The Knicks‘ reluctance to gamble on a big move this summer has left them with an imperfect roster and no star power to lean on, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. New York is off to a 4-5 start, but the wins came against three rebuilding teams and the shorthanded Sixers, while the losses were to probable playoff teams built around All-Stars.
The offseason was defined by an unwillingness to meet Utah’s price for Donovan Mitchell, who was subsequently traded to Cleveland. Coach Tom Thibodeau was a strong advocate for making the Mitchell trade, according to Popper, who hears from an NBA source that the Knicks had bad intel and believed the Cavs weren’t willing to give the Jazz everything they wanted. Knicks executive Brock Aller argued against giving up three unprotected first-round picks for Mitchell, Popper adds.
The Knicks were also in position to outbid Atlanta for Dejounte Murray, Popper contends. He cites recent mistakes such as signing Evan Fournier in 2021 when Thibodeau preferred to keep Reggie Bullock and taking Obi Toppin ahead of Tyrese Haliburton in the 2020 draft.
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Thibodeau described the right knee sprain that center Mitchell Robinson suffered on Friday night as “mild,” per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Robinson will be reevaluated in seven-to-10 days to determine when he can resume playing. The injury increases the value of offseason addition Isaiah Hartenstein, who is expected to be the starting center while Robinson is out. “He’s done everything that we were hopeful of, and we obviously studied him quite a bit,” Thibodeau said of Hartenstein. “The rim protection obviously has been very, very good. Pick-and-roll defense, very good. And then offensively, just to pull people away from the basket, play-make, very good passer. Good in the paint. And so I think as he gets more comfortable, you’ll see more and more from him.”
- The Knicks are downplaying an argument during the fourth quarter of Friday’s game between Toppin and assistant coach Rick Brunson, Bondy states in the same story. They reportedly resolved their differences, and they have a solid relationship as Brunson trained Toppin while he was preparing for the draft. “Just normal NBA stuff,” Thibodeau said. “Heat of the battle.”
- Quentin Grimes was held out of tonight’s game because of soreness in his left foot, the same issue that caused him to miss the season’s first six games, Bondy adds.
I was reliably informed that Mitchell isn’t that good and the young players in New York were better to keep.
Popper has popped …….
I was a year ahead of the world on Haliburton. And taking Obi1 was absolutely the right pick. Popper doesn’t tell you he was on the trade Randle bandwagon back then. Cause 100% of media thought Randle was gone. Then Thibs gets signed. And Randle has not only his best yr. But a historical yr ……
Media just loves to discuss and hate on Knicks. Thibs just started his third yr. We signed Brunson and Hartenstein. And we still have all our assets to go after a player. When it comes to the Knicks. The glass is always half empty. Bunch of haters and wagoneers ..
From memory Toppin was college player of the year and looked a stud. Tyrese was the best point in the draft and I remember at the time thinking to myself it’s going to be between these two.
Obviously from then as you said Randle had an amazing season and Toppin has found it difficult to get many minutes, not that he’s a bad player at all. It’s all kind of irrelevant anyway now that you guys have signed Brunson in FA as he fills the point guard spot.
The wrong decision was simply giving Fouriner that huge deal.
Media and wagoneers are always looking to be better. Unfortunately you can’t be better. If you don’t build a foundation. And that includes coaches and management. After two yrs Knicks are heading in the right direction. But building or talking about growing talent. Doesn’t sell like criticizing every move. Not easy to build thru draft in NY. Most are all about 15 mins of fame. We have to see this rebuild thru. Why look back. When building is about looking forward.
Trade Randle and start Obi1 with Jalen.
Randle played well tonight. I still rather see Obi starting. Hope Knicks grow some. And move Randle when he starts to look good again.
Greasefire.
First of all … did anyone expect the Knick to be 7-2 or something? 4-5 is kind of par for the course here at this point
Secondly, not mentioning the continuing struggles of Randle and lack of a leap from RJ is missing the forest for the trees
And I love the “oh you should have taken Giannis at 13 ten years ago!” vibe of the Toppin/Halliburton line. I should have played last night’s lottery number too
But … Mitchell playing out of his mind and Barrett coming back w another 11 PER start to a season does indeed look BAD. Although if you zoom out, I’m still not sure what Mitchell, Randle, Brunson and no future picks does for NYK long term…
Celtics are defending East Champions. It’s not like we should beat them at home. If you watched gm. You saw the Celtics lock down when it counted. And closed out the Knicks.
It’s early so I’m not going to get critical. But Randle is still a ball stopper. And Thibs offense needs help. The movement stopped when Celtics locked down. This is one reason I rather go with Obi.
We don’t have that guy you know will get it done. Like Jalen n Jason do for Celtics. We need to do it as a team right now. So when we stop moving the ball. Or Randle stops it. Or we get into this Iso offense. We make it easier for other team to play D. When the other team is a top team. The result is usually a loss. Jalen is not going to bail out Thibs offense.
Knicks have to find that star that can get his shot. I’d say Randle, Fournier, Rose, Quickley, plus picks are all in play.
Popper is an idiot. Certainly any “intel” the NYK had regarding UTH-CLE was accurate (CLE wasn’t willing to give UTH almost anything they really wanted). What they may have needed better intel on was whether UTH was ever going to do a rational deal with them. I think the only real “mistake” this FO has made (judged at the time it was made) was Bullock-Fournier. But yeah, better players were drafted after the players they picked in a lot of drafts.
Anyway, IMO the NYK problem so far this year (like early last year) has been defense (perimeter defense in particular). We can’t get in shoot outs with a team like BOS (home or away). They’re about where they should be record-wise. But that doesn’t change the fact that we can’t play “defend” the 3 like we did last night or that will change quickly.
I would have love to see Dejonte in a Knicks uniform
Trade Quickley and Fournier to Lakers for Westwood. Play Cam Reddish more. I might then stay awake during Knick games.
Knicks actually haven’t made that many mistakes in free agency. Fournier certainly isn’t a franchise crippler, and he’d be valuable on a team with a better offense. Their biggest problem has been drafting. Knox over Michael Porter Jr and SGA, Toppin over Halliburton. Both were indefensible at the time. Toppin doesn’t get any minutes to build his value to even be traded, so they keep shooting themselves even more in the foot on that one. Lots of valuable assets, but they need to cash them in at some point. Go all in for SGA. Barrett, Toppin, Grimes/Quickley, and 4 firsts. No point in waiting any longer.