Center Isaiah Hartenstein could miss some time due to soreness in his left foot and ankle, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. The Knicks will see how he feels on Tuesday before determining his status for their matchup with the Nets. He’s listed as questionable due to Achilles tendinopathy.
Coach Tom Thibodeau said Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa will need to step in if Hartenstein misses any time (Twitter link via Knicks Videos). Julius Randle or OG Anunoby could also get minutes at center if Thibodeau is willing to use smaller lineups.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Raptors center Jakob Poeltl is progressing well in his recovery from an ankle injury, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Poeltl didn’t play against Memphis on Monday but the Raptors are hoping to have him back “very, very soon,” according to coach Darko Rajakovic. Poeltl hasn’t played since Jan. 7.
- The Sixers have made swingman KJ Martin available on the trade market, Marc Stein reports in his latest notebook. Philadelphia is looking for a quality second-round pick in a potential deal. Martin has struggled for playing time on a veteran-laden team. He has appeared in 25 games this season but is only averaging 5.9 minutes in those outings. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
- By starting 41 games this season, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has met the starter’s criteria, bumping his qualifying offer to $8,486,620, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. For a player at Maxey’s level, the increase of his QO isn’t significant, since he’s widely expected to receive a max contract from Philadelphia in lieu of exploring the restricted free agent market.
Love me some Hartenstein, dude has been a rebounding machine since Robinson went down.
Don’t know if Mitch would have good trade value or not, but it may be worth exploring as Isaiah looks every part a starting player. Robinson’s contract isn’t bad, but with his injury history, it would likely scare teams away from making an offer that the Knicks would consider.
Taj are you ready to come back to MSG?
If it had to happen, then it’s a good time. It will give them a peak at what Sims and Achiuwa can do with increased minutes before the deadline.
Need Sims to step up. Don’t get why he sits. I still would like to pick up another Center.
link to x.com
Now who was asking for this. Beginning of yr. Like it.
Grimes for Eason would be an intelligent deal for both teams. Exchanging young RSC players with upside, who might fit better elsewhere. You use 2nd round picks for rentals, not potential 10 year starters.
What is it with fans of big market teams thinking they should always be able to swindle everyone else? Maybe the Rockets should thrown in Sengun for Sims while they’re at it… Just like the Lakers fans want to trade Russell for Murray with minimal draft comp
To be fair, their comments are in response to a tweet. Not like they themselves are proposing it.
Also, Quentin Grimes was a 22 year old 30 MPG starting guard on a second round playoff team, hitting over two threes per game at a 39% clip and playing well above average defense just last year. Sure he’s not been great this season, but he’s got another year on his contract and I’d expect him to play better not hearing his name in every trade rumor.
Tari Eason (who I do like a lot) has averaged 21 MPG for a team that’s lost 70% of the games he’s played in, mostly being blocked by others at the positions he fits. It’s not for a lack of talent, but he’s not exactly what Houston needs.
I think a straight-up swap is pretty equal, all things considered, and if each player hit their ceiling, Grimes may just be the more valuable piece.
Appreciate the thought out argument, maybe I misinterpreted the op but thought he was implying that he proposed it before. Regardless I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on the fairness of that swap. To me, the only thing Grimes has on Eason is the perimeter shooting. Eason is arguably already an elite rebounder and has a pretty elite ceiling in terms of deflections, steals, and instinctual impacts especially defensively. Like you said, Grimes could play better with a chnage of scenery/not being in trade rumors but I don’t think his ceiling is that high and other teams probably see and value him more as a reclamation flyer. In today’s game of positionless ball, versatile players like Eason don’t really get blocked. Brooks starts at the 3 but he’s more of a guard anyways. When Eason gets healthy, I’d be surprised if he’s not in their closing lineup especially with Green’s struggles. And I’d be more surprised if the Rockets trade him anytime soon. He seems like a perfect fit for their style and culture.
@Not – Even a homer like yourself should understand that players don’t have trade value because you believe they can do something. I like Eason’s upside as well. But he hasn’t started in his brief career, or seen more than 20 mpg, and he’s on a team that was one of the worst in the league last year and average this year.
Grimes was a 30 mpg starter and the lead floor spacer and perimeter defender on a team that won 47 games (and a playoff round) last year. But Eason is better defender because he might even make his way into HOU’s vaunted closing lineup? When he covers Donavan Mitchell in the playoffs successfully this will be a discussion. For now, Grimes, who’s only a year older, is far more advanced in his game.
FYI, the tweet only came up because HOU is one of several teams pursuing Grimes, who the NYK are making available only because he’s supposedly unhappy and has been replaced as the lead perimeter defender by Anunoby. The NYK are not independently pursuing Eason, and we don’t know if the NYK FO even wants Eason. We do know HOU wants Grimes. Perhaps not for Eason, who knows? But if you put your homer hat down, I doubt you’ll find many reasonable alternatives.
The main point is Grimes comes in and immediate becomes Houston’s best 3-and-D guy (even if he just plays at the level he played last season), won’t command a massive extension and is the perfect age to grow with their young core. Plus, who knows how big the comfortability factor will benefit him – being secure in his job and back home could unlock a lot for him.
Either way, I’d say a reliable 3 point shooter who also plays borderline elite defense on the wing is a much bigger need for the Rockets than a defensively oriented tweener that doesn’t shoot much. Maybe Grimes isn’t the appropriate return, but if he’s not, what exactly is expected for Eason?
Good discussion guys. While I agree with some of what you’re both saying, you both think Grimes for Eason is a good trade for both teams and I do not. I could be wrong but my impression is the Rockets want Grimes for next to nothing because his value is currently low which doesn’t work for the Knicks so they are countering by asking for Eason which doesn’t interest the Rockets. To me the no other “reasonable alternatives” comment hits the nail on the head. I don’t see a trade that makes sense for both sides here. You’re both higher on Grimes here than me and to each their own, but the Knicks just made a killer deal to get Anunoby when the Raptors had minimal leverage. No such situation exists with the Rockets and Eason so I say no trade happens here. Like the comment about Grimes’ age relative to Rockets core, same goes for Eason and I think they want to see how he grows before would consider trading him just like I don’t think the Raptors were truly considering trading Anunoby until this season. Also in case you haven’t figured it out, I’m not a Rockets fan and the comment about Eason being in their likely closing lineup was in response to the suggestion that his minutes were being blocked currently, and certainly not that the Rockets have some sort of vaunted closing lineup.
KMJ would be a good pick up for the Grizz, Suns, Hornets, Bulls or GSW.
Grizzlies yes