Even if Mitchell Robinson can manage to avoid serious injury this season, he may not be the center the Knicks want on the court once they reach the playoffs, John Hollinger and Fred Katz of the Athletic write in a discussion about the team. Hollinger notes that while Robinson’s skills as a rim protector and offensive rebounder are valuable, New York was at its best with the pick-and-roll game and switchable defense of Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with Oklahoma City in free agency.
Although he doesn’t expect the Knicks to add another center before training camp, Hollinger believes trade options will become available as the season wears on. He suggests the Suns‘ Jusuf Nurkic as a possibility if Phoenix gets off to a disappointing start or the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, who may be a third-stringer in Portland behind Deandre Ayton and lottery pick Donovan Clingan. Larry Nance Jr., who was recently traded to the Hawks and has an $11MM expiring salary, could also be considered.
Another option that Hollinger and Katz discuss is experimenting with Julius Randle at center. Katz states that coach Tom Thibodeau has resisted using Randle as a small-ball five, but New York’s strong perimeter defense can make up for the lack of a shot-blocker.
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Wing depth has become New York’s best attribute since the trade for Mikal Bridges, Hollinger states in the same piece. He cites Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo as “automatic starters” for most teams, while the Knicks also have Miles McBride to handle minutes at two guard. Hollinger expresses concern about backup point guard, where McBride hasn’t shown an ability to create offense, Cameron Payne is with his fourth team in a little over a year and second-round pick Tyler Kolek isn’t likely to play much as a rookie.
- Jalen Brunson has been selected as captain for the upcoming season, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). Brunson, who recently signed a four-year, $156.5MM extension that’s well below his market value, becomes the 36th captain in team history and the first since Lance Thomas during the 2018/19 season. “Jalen is a natural born leader, and I am confident he will continue to represent our organization, fans, city and his teammates with the same heart, grit and class he has displayed each and every day since he came to New York,” team president Leon Rose said.
- The Knicks should work out an extension with Randle before the start of the season as a reward for his role in turning around the franchise, David Vertsberger contends in an SNY column. Randle is eligible for a new deal that could be worth up to $181.5MM over four years.
The Knicks should be cautious concerning Randle. Last year was proof that he is expendable and, while he has helped indeed to turn around the franchise, actually his play has never been that effective or steady. I think this is kind of a Zach Lavine situation, where the Knicks could regret granting Randle a long, lucrative extension.
It’s time to see what the Knicks have in Sims. I’m done giving up any more assets like Duece or more picks. IMO, I’m hoping the Knicks are now a destination for the buy-out market. Who could be potentially available? Does anyone know
Way too early to know, but there will be guys available in March.
The issue is that since Knicks are a first apron team, they can’t sign a buyout player who makes more than the non-tax payer MLE ($12.82m) — and the market of those who are below and are buyout candidates is thin. They’re better off signing someone using the tax payer MLE in the offseason and using them as a salary for a mid-season trade.
Wat did the Knicks win last year ?
Mitch availability is always going to be a concern. I think we are fine for now. Let’s see what centers become available as season goes on. There’s no rush or drama here. Randle as Center. Only says how much you don’t know this team. The two headed center is a strong option. Thibs has shown the NBA that. Yet not all can pull it off.
Imo Duren is the best Knicks can do. Especially if you don’t give up Mitch. Knicks have the best depth in NBA. They all know how NYC feels about contending. This is going to be a fun yr in NY. It’s been awhile. Not since the Ewing yrs.
A bit early to be anointing the Knicks as the deepest team in the league. We just saw Thibs run the shortest rotation in the playoffs last year – doing silly things like having Brunson average 43.8 MPG in the Philly series.
They’ve made a few additions, but they’re still light in areas.
Yeah for you …. old news to me. Did you not watch the playoffs. You know who our backup C was last yr. Knicks have shown their depth. Just got deeper.Your take is light.
I’ll take the C’s depth over NYK, but it is definitely the best Knicks roster in a long long time.
Same lol, I’ll also take the Knicks trying to copy Boston as flattery, not there yet though. Drop coverage bigs, Boston’s can switch and do a good job guarding. Knicks bigs can’t spread the floor, celts can. Brunson too small, will be hunted @ defensive end and worked over by multiple different guys while on offense. Uh oh, I best hide from Al now.
Celtics team to beat. ….
Knicks can go 10 deep easy. Sims healthy. We can ride that tandem. Looking forward to first meeting.
Nurkic is solid, but I’d rather have Mitch. The other guys mentioned aren’t any better than Achiuwa. Backup PG is kind of not a big deal when Brunson plays like 42 minutes a night. Randle, Hart, Dante, McBride, Kolek and Payne can all run the offense in spurts.
Mitchell Robinson is a matchup player only. There are some smaller or small ball teams and centers he needs to be parked on the bench for. And when facing those lineups that Mitchell is a bad matchup for, Randle needs to once again raise his game and become what the Knicks need on defense. I have doubted Randle’s ability in both LA and NY, and he’s proven me wrong. But what is required of him in todays NBA with NYK’s roster, is that he be able to rebound and defend vs small ball 5’s. If Randle is willing and able to do that then the Knicks basically have all the pieces to contend. Maybe one more long wing defender with some semblance of an outside shot is needed to matchup comparatively with the Celtics, but those guys aren’t that hard to find, especially for Thibs.
It’s as simple as the NYK can’t replace Hartenstein. At least they can’t do it with a proven commodity. Not with the current CBA and player landscape. Not this year. The worst thing the NYK could do is go down the Katz/Hollinger rabbit hole in a mindless search for guys who might be able to bring some of the same skill sets that Hartenstein brought to the team last year. What made Hartenstein great for the NYK wasn’t just his offensive skill set, but that he brought that in a package that otherwise fit with this team (i.e., while providing similiar style defense and rebounding to what Mitch provided, if not as dynamically). There aren’t alot of those guys. It’s why a savvy FO in OKC paid him 30 mm a year.
The NYK will be fine. As long as they focus on their needs this year, when they become clear, not on what they did well last year. The FO is apparently there. Time for the media and fans to catch up. Ironically, and comically, the same people who have been saying for 2 years that Hartenstein isn’t nearly as valuable as I and others thought, now want to completely change the way the NYK style play in an effort to replicate some of the things he gave us. The NYK will be in the backup C market at the deadline, maybe sooner (even right now). But if they’re shopping in a more expensive aisle, it likely won’t be from strength, it will be an indication that things are going south.
Skapentsev can hoop
Yes. Hopefully he gets an opportunity in training camp to show his value.
Only guarantees in life are death , taxes, and “Mitchell Robinson done for the rest of the year”
Solid starting lineup with solid players coming off the bench in Donte, Hart, McBride, and Prince. I would believe Kolek would absolutely get some playing time behind Brunson if he doesn’t make too many rookie mistakes. Thibs gave IQ time at the PG position as a BU his rookie year and built that trust/relationship. I don’t see that being any different in this case, either. Nurkic would be solid, but he’s not IHart as far as running up and down the court.
Thibs gets a bad rap about playing young guys.
True. He’s hesitant, but he does play them. IQ owes Thibs some of that contract. IQ was used correctly and in position to succeed.
“The Knicks should work out an extension with Randle before the start of the season as a reward for his role in turning around the franchise, David Vertsberger contends in an SNY column.“
What are dopey statement and very bad business. You don’t give a player a contract simply to reward him for what he did in helping turn the franchise around. You give a guy a contract based on what you think he’s going to do going forward.
Miles Turner makes sense for knicks at center.
Duren …….
It’s fine to think the Knicks are in need of some versatility and depth at center, but Nurkic and Time Lord—both likely shells of their former selves and nearly as injury prone—aren’t the answer. Nance is also extremely injury prone himself, but the fit is better.
Just have to wait until the deadline and hope a good opportunity emerges.
No love for Clint Capela, whom the Hawks are all too happy to trade.
The Trailblazers Time-Lord is up for auction to the highest bidder! He’s still young at 26 and still has upside to be tapped. His knees may be a situation like Kevin Love has, always nagging his playing time.