Coach Tom Thibodeau’s decision to put Quentin Grimes in the starting lineup and make Miles McBride the first guard off the bench has transformed the Knicks, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. They replaced Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose in the rotation, and they’ve upgraded the perimeter defense amid a three-game winning streak. New York has held opponents to 81, 89 and 102 points during that run.
“I think we’re just playing hard and that’s really it,” Grimes said. “Just playing hard, covering for people’s mistakes, not worrying if someone gets scored on. We’ll get a stop the next time. Right now we’re just playing extremely hard, not worrying about the result, because we know if we play hard, everything will take care of itself.”
The Knicks always expected great things from Grimes, the 25th pick in the 2021 draft, which is why they were reluctant to include him in a proposed trade for Donovan Mitchell, Popper notes. It’s different for McBride, who was a second-round choice last year and saw limited playing time until recently.
“I understood coming out it would be tough,” McBride said. “Playing behind, last year it was Kemba (Walker), D-Rose, Alec Burks. This year it’s still D-Rose, and now Jalen (Brunson). So I just knew it was time to work on my game and my opportunity would come.”
There’s more from New York City:
- The Knicks don’t appear likely to sign Carmelo Anthony to replace Obi Toppin, who will miss at least two to three weeks with a fibula injury, a source tells Popper. Anthony, who remains unsigned after playing for the Lakers last season, has a good relationship with team president Leon Rose but he doesn’t fit Thibodeau’s emphasis on defense, according to Popper’s source. The team also doesn’t want Anthony to take minutes away from Toppin once he returns.
- Instead of going small by using RJ Barrett to replace Toppin, Thibodeau paired big men Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims in Friday’s win at Charlotte, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. It sounds like the arrangement might continue, as Thibodeau said, “I liked the size of Isaiah and Jericho together.”
- Barrett is offering support to Cam Reddish, his former college teammate, whose minutes were cut drastically in Thibodeau’s rotation shakeup, Braziller adds. “We definitely talk all the time, talk every day,” Barrett said. “That’s my guy, my brother. So I’m keeping his spirits up.”
Mitch, Randle, Quickley, Fournier, Rose, Cam plus our picks. Should all be used to upgrade this team. Unfortunately Obi got hurt. But this can be a showcase for Randle. To get his value back up. To me Obi is a much better fit with Jalen and RJ on offense.
Those are the guys I’d make available for trade. Seems sort of premature to trade picks in New York just yet. They sort of have a core of young guys to build off of now. Barrett isn’t SGA, but the Knicks were in bad shape before Rose & Thibodeau, and I think the OKC model has worked. Maybe it goes a little different in New York, but going after any FA’s that will sign in NY, and not using cap to build up the war chest has been futile. Brunson was Okay, but Randle was a waste, and Walker, and Fournier.
OKC model?
What has the OKC FO been doing since Westbrook, Anthony, and George? Using cap to acquire picks. They have done it almost every season except this one. And NOT trading your picks or undeveloped players too early.
What is your exception to this phrasing?
And how do you not know what OKC has been doing for the last 4 seasons? A lot of jerks comment on here, so rhetorical questions appear to be landmines in my estimation. For some child to extrapolate on in this comment section, quite often
Oh relax guy, your name sounds like a porn website. No need to get all condescending when someone questions you. I think he is saying that “the OKC model has worked” is putting the cart in front of the horse a bit.
How does it relate to NYK and even more how the hell has it worked for OKC ?
I would argue that it’s “worked” from the standpoint of asset collection, which any team not competing for a chip should be doing.
If OKC made any of SGA, Giddey, Holmgren available on the open market, they’d get varying levels of positive offers.
Next is finding out if you’re on the road to building a team where a championship is a feasible thought. If not, keep collecting assets and make your move when the timing is right.
It’s kinda the (oversimplified) successful startup model. Amazon started working on the components for AWS in like ’99 — launched the earliest version in around 2007, and now AWS dwarfs income from any one of their other branches. Not saying a NBA team should wait 8 years to shoot their shot, but it’s better than yearly tricking yourself and the fanbase into thinking “next year is the year…just cuz..belief”
Is there any reason they couldn’t sign Anthony on a non guaranteed deal to cover for Toppin then waive him once Obi returns?
They could but that might be an insult to Melo given his history w the team idk
Thibs going with the non-shooting twin tower lineup as opposed to giving RJ some run at 4 is yet another bozo move in a season chock full of bozo moves.
The kid is clearly struggling in a congested offense so let’s maybe make it … more congested?
Again this is picking up dimes in front of a bulldozer w/ this guy. It might make you look better against Charlotte in December but it’s invariably NOT good for one of your most highly prized prospects.
Knicks don’t want or need Melo drama in MSG. They are fine for awhile. If they have to. They can bring up a player from G-League. Obi just heal please. Knicks didn’t pull the trigger on a DM trade. So they are looking for another big trade. I believe by Jan15 . Rather not wait till Feb TD.
Cam can get get some PT now. Go get it Cam
How dare you call yourself a Knicks fan and not welcome back Melo in any capacity.
Right. Knicks are rudderless right now. Give us something to care about! I’d love to see Melo on the low block, posting up at MSG again.
Great job by Thibs in getting the defense, and thus the team, back on track. It would have been nice to have made the changes sooner, but FO politics and Grimes being out would have likely made that difficult.
Barrett, if he’s truly a brother, should tell Cam to remove his head from his butt, and get rid of the representatives that have told him that’s where it belongs. They’re classic enablers of an under achieving career. Knicks were his best (and probably last) chance to have the career he said he wants.
Right now, I don’t see a major trade actually happening (distinguished from every available player being mentioned as a target). I see more housekeeping, but if there’s something where they can get value for Randle or Toppin, they should (really) listen.
NY isn’t a rebuilder going through the building process? It’s hard for me to imagine someone thinking of them as a built team. Whatever the true intention is why not just get to it rather than the rhetoric?
“When I speak to executives around the league, they are viewing and believing that the Knicks are kind of hoarding those first round picks just waiting for that next megastar to become available.”
Like I said class. They didn’t close the deal for Donovan Mitchell. So they will be looking for another major trade. That’s what having 7 first rd picks. And 5 second rd picks thru 2025 gets you. Right now Randle is playing like an all star. I just hope they move him.
link to fanspo.com
This is yr three of the real rebuild. Knicks are .500 and are just starting to play right. A trade is coming by Jan 15.