The Knicks‘ three major trades in the past nine months — bringing in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns — were a result of seeking out the best possible players to complement Jalen Brunson, writes James L. Edwards of The New York Post. As Edwards points out, when the front office began to spend the collection of draft assets and young talent it had built up, it didn’t settle for just any 3-and-D wings or floor-spacing big men. It got three of the best players on the market.
“I haven’t really processed it,” Brunson responded at Monday’s media day when asked about how the team has been built around him. “Yeah, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but I just know that we have a lot of guys who are hungry and willing to do whatever it takes. I would never consider myself (a face of the franchise). There are definitely people on the outside who can say it if they want, but I’m a leader of this team, I want to lead this team and I’m grateful of the opportunity. I don’t take this for granted.”
The collection of talent in New York not only makes the Knicks a legitimate title contender for the first time in years, it could turn Brunson into a serious MVP candidate, Edwards notes. Bridges, his former teammate at Villanova, hasn’t been surprised by Brunson’s NBA success.
“I knew throughout college, but I really knew when he signed (with the Knicks),” Bridges said. “I knew what he was going to do, especially in the league we play in. Him having the ball and being able to be ball dominant … his efficiency is out of the roof. I knew what he was going to be able to do with the ball in hands here, more than what he was able to do in Dallas.”
There’s more from media day in New York:
- Brunson talked about the difficulty of losing Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, who are being sent to Minnesota in the Towns trade, per Justin Tasch of The New York Post. “That was definitely tough. Thankful that Julius welcomed me with open arms here. That news, it was crazy,” Brunson said. “I’m really thankful for them and their friendships and everything and what they brought to this team. Really thankful I got to get a relationship with Julius. The memories we made together was really fun. Donte, he was a groomsman in my wedding. That should tell you everything you need to know about our relationship. Love him to death.”
- Bridges brushed aside media day questions about a potential contract extension, but said he’s looking forward to teaming up with Towns once the trade is finalized, per Adam Zagoria (Twitter link). “I like KAT, man, I played against him for years,” Bridges said. “He can stretch the floor. You forget until you stand next to him just how tall he is. He’s tall as hell. Obviously a great player.”
- Josh Hart is also ready to get the trade done so Towns can report to camp, saying, “We’re extremely excited with what we have — officially and unofficially, and we’re excited to get started,” Zagoria adds (Twitter link). Hart stated that being dealt to Minnesota is probably “difficult” for Randle because of the role he played in helping the Knicks become competitive again.
- Anunoby, who got a new five-year, $212.5MM contract this summer, indicated that re-signing with the Knicks was his first choice all along, tweets Ian Begley of SNY. “I always wanted to be here, so it wasn’t a hard decision for me,” Anunoby said.
It’s been a long time coming for an off-season like this for the Knicks. Can’t help but think it wasn’t too long ago that Durant and Irving shunned the Knicks and other free agents weren’t interested.
Rose has done an outstanding job and deserves the credit for bringing it all together, and doing it strategically with purpose. The Knicks are a destination once again.
When a big name free agent actually signs with the knickerbockers and a ring is on someones finger, check back.
Sounds like moving the goal post.
@Teacher: how many big names actually reach free agency anymore? Many are traded and then extended. Though to answer your question, Brunson and technically OG have signed as FAs.
@teacher, I’ll do one better. Potential free agent resigns at a discount – Brunson.
So now you see what a real center looks like. Mitch, IHart, KAT . 7’rs.
Like to see Achiuwa starting at PF. He can help KAT settle in as the starting center. We’ll see the best of Knicks after all star break. They will need time to settle in. But I definitely see them challenging the Celtics. Rose n Thibs are all in.
I see 2WayBridges as having biggest impact. This is my guy right here.
I maybe in the minority here but I saw the Knicks with Randle & DDV as more of a threat to Boston than they are now with KAT. If he’s going to be their starting center teams are probably going to go at him on defense all game.
NYK will be a new team this year, and they will have to create their own identity. Fans and media can have whatever expectations they desire, but those may have to subordinate to reality. Reality includes the fact that their top 4 players haven’t played with each other yet (other than Brunson and OG for 23 games last year and Brunson and Bridges in college), and 2 of them (KAT and OG) have an established injury (missed games) history that suggests the 4 won’t have 70 games together to figure all that out. Another reality check is that the team can’t at this point know how they will (ideally) align defensively. The end game there won’t truly be clear unless and until Mitch gets back and gets his legs under him (assuming of course KAT is still healthy at that time).
No doubt that Rose led NYK FO has done a great job. One without par in the recent history of the league. In 4 years, they’ve turned what was considered the worst roster in the sport in 2020, into one of the best. More impressively, they did it without tanking, high draft picks, roster depletion and/or relying on aging foundation pieces. All normally NBA FO staples. The core of this NYK team is all under 30. As far as I’m concerned, this Rose can keep this job as long as he wants it. But the FO neither needs, nor warrants, blind faith from the fanbase with respect to every move they make. They don’t have that in each other. Like any FO, they’ve made some bad moves; and those pretty much came down to employing the time tested NBA FO practice of fixing things that aren’t broke (Fournier, Bogo). There is great upside in this move. I hope the new group hits the ground running. But I think it’s more likely that if there is any greatness in this move, it won’t be realized until a lot of other pieces settle, including some that might not be fully in place yet. Might be one step back to take two steps forward.
I do agree it will take time for Kat to settle in – they haven’t had a stretch center who can score, however the addition of Bridges should be seem less and OG has already shown he can blend in after they went 12-2 with him in January. And by the time Robinson comes back, KAT can roam around while MR is on the floor.
True about OG and Bridges; they’re easy fits, with their basic games anyway. OG fit last year was supernatural, but he came to a team starved for a guy who didn’t need the ball. This year, I think we’ll need for OG to create more. Bridges even moreso. But they should be up to it. In a perfect world, KAT stays healthy and is willing to assume the C role in this system. In that world, we’re as good as anyone this year. But I think it can still be a good deal if we get something close to that. Team has a 4-5 year window.
Brad Stevens has done great job in BOS in a similar fashion.
Stevens had a foundation that Ainge built for him – Tatum and Brown. Rose had nada.