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Knicks Notes: Hernangomez, Beasley, Point Guards

March 17th, 2018 at 10:55am CST by marksuleymanov

Entering the 2017/18 season, Willy Hernangomez seemed to be the exact type of the player the Knicks wanted on their roster. A talented, young and cheap big man who needed more work but had tremendous upside. Instead, he fell out of the rotation and was sent to Charlotte before the trade deadline.

Hernangomez will return to New York on Saturday, this time as a member of the Hornets. The Spaniard has found even less playing time in Charlotte, seeing the court less than five minutes per game. Former teammate Enes Kanter spoke glowingly of Hernangomez and his potential, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.

“I still talk to him,’’ Kanter said. “He’s doing an unbelievable job working out and an unbelievable job of working on his body. I think he’s a young version of Marc Gasol. If he works hard enough, he can be as a good as Marc Gasol.”

The 23-year-old averaged 8.2 PPG and 7.0 RPG in 72 games for the Knicks last season but his numbers have dropped to 3.5 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 35 games split with New York and Charlotte.

Check out more Knicks notes below:

  • Leo Sepkowitz of SLAM Magazine profiled Knicks swingman Michael Beasley, who had one of his best games of the season, posting 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists in a loss to the Sixers. Beasley has carried a reputation as a potential liability due to his off-court exploits earlier in his career. However, Beasley tells Sepkowitz he hopes the reputation is changing.
  • The Knicks could be on the verge of shaking up their point guard situation, Berman writes in a separate story. Deadline acquisition Emmanuel Mudiay has struggled as the starting point guard since the All-Star break. Meanwhile, Jarrett Jack has not played one minute since the break and Trey Burke — who has not started a game yet — has continued his strong performance. “Kind of everything is on the table,’’ head coach Jeff Hornacek said.
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New York Notes: Kanter, Hornacek, Dinwiddie, Offseason

March 16th, 2018 at 6:48pm CST by marksuleymanov

Enes Kanter has been vocal about his love for New York City and playing for the Knicks. The team is weeks away from concluding another dismal season without a playoff appearance but Kanter does not want the team to sacrifice wins in favor of auditioning young talent.

Kanter spoke to reporters, including ESPN’s Ian Begley, after practice on Friday and said the team needs to focus on winning games.

“Let me tell you something, man: They can develop guys in the G League. This is not the time to develop young guys, or whatever, because we’re trying to win games here,” Kanter said. “This team is paying us a lot of money, everybody, and all the fans are paying a lot money to watch the games and they’re paying a lot of money for tickets, so they’re not just coming here watching, ‘Oh, this guy’s getting better. This guy’s developing.’ No, we’re trying to win games here, man.”

Kanter can become a free agent at the end of the season, but has stressed that he wants to remain with the Knicks.

Check out more news coming out of the Big Apple:

  • There are 13 games left this season for the Knicks and they could be the final games the team plays with Jeff Hornacek as head coach. Hornacek, who is under contract for next season, indicated that he will meet with management after the season to discuss the future, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes.  “At the end of the season I’m sure we’ll sit down with (president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry) and figure out what we’re doing,” Hornacek said. “As a coach you’d like to know if you’re going to be here next year. But our job right now is take the guys that we have on this team and try to get them better.”
  • The Nets‘ D’Angelo Russell/Spencer Dinwiddie backcourt combo seems to be a thing of the past, as Dinwiddie will be on the bench for Friday’s contest against the Sixers. Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily writes that Dinwiddie’s recent struggles have forced the 2018 Skills Challenge winner to the bench. “Man, look. I’ve just got to do better, man,” Dinwiddie said. “When we lost games this year, I lost my defensive match-ups or haven’t played enough offensively or something else. For us to win games I’ve got to do better. Like right now, we’re struggling, and the drives and the aggressiveness are one of the reasons, so I’ve got to do better.”
  • Bobby Marks of ESPN Insider (subscription required and recommended) examines the Nets‘ possible offseason strategy which could include offloading Jeremy Lin, exploring an extension with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and being conservative with cap space.
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Knicks Assign Damyean Dotson To G League

March 16th, 2018 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams
  • The Knicks have assigned rookie guard Damyean Dotson to the G League, according to the team (Twitter link). Dotson, who will suit up for the Westchester Knicks against the Windy City Bulls tonight, has averaged 17.9 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 11 G League games so far this season.
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Knicks Notes: Player Development, Kanter, Jack

March 15th, 2018 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking this week to reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, Knicks executive Craig Robinson referred to the Knicks’ approach to player development as “innovative,” “transformative,” and “something that is completely new,” but said that he couldn’t get into specifics because “then everybody would do what I want to do.”

Given the Knicks’ spotty recent track record of player development, I imagine Robinson’s comments will be met with some skepticism from fans, but he should get an opportunity to prove the value of his philosophies in the coming years, having been hired by the new regime last August.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • Count Enes Kanter among the veterans around the NBA frustrated by their declining minutes and by their teams’ frequent losses. “I came here to win games. I didn’t come here to get a good lottery pick,” Kanter said after Tuesday’s loss to Dallas, per Fred Kerber of The New York Post. “I came here to win games and make the playoffs. So games like this are just weird. They make me think, ‘Why am I sitting?’ It’s weird, but we’ve got 14 games left and I’ll just try to do my best for 14 games.”
  • Jarrett Jack admits that there were “a couple of situations” available to him if he had pushed for a buyout before the March 1 playoff-eligibility deadline, as Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. Despite not playing a single minute for the Knicks since then, the veteran point guard doesn’t regret his decision. “I’m not miserable,” Jack said. “There are things that are a lot worse. I remember when I was hurt, playing for nobody, sitting on the couch. I would’ve given anything to be in the uniform.”
  • After playing on a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies, guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes has returned to the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate, per Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link).
  • As part of an ongoing Basketball Insiders series, Dennis Chambers offers up some suggestions for what he would do to try to build a contender around Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis.
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Porzingis Was Shocked To Learn Of Torn ACL

March 14th, 2018 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill
  • Kristaps Porzingis was “shocked” when doctors told him he had torn his left ACL, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Making his first public comments since the injury, the Knicks forward vowed to return to his All-Star level, but isn’t sure when he might start playing again. “I can’t give you anything,’’ Porzingis said. “I have no idea. You should ask the doctor, maybe. And he would tell you something. And myself, I’m just going day by day really, and we’ll see where is the comeback at. There is no timetable for now. It’s pretty far off to put a timetable out there.’’
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New York Notes: Okafor, Lee, LeVert

March 13th, 2018 at 7:52pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Jahlil Okafor hasn’t found much success on the court since being traded to the Nets, but coach Kenny Atkinson believes the big man is simply a “victim of circumstance,” as Brian Lewis of the New York Post relays.

“Sometimes it’s just circumstances,” Atkinson said. “I’d say his approach, his buy-in to what we’re doing, has been phenomenal. His buy-in to our performance team and getting his body, improving his body has been phenomenal. So, very pleased.”

Atkinson had shortened his rotation before giving the Duke product some run against the Sixers on Sunday. Okafor, who will be a free agent after the season, had four points in his five minutes of action and he may see more court time during the last month of the season.

“He has some days where he gets a little down, which is normal,” the coach added. “But he picks it right back up and has really busted his tail. So hopefully in these last games we can find opportunities for him to get there. I’d like to see more, so hopefully we get to that point.”

Here’s more from the Big Apple:

  • Courtney Lee, who was the subject of trade rumors earlier this season, isn’t happy with the Knicks‘ effort on the court lately. “Effort is the key to everything,” Lee exclaimed (via Fred Kerber of the New York Post). “It takes no talent to run from the paint out to contest a 3-point shot, that’s just all effort. We have to get everybody’s effort. Everybody’s got to be locked in.” The shooting guard is under contract with New York through the 2019/20 season.
  • Nets GM Sean Marks always believed former No. 20 overall pick Caris LeVert would develop into a reliable playmaker despite criticism from naysayers who argued that the team made a mistake by taking the Michigan product that high, as Bryan Fonseca of SB Nation relays. LeVert, whom the team gave up Thaddeus Young in order to acquire, is averaging 5.3 assists per contest this season.
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Knicks Sign Troy Williams To Two-Year Deal

March 13th, 2018 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 13: The Knicks have officially re-signed Williams, the team confirmed in a press release.

MARCH 12: The Knicks will keep Troy Williams on their roster after his second 10-day contract expires tonight, league sources tell Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. According to Charania, the Knicks and Williams have agreed to a two-year deal that will cover the rest of this season and will include partial guarantees for 2018/19.

While the exact salary terms weren’t reported, it figures to be a minimum salary contract — the Knicks used up their cap space and their room exception, so they can’t offer anything besides the minimum at this point. Michael Scotto of The Athletic also notes (via Twitter) that Williams’ new deal includes trigger dates, which means that – if they so choose – the Knicks should have a chance to waive him before various offseason deadlines without carrying much dead money on their ’18/19 cap.

Williams, 23, spent most of this season with the Rockets, but was waived after February’s trade deadline when Houston needed to open up a roster spot for Joe Johnson. Williams quickly caught on with the Knicks and has now spent 20 days with the team, averaging 8.1 PPG and 2.9 RPG in just 13.9 minutes per contest (eight games).

Teams can only sign a player to up to two 10-day contracts per season, so the Knicks would have had to part ways with Williams tomorrow if they didn’t work out a guaranteed deal with him. Because Williams is currently filling New York’s 15th roster spot, the club won’t be able to sign anyone else to a 10-day contract this season unless another player with a guaranteed salary is waived.

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Kerber Revisits Failed Kyle Lowry Trade

March 13th, 2018 at 12:54pm CST by Luke Adams
  • A failed trade from December 2013 would have changed the course of recent history in the Atlantic division, but the potential Raptors/Knicks swap involving Kyle Lowry ultimately fell through. Fred Kerber of The New York Post explores that “what if?” scenario.
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Hornacek Likes The Continuity In Toronto

March 11th, 2018 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek admires the continuity the Raptors have maintained in rising to the top spot in the East, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Toronto’s All-Star backcourt of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry has been together for five seasons, along with center Jonas Valanciunas, and Dwane Casey has been the coach the whole time.

Over that same five-year stretch, New York had four coaches and 130 starting lineups, with 13 of those this season. Only six current Knicks were with the team last year, and just three of them are currently active.

  • The way he has handled all that chaos over the past two seasons should earn Hornacek another year as Knicks coach, argues Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Hornacek has one year left on his contract, and with Kristaps Porzingis likely sidelined until at least December, Bondy thinks it may be wise to let Hornacek deal with another losing season rather than bring a new coach into that environment.
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