Knicks reserve big men Jericho Sims and Isaiah Hartenstein have seen their roles expand following starting center Mitchell Robinson‘s recent thumb surgery, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post.
Sims had been out of the Knicks’ rotation in the five games leading up to Robinson’s thumb injury last week, while Hartenstein was playing backup center minutes. After Robinson went down, Sims was elevated to starter, while Thibodeau kept Hartenstein in his reserve role.
“I feel good about both guys,” New York head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “What gives us the best chance to win? It may change based on matchups… Jericho and Isaiah have been in the rotation, and that was one of the things that stood out when we were acquiring those guys was the rim protection. We felt both were capable.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Though the Kevin Durant drama may have been taking the lion’s share of headlines as far as the Nets were concerned this summer, the team made some excellent under-the-radar roster moves that are now paying off in a big way, per James Herbert of CBS Sports. Herbert singles out Brooklyn’s re-signing of Nic Claxton, its free agent additions of Yuta Watanabe and T.J. Warren, and its trade for Royce O’Neale.
- As the Raptors continue to slide in the Eastern Conference standings, team president Masai Ujiri should look to move on from some of its best assets and begin a full-on rebuild around second-year forward Scottie Barnes, opines Bruce Arthur of The Toronto Star. Arthur believes that Toronto players OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam could each net at least three first-round draft picks in trades, writing that at least one team previously offered three first-rounders for Anunoby.
- Sixers reserve power forward Georges Niang is striving to play better defensively, and seems to have truly improved on that end this season, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “People try to knock me, and not give me credit because I don’t look like someone that can defend,” Niang said. “I believe if I’m out there on the court, I’m going to make it tough on anybody that I have to guard.. That’s kind of the narrative that I’m trying to spin the other way.”
Please name the team that offered three first rounders for OJ. The main problem with this team is they do not have a point guard that can create and shoot. Someone like a younger Lowry. So you have Siakam and now Barnes playing a pseudo point guard role like Luka or the Joker, BUT they can’t shoot long ball so it does not work. You can’t trade Siakam, he is too good. OJ and Fred to the highest bidder. OJ has been hurt most of his career, and can’t shoot or create.
OGs an elite defender who can guard the leagues best, he’s the guy you keep to build around with Barnes. But…. if you don’t want to pay him $130M in 2 years it makes sense to move him now, the return should be massive.
He’s OG not OJ. Anyhow Siakam is the one who needs to be traded but Masai is too attached with his African born players. Raps need to tank.
Build around Barnes? Barnes is great and everything, but its a little too early to do that, and tag Barnes as the Raptors center-piece. Why not tank a little, and add a solid lottery addition to the rotation? If they can get away with it, and not get in trouble for tanking? Not like Raptors fans are suddenly going to convert to Knicks & Nets fans over 1 subpar season.