RJ Barrett has missed the Knicks‘ past five games with what the team has referred to as a laceration on his right index finger, but the injury was actually more gruesome than that, as Peter Botte of The New York Post writes. Barrett described the injury to reporters on Friday, explaining he received six stitches on the finger after it was temporarily dislocated.
“My (left) hand went into my other hand and my finger bent backwards and popped out of place, which caused the laceration,” said the Canadian forward, adding that he was disappointed not to be able to play in his hometown of Toronto on Friday.
“It popped out. I popped it back into place. I didn’t see (a bone through the skin). I was told after it was more like tendons, I guess,” Barrett said. “But yeah, so I looked at my hand, it was definitely a laceration right there. So, I immediately just walked out and got it stitched up. So, I still have stitches in right now … but oh, yeah. It was painful.”
The former No. 3 overall pick said he believes he’ll have the stitches removed within the next week and doesn’t think he’ll need much ramp-up time once he’s cleared to return, according to Botte.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- In a discussion about Cam Reddish‘s future in New York, or lack thereof, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News tells Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link) that he doesn’t envision a scenario where the forward reclaims a spot in the rotation. It’s probably unrealistic to expect Reddish to return more than a second-round pick in a trade, Bondy adds, suggesting that the best course of action may be packaging him with other players.
- Although Obi Toppin was cleared to return from his leg injury earlier this week, he still has a little work to do before the Knicks feel comfortable playing him, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Toppin was briefly assigned to the G League on Thursday to get some 5-on-5 practice reps, tweets Bondy, and head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Friday that the forward is “getting close” to being ready, per Katz.
- Given that Thibodeau views Toppin as part of the Knicks’ nine-man rotation once he’s ramped up, Steve Popper of Newsday wonders who will be the odd man out, observing that there’s no obvious candidate for a demotion on a team that has won 12 of its last 17 games. “We’ll see,” Thibodeau said. “And again, there’s gotta be flexibility there. So we’ll get there, but obviously we want Obi back. The team has to be put first. Everyone has to sacrifice for the team. And for some guys, it’s starting; some guys, it’s shots; some guys, they may not be in the rotation.”
- The Knicks have been so streaky this season that it might make sense for the team to wait a few more weeks to determine its direction at the trade deadline rather than making an early deal, Katz writes for The Athletic. New York has made trades far ahead of the deadline in each of the last two seasons.
One trade they can (and probably need to do) make is moving Reddish, Fournier and Rose for Westbrook. Execute a buyout and let Westbrook go. Just got Fournier and $18.5M of cap space off the books for next year. Can’t see the Lakers not making this deal – two of the players involved they are interested in and Rose would certainly help them out.
Going forward the FO needs to be smarter as to whom they sign and for how long. They lost a first rounder on Reddish and Fournier has been a failed signing.
A- Your $numbers don’t even make the trade eligible
b- lakers say no way
Just me ……..
But this is what I’d do ……
PG – Jalen
SG – Grimes
SF – RJ
PF – Obi1
C – Mitch
I’m looking to trade Randle. Plus Quickley, Rose, Cam, Mitch, picks. I’d keep Fournier for another yr.
So are you keeping Mitch or moving him? Got him on both sides. As for Fournier, he’s got the athleticism of a bowler. He and his bloated salary needs to go.
As for the starters I like it. Not good enough to come out of the East, but good enough to make the playoffs each year. Grimes is continuing to win me over. Loved it when the drafted him, but he continues to show his ceiling is higher each game that goes by.
There’s a month to the deadline, and things can change quickly. Right now, though, I’d like them to stay the course and see what this rotation group (with Barrett and Toppin back) can do.
Reddish is probably best moved, but that’s mostly for his benefit. His people are, and have been, looking. But Knicks supposedly want something. WWW CYA-? If they can package him with Fournier, for expiring deals, done. Otherwise, they’ll likely take a 2nd for him right at the deadline.
Fournier, of course, they’d love to get off the books, but no reason to pay for it now unless the only price is Reddish. Fournier can play and is useful to have around. He’ll be expiring in the off season.
Rose hasn’t looked right all year. He was our best player prior to being injured last year. Maybe they’ll use the expiring contract, but they won’t screw Rose, he’ll wind up somewhere he wants.
It’s hard for me to imagine this FO doing major surgery mid-year, in what figures to be a hyper-seller’s market. PF and PG have some excess capacity, and SF could use more. Toppin and IQ are in year 3 of their RSC’s. But I still don’t expect much to happen, assuming both are really as happy as they say.
Knicks fans:
Dlo to NY for Fournier Quickley and Cam…?
How bad does NY want to ditch the Fournier deal?
Make it a three team deal
Knicks: Zach LaVine and Austin Rivers
TWolves: Fouriner, IQ and Reddish
Bulls: Dlo, DRose and 2 first
Knicks get a star which they seem to be after. Although it’s a terrible fit defensively and I question Zach ability to share the ball with Brunson Barrett and Randle but they got their man I guess. I’d straight away look at trading RJ Barrett for OG for some much needed defence. OG also being less ball dominant and RJ being Canadian and a SG that could replace GTJ who will likely leave.
TWolves add a bunch of talent for Dlos expiring deal. Fouriner and Gobert have a cool French link up. IQ is worth developing and Reddish would be on his third chance. I’d have Fouriner play the sixth man role off the bench and replace Dlo with just a shooter, possible even try make another deal for Pat Bev to come back.
Chicago gets Dlos expiring deal to spend in FA and clears Zach huge deals off the books. DRose returns home and they get a couple picks from the knicks. Great deal for them if they decide to go into a rebuild. Sell of on Vuce and DeRozan too.
Wonder where Reddish ends up in FA?
Teaming up with college mate RJ didn’t work out at all. Wonder if he will try Zion and NO next? They don’t really need him with Marshall, Murphy and others behind Ingram and Herb.
Bet he will try the money grab approach and end up on Detroit, OKC or something like that.
In what planet is McBride a better player than Cam Reddish? Thibodeau ruined Reddish’s value by not playing him. Hartenstein is a worse player than Cam and has cost the team, but Thibodeau keeps playing him and ruining Reddish. Thibodeau is not the answer for the team. Having Obi shoot mainly 3 pts is idiotic
I agree with you
This is playing his favorite players.
Cam was playing excellent defense and opening up the offense while in the game. Me personally I think Randall needs to go. He whines too much and definitely doesn’t fit the knicks mold