New York Knicks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Dennis Smith Jr. Asks To Play In G League

January 30th, 2021 at 3:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Buried on the Knicks’ bench, guard Dennis Smith Jr. has asked the front office to send him to the G League in order to receive playing time, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reports.

It’s a highly unusual request for a former lottery pick but Smith hasn’t played in the past nine games. Smith, who also battled a thigh injury this season, has only appeared in three games.

Smith came to New York two years ago as part of Kristaps Porzingis deal with Dallas. He was viewed back then as a potential long-term solution at point guard but he soon fell out of favor. Smith averaged 15.2 PPG and 5.2 APG in his rookie year with the Mavs.

Last season, he appeared in just 34 games, averaging 5.5 PPG and 2.9 APG with New York.

Smith is due to become an unrestricted free agent unless the team extends a $7MM+ qualifying offer, a highly unlikely scenario.

The Westchester Knicks are one of the 18 teams participating in the G League season in Orlando. Myles Powell, Jared Harper and Theo Pinson are among the notables on the Westchester roster.

Atlantic Notes: Quickley, Harris, Randle, Free Agency

January 30th, 2021 at 11:21am CST by marksuleymanov

Immanuel Quickley has quickly emerged as a bright spot for the streaky Knicks, becoming a high-scoring option off the bench in his rookie campaign. He added to his impressive start with a 25-point performance against the Cavaliers on Friday, helping New York end a three-game losing streak.

After a recent 31-point showing in a loss to the Trail Blazers, Quickley was connected with Portland’s perennial MVP candidate Damian Lillard. As Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes, Lillard provided some advice and insight to Quickley in the midst of his standout introduction to the NBA.

“I took everything away, honestly, from the type of person he is first of all, the type of player he is, [the] competitor [he is],” Quickley said. “Then really just giving me advice on obviously the point guard position, but what it takes to win in this league, what it takes to help your team win, how to bounce back from good games, bad games, staying even-keeled throughout the whole season.

“It was good to just have someone like to be able to go to, someone that’s been through a lot, Western Conference finals, the MVP [race], things like that.”

Check out more news and notes from the Atlantic division:

After his impressive start to the 2020/21 season, Tobias Harris is earning himself serious All-Star consideration, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Of note, the Sixers forward has shown defensive improvements while averaging 20.1 PPG with career bests in field-goal percentage (52.5%) and three-point shooting (46.2%).
Given Julius Randle‘s monstrous performance to begin this season, it’s time to stop viewing the forward as an athletic underachiever and more as an All-Star keeping a streaky team within playoff contention, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Randle showed up in great shape and has since been the Knicks‘ key to the offense, as an improved scorer, passer and defender.
The Nets will have to fill one of their two open roster spots by Sunday and it’s likely the team looks outside the organization to fill it, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. “I guess it’s possible to sign one of our two-way guys,” Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash said. “But I think we’re probably looking to sign somebody on a free-agent deal here.”

Knicks Keeping Eye On Zach LaVine

January 29th, 2021 at 5:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks are closely monitoring Bulls guard Zach LaVine and the possibility of acquiring him via trade before the March 25 deadline, Ian Begley of SNY reports.

It’s uncertain whether Chicago is listening to offers on LaVine but the Knicks have some draft capital that may intrigue the Bulls, Begley notes. New York owns its future first-rounders and has 2021 and 2023 first-rounders coming from the Mavericks from the Kristaps Porzingis deal, though the latter of those picks has protections.

The Bulls would likely ask for another young star in any deal involving LaVine, Begley presumes.

An Immanuel Quickley-LaVine pairing could be the Knicks’ long-term solution in the backcourt, provided they re-signed him.

LaVine, 25, becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2022. He’s making $19.5MM this season and the same next season. He might seek max money, or close to it, in his next contract.

Prior to the season, the Bulls rebuffed overtures for LaVine. He’s once again posting big stats — 27.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 39.7% from 3 — but he’s also committing 4.3 turnovers a game. Moreover, LaVine’s efforts have not translated to wins. Chicago heads into the weekend with a 7-10 record.

The Nets also had interest in LaVine prior to acquiring James Harden, Begley adds.

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Thibodeau, Team Value, Noel

January 29th, 2021 at 12:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson dismissed concerns about a tweet he sent out and then deleted Tuesday, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic (Twitter link). The message read, “One day they’ll let me play,” which led to speculation that Robinson is unhappy about his role on the team. However, he insisted today that it had nothing to do with basketball.

“It was really kind of a personal thing,” Robinson said. “At the same time I don’t really want talk about that. It’s something that’s going on in my life.”

Coach Tom Thibodeau seemed unconcerned about the message when reporters asked him about it, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. He said he hasn’t talked to Robinson about the tweet and isn’t interested in addressing it.

“I don’t know what you guys are talking about (with the tweet). I guess you have to ask him,” Thibodeau said. “But I talk to Mitch every day. He gets here early, stays late. Work in practice. I have a number of meetings with him. So I’m talking to him a lot about what he has to do to help our team win.”

There’s more from New York:

Austin Rivers‘ comments this week about players being fatigued are a familiar issue on Thibodeau-coached teams, notes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Thibodeau is known for having a short rotation, but he rejected the idea that it’s a problem. “The schedule is the schedule,’’ he said. “It’s balanced. Sometimes it’s in your favor. … You could probably find an excuse for every game. That’s what you have to guard against. You have to have the mental toughness to get through anything you’re facing.’’
Although the Knicks have been mostly bad for the past 20 years, they continue to be the NBA’s most valuable franchise, according to Brendan Coffey of Sportico. The team has an estimated worth of $5.42 billion in Sportico’s latest valuations, well ahead of the Warriors and Lakers, who have been much more successful on the court. “You’ve got market, brand and legacy,” explained Sean Clemens, sport banking principal at Park Lane, a San Francisco bank. “The Knicks, along with the Lakers, are always viewed as the iconic brand no matter what happens on a sports-competitive level year over year, decade over decade.”
Knicks center Nerlens Noel has signed with agent Chris Gaston in advance of free agency this offseason, Bondy tweets. Noel was previously represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.

Knicks Rumors: Rose, Gibson, Ball, Robinson

January 27th, 2021 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on a Shams Charania report from Tuesday, Marc Berman of The New York Post confirms that the Knicks have interest in Derrick Rose, though he hears from sources that the team hasn’t yet talked to the Pistons about a possible trade.

According to Berman, sources close to Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau believe he would like to reunite with Rose, who played for him in Chicago and Minnesota. Berman notes that Thibodeau “pushed hard” for New York to re-sign Taj Gibson, who was also a member of the Bulls and Timberwolves under Thibs.

If the Knicks do give up any sort of asset for Rose, that would be a strong indication the team believes it would be able to re-sign him when he becomes a free agent during the 2021 offseason, says Ian Begley of SNY.tv. For now, it remains to be seen whether the Pistons will move Rose — or whether New York will make the best offer.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

While a Tuesday report indicated that the Pelicans are open to discussing a Lonzo Ball trade, it’s unclear whether or not the Knicks would have any interest. According to Ian Begley, some people within the organization supported the idea of trading for Ball entering the 2020 offseason. However, a strong early showing from Immanuel Quickley – combined with Ball’s up-and-down play – may have changed that equation. One team monitoring the Ball situation told Begley that the Pelicans still value the former No. 2 overall pick and won’t trade him if they don’t get a strong return.
Noting that Mitchell Robinson deleted a Tuesday tweet that read, “One day they’ll let me play,” Marc Berman wonders if the young center is seeking a larger offensive role. As Berman observes, Robinson is logging 29.6 minutes per game this season, well above his previous career high, so the tweet probably wasn’t about his playing time.
With All-Star voting set to open on Thursday, Julius Randle figures to receive consideration for a spot on the Eastern Conference squad. The veteran big man is averaging 22.5 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 6.0 APG so far in 2020/21 — those marks would all be career bests.

Knicks Exhausted During Trying Schedule

January 26th, 2021 at 7:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Knicks off-guard Austin Rivers notes that New York has been dealing with an exhausting schedule, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “Oh, we’re definitely tired,’’ Rivers said. “I don’t know how a schedule could be tougher than what we’ve played. Physically and mentally. At the same time, it is what it is. Here we are.”

Clippers, Knicks Interested In Derrick Rose

January 26th, 2021 at 2:51pm CST by JD Shaw

The Clippers and Knicks are among the teams interested in Pistons point guard Derrick Rose, according to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic.

There’s no indication of Detroit’s willingness to include Rose, 32, in a deal before the March 25 trade deadline, though the team did use its No. 7 pick to select guard Killian Hayes in last year’s NBA draft.

Hayes is expected to miss at least seven or eight more weeks due to right hip subluxation, but Rose continues to come off the bench for the Pistons. He missed Monday’s game with soreness, as starter Delon Wright finished with 28 points and nine assists.

Rose is in his second season with Detroit, coming off a campaign that saw him average 18.1 points and 5.6 assists per game in 50 contests. He shot a career-high 49% for the season, mostly playing off the bench in 26 minutes per game.

The Clippers could use another creator alongside Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, having failed to upgrade their point guard position during the offseason. The team did add veterans Nicolas Batum and Serge Ibaka to improve its creation, ball movement and floor-spacing. Rose met with the franchise in free agency after it traded away Chris Paul three-and-a-half years ago.

New York also has some familiarity with Rose, as the former Most Valuable Player spent a full season with the team in 2016/17. Head coach Tom Thibodeau also coached Rose with Chicago from 2010-16 and then again with Minnesota from 2017-19.

Ntilikina Returns To Bench, Doesn't Play

January 25th, 2021 at 8:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina suited up on Sunday night but didn’t play, Greg Joyce of the New York Post writes. Ntilikina had been sidelined since December 29 with a right knee sprain. Ntilikina could become an unrestricted free agent this summer unless the organization extends a $7MM+ qualifying offer, which would make him restricted.

Eastern Notes: Haliburton, Knicks, Ellington, Bulls

January 24th, 2021 at 6:53pm CST by JD Shaw

Kings rookie Tyrese Haliburton made the Knicks pay on Friday for choosing not to draft him last month, Greg Joyce of the New York Post writes.

Haliburton, who was selected with the No. 12 pick in the draft, finished with 16 points and four blocks off the bench in the team’s victory over New York. The Knicks ultimately bypassed Haliburton in the event and chose to draft Obi Toppin at No. 8 instead.

“I guess it fueled me personally,” Haliburton said with a grin, as relayed by Joyce. “But I love it here. I’m glad I slid to 12. … It’s not hard feelings or nothing, it is what it is. It’s a business, I don’t care.

“My job is to make them think about that when they go to sleep. So I’m just going to go out there and be the best player I can be. I’m not that big into that [motivation].”

There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:

Drew Maresca of Basketball Insiders examines three potential trade targets for the Knicks, including Hawks forward John Collins. New York has opened the season with a 8-9 record, last making the playoffs during the 2012/13 campaign. Atlanta could choose to explore Collins’ trade value if the team feels comfortable starting Danilo Gallinari and Clint Capela going forward.
Pistons veteran Wayne Ellington made the most of his opportunity as a starter on Friday, scoring 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting from deep, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. Ellington, one of the league’s most underrated three-point shooters, has shot 48% from behind-the-arc in his first 11 games this season after signing with Detroit in free agency.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report explores whether the Bulls should trade Zach LaVine or Lauri Markkanen. Chicago has opened the campaign at 7-9 under new head coach Billy Donovan after finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference last season.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Atlantic Division

January 22nd, 2021 at 9:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Throughout the season, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this off-season. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the Atlantic Division:

Chris Boucher, Raptors, 28, PF/C (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $13.5MM deal in 2020

Boucher has a non-guaranteed $7MM salary for next season. The Raptors will have to decide in August whether to retain him. Right now, that decision is a no-brainer. Boucher has been one of the league’s top reserves, averaging 15.6 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 23.8 MPG through 14 games. He ranks third in the league in blocks (2.4) despite his second-unit status. He’s even developed a 3-point shot (48.1%). It will difficult for Boucher to sustain this pace but he’s doing more than enough to convince the front office to prevent him from entering free agency.

Dennis Smith Jr., Knicks, 23, PG (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $17.2MM deal in 2017

New coach Tom Thibodeau talked up Smith during training camp, saying “he’s gotten better and better.” That talk quickly died down. Smith has been a non-factor this season, in part because of a quad injury. There’s doesn’t seem to be any path to playing time with Immanuel Quickley establishing himself as one of the league’s top rookies. It’s been a steady decline for Smith, who started 69 games in his rookie year with Dallas and averaged 15.2 PPG. New York would have to extend a qualifying offer of $7MM+ to retain him. That’s not happening.

Furkan Korkmaz, Sixers, 23, SF/SG (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $3.4MM deal in 2019

An unrestricted free agent after the season, Korkmaz was sidelined by an adductor strain late last month. He just returned to action on Wednesday, scoring seven points in 20 minutes against the Celtics. He made just two of nine field-goal attempts on Friday. As a second-unit player, Korkmaz must reestablish himself as a steady 3-point threat to hold onto his rotation spot under new coach Doc Rivers. He made 40.2% of his shots beyond the arc last season when his role expanded. He needs to get back into a 3-point rhythm quickly or risk becoming a spectator the second half of the season.

Daniel Theis, Celtics, 28, PF/C (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $10MM deal in 2019

Theis became increasingly important to the club last season, when he started 64 regular-season games and all 17 of its postseason contests in Orlando. His ability to guard pick-and-rolls and switch make him a key component in the Celtics’ defense. He’ll likely come off the bench with Kemba Walker back in action and Brad Stevens going with a smaller lineup. That didn’t faze Theis on Wednesday, as he racked up 23 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes against Philadelphia. He shouldn’t have any trouble getting a healthy raise in free agency this summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.