to get a real PG. Use him and Kemba for a starting PG. How much better we would be if we signed Dinwiddie. At this point I’ll take Schroder lol.
Hey Al, whenever I comment on the Knicks I always value your opinion the most cause I know you know your stuff on them.
Just wanted to say in response, last year when Randle had his super efficient season he put up 45.5/41/81 and across the board his numbers were great 24-10-6.
In this season the only player putting close to those numbers are KAT with 24-9-3 shooting 52-41-81. No player in the league is putting up 20-5-5 shooting over 40% from three. Let alone with 10 rebounds.
I think the big thing affecting him this year is how many threes he’s missing, shooting only 31%. That’s obviously ruining his FG% and his efficiency. I think Randle proved last year he’s a top quality PF probably top 5 for his position in the league.
I think Thibs and the team expect to much from him. He is the number 1 scoring option, the ball handler which has to create for others, and he gets the most rebounds. He doesn’t have much help from the point guard position and the centre position constantly changes which doesn’t help.
Im not sure how you get it done but I think DeAaron Fox and Tristan Thompson would be a great package to target for this team. Fox helps take the work load off Randle and let’s him focus on getting more efficient again. Thompson gives up stability to the centre position which constantly changes. He works his butt off and although isn’t elite or anything he gives his all most the time. He’s a good defender and good team player.
Other targets could be Derrick White, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jalen Suggs or Jalen Brunson.
What’s wrong with feuding with the fans & shunning the media?
To me it seems positives for JR… but, yes his game is down this year.
Serious Q- Who say’s NO today , please consider the $ not just overall talent
Randle for Malik Beasley and Princes expiring + 1 semi protected first
Malik expires after next year (club opt 24) NY would be flush come 24
I can’t think of many teams that would trade for Randle- Minny makes most sense to me as they can feasibly pair KAT DeAngelo Randle and Edwards due to Edwards rookie deal. Minny will soon learn Simmons is a pipe dream and want to make some sort of splash while they have Prince/Beverlys expiring contracts to match with at there disposal
Highly unlikely to happen but who says No if it was on the table?
* Ive been trying to find a player for Minny as next free agency is going to be a snooze and its a hard destination to attract FA neways , and they have a little space on the future ledger till Edwards gets paid
They seem like they want to climb the rope so it makes sense to take on a contract of decent size before the deadline with their expiring’s/and or Malik
They don’t have the greatest assets if they want to hold KAT DeAngelo and Edwards so I could see something creative being explored on their behalf in the next 2 weeks. They always seems to come outta nowhere w something
Not a bad idea from Knicks side of view (not sure for Wolfs).
But i would demand at least Bolnaro + what you suggested.
He just won’t develop in Minnesota, and he might be that playmaking big guard that Knicks need direly.
Both teams might, although NY probably says No just for optics purposes. But I agree – I don’t see a long line of suitors for Randle’s services, on a down year, with his extension not even kicked in yet.
The only issue I see with it from Minny’s side is defensively – an Edwards, Randle, KAT front-line would probably lack some rim protection.
But if all they had to give up was Beasley it’s a decent buy-low gamble. If Randle remembers how to shoot the 3 again, a FC of AE, KAT, and JR would be formidable.
Why would the Knicks give up their best player, an all star and all nba second team player just to clear cap space?
The only players in the league putting up atleast 20-10-5 are Randle, Giannas, Harden and Jokic.
Yes his shooting numbers have fallen off a cliff but there’s no reason to say they can’t bounce back to what they were last season.
Ain’t no way they lose him for some expiring contracts and a protected first.
Nobody buys usage stats anymore, they buy the ones BS69 provided above (abysmal)
He plays like this another year he will be unmovable unless your attaching firsts instead of receiving one
It’s never easy in the NBA , calls are always going to be tough but its best you make them a day early then a day late when the market is still somewhat your friend
Thanks your all the replies everyone I tend to agree with Bs69 optics angle holding this potentially back
If I’m NY I try trade Randle, looking at Blazers, Kings, Pacers, maybe the Spurs.