As expected, the Knicks have exercised their team options for 2023/24 on guard Immanuel Quickley and wing Quentin Grimes, the team announced today (via Twitter). The Knicks also confirmed that they’ve picked up Obi Toppin‘s ’23/24 option, as was previously reported.
Quickley, 23, was the 25th overall pick in the 2020 draft. He has been a go-to reserve for New York since entering the league, averaging 11.4 PPG as a rookie and 11.3 PPG last season. He has struggled with his shot (.320 FG%, .200 3PT%) through three games in 2022/23, but is filling up the box score with 5.0 APG and 5.3 RPG.
Grimes had a promising rookie season in 2021/22 after being drafted at No. 25 overall in 2021, shooting 38.1% on three-pointers and showing some real defensive upside. He was expected to vie for the starting shooting guard spot this season, but has been hampered by a left foot issue and has yet to make his regular season debut.
Quickley will earn a guaranteed $4,171,548 salary in 2023/24. Grimes’ salary for that season is now a guaranteed $2,385,720.
Quickley will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in 2023 and for restricted free agency in 2024, while Grimes still has one more option (for ’24/25) on his rookie contract — the Knicks will have until next October 31 to make a decision on that option.
All of this year’s rookie scale option decisions can be found right here.
If it’s true that the Knicks don’t have Donovan Mitchell bc they dw trade put Grimes in a package for him then that’s the type of thing NY fans will hold onto for decades as the Knicks pile up 40+ loss seasons. Even tho most of em woulda been against trading Grimes for Mitchell lol fans gotta love em/their $.
It was the fact that they would have had to give up Grimes AND like five 1sts when they had already signed Brunson. Once they signed Brunson, it made no sense to sell the farm for Mitchell.
Grimes being the sole obstacle to the Mitchell deal was a media creation that you’re buying without questioning it. There were more reasons plus context for why they didn’t land Mitchell.
Seems like they were fine with giving up all the future 1sts. It was Grimes they really didn’t wanna lose… In what way does signing Brunson mean they shouldn’t pursue Mitchell? It’s legal to have 2 good guards in the same backcourt. Hawks, Ws, Cavs & plenty of other teams are proving that as we speak.
I think it’s the meat of the sandwich everyone is forgetting. They wanted all the picks and Grimes. PLUS Obi and Quickly.
At what point do you not have a team to field around the “superstar”.
I like Mitchell and think they could have gotten a deal done but I’m not convinced he’s the alpha go to to bring this team over the top.
Hawks and Cavs. Are they really that good? Are they going to win a championship as constructed?
Is Ws Washington DC? Not sure but wouldn’t point to them.
I think the bigger issue of Donovan/Brunson is fit. Neither is a great defender or shooter. Can the play off each other. Can they create enough space to operate. Just things beyond “2 guards can work”. Sure they can if they are the right guards. I question if that pairing would be
Hawks & Cavs def better than the Knicks… Brunson & Mitchell are both very good on both sides of the court. They clearly woulda made an extremely potent backcourt
@Sankara: “Brunson & Mitchell are both very good on both sides of the court”
Do you actually watch basketball? Brunson is meh defensively and Mitchell is horrendous. Pairing the two of them would have given the Knicks the worst defensive backcourt in the league.
Yes you’re right. Having Fournier that defensive menace starting is so much better lol.
@Lionel: Did I say Fournier is good defensively? No.
Like seriously!!! did you see the last game the Hawks played? they were trounced and please spare the over hype of Mitchell, those numbers are without Garland so he is playing major minutes. Let’s see what those numbers look like with less touches when Garland whom is the lead ball handler and all-star to boot returns. Let’s also see if he breaks the the playoffs loss curse and get that team to the finals of either the Eastern Conference or Championship finals.
Yes it’s not like Mitchell who’s not even 26 yet was the best player on a multi season playoff team averaging 25 a game. All inflated I tell ya! He would’ve been the best player the Knicks have gotten since Melo first arrived.
@Sankara: Grimes was not the sticking point. You are buying into a media-created narrative. The Knicks balked at the entire package the Jazz were asking for, especially after signing Brunson.
They draft badly most of the time and there’s no guarantee you will get a star on Mitchell’s level with any of those picks.
If you want to trade five or six 1sts (which, knowing the Knicks, will include several lottery picks), PLUS Grimes and Toppin for Mitchell, go for it. To me, that is insane, especially after signing Brunson.
Honestly, do you think Mitchell makes them a title contender? I don’t. I would rather roll the dice on the picks instead. Knicks made the smart move after they’d signed Brunson. Let’s see how many championships the Cavs win with Mitchell, because we know the Jazz wilted and won nothing with him.
Grimes is so much more important than Mitchell and Barrett lol. Knicks said no to jazz lol