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Knicks Notes: Ntilikina, Bledsoe, Kanter

October 24th, 2017 at 6:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Frank Ntilikina, who remains out of the lineup with a sprained ankle hears his name in the Eric Bledsoe trade rumors, but it’s not something he’s worried about, as Al Iannazzone of News Day relays. The No. 8 overall pick said it was “nice” that the Suns have interest in him, but his focus remains on getting healthy.

The Knicks spoke to the Suns about Bledsoe after Phoenix made it clear that it was shopping the point guard. GM Ryan McDonough apparently wants Ntilikina and Willy Hernangomez for the Kentucky product, but Iannazzone hears that neither player is on the table at the moment in a Bledsoe talks. While whispers of Ntilikina being off-limits are circulating, the team hasn’t told the French point guard that he won’t be dealt.

“Not really. No,” Ntilikina said. “I’m focused on basketball and on how I can make my ankle be better and my game be better so I can be back on the court.”

There’s more the New York:

The Knicks have “gone out of their way” to include Ntilikina and Hernagomez when discussing their cornerstone players Iannazzone notes (same piece). The scribe can’t envision the team dealing either player away for Bledsoe unless Phoenix is willing to take on long-term money, like the contracts of Joakim Noah or Courtney Lee.
New York will have to address its surplus of centers at some point in the future, Iannazzone adds. Hernangomez is currently out of the rotation as he watched Kyle O’Quinn and Enes Kanter gobble up the minutes at the five. Joakim Noah will only be suspended nine more games after tonight’s tilt against the Nets and Kristaps Porzingis could use additional minutes at the center position.
Kanter, who arrived in New York via the Carmelo Anthony deal, has played well in his first two games with the club, scoring a total of 27 points in 46 minutes. The big man has also developed on-court chemistry with Porzingiz. However, Fred Kerber of the New York Post wonders if Kanter’s presence is hurting the team long-term, as the franchise may be better served to give Hernangomez more opportunities.

Hawks’ Bembry Out 4-6 Weeks With Wrist Fracture

October 24th, 2017 at 3:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

OCTOBER 24: Bembry has undergone surgery on his fractured wrist and is expected to miss the next four to six weeks, the Hawks announced today in a press release.

OCTOBER 21: Hawks small forward DeAndre’ Bembry suffered a fracture in his right wrist during the team’s opener and will be out indefinitely, according to Michael Cunningham of The Journal-Constitution.

The injury was confirmed by an MRI conducted Friday. Team doctors will further evaluate Bembry on Monday to get an idea of how long he will be sidelined.

Bembry recently recovered from a strained right triceps he suffered during training camp. He was out of action for about three weeks before returning for Atlanta’s final three preseason games.

The wrist injury happened when Bembry was bracing a fall during Wednesday’s game in Dallas. He played through the pain, but the wrist continued to bother him Thursday and Friday.

“I knew it was something, but I didn’t think it would be that serious,” he said. “I would definitely say I’m somewhat of a tough guy. I probably tried to act like it wasn’t nothing even though it was something. I just tried to push through it.”

Bembry, who played 18 minutes against the Mavericks, is expected to have an expanded role after getting into just 38 games as a rookie last season.

Suns Notes: Bledsoe, Chandler, Watson, Okur

October 24th, 2017 at 1:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the Suns have been exploring trade options involving disgruntled point guard Eric Bledsoe, the team will likely have to lower its asking price if it hopes to get anything done, one general manager tells Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net. While the Bucks, Nuggets, Knicks, and Clippers have all expressed interest in Bledsoe, according to Amico’s sources, that general manager believes Phoenix’s asking price is unrealistic.

“Right now, it’s borderline preposterous,” the GM tells Amico. “It should come down eventually. It has to.”

Bledsoe and his agent Rich Paul expressed a desire for a trade during the offseason, but the Suns have ramped up their efforts this week, with the Nuggets and Bucks among the most viable potential landing spots, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Trade scenarios are still evolving, and it’s not clear how long it will take for Phoenix to find a satisfactory deal, according to Kyler, who adds that the club appears to be looking into moving Tyson Chandler too, perhaps in the same trade.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN chimes in on Bledsoe as well, tweeting that the Suns’ goal of landing a high-upside young player in any deal has been an impediment, since Bledsoe’s value isn’t exactly at its peak.

Here’s more on the Suns:

In the wake of the Suns’ horrible start to the season and Earl Watson‘s dismissal, Greg Moore of AZCentral.com wonders why owner Robert Sarver hasn’t made any public comments about the team’s situation.
In a separate piece for Basketball Insiders, Kyler wonders whether Watson was essentially set up to fail in Phoenix as the club struggles through a rebuilding process.
Shortly after Watson was fired, Dan Majerle became the subject of speculation as a possible target for the Suns, but the team hasn’t contacted the Grand Canyon University coach, writes Richard Obert of AZCentral.com. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic, who tweets that the Suns haven’t contacted anyone, with Jay Triano expected to run the show for the rest of the season.
Ken Berger of Bleacher Report takes a deep dive into the Suns’ situation and passes along a few interesting tidbits. Among them: James Jones, who joined the franchise this offseason as an executive, figures to have “significant input” when Phoenix decides on a permanent head coach.
Former NBA big man Mehmet Okur, who was one of multiple assistants let go along with Watson, became the second member of the organization to direct a less-than-flattering social media post at the Suns this week. Chris Cole of AZCentral.com has the details, along with a screenshot of Okur’s since-deleted Instagram post.
Speaking of assistants, the Suns have called up multiple coaches from their G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, to fill out their NBA coaching staff, per Chris Reichert of 2 Ways & 10 Days (Twitter link). Northern Arizona head coach Ty Ellis is among the coaches headed to Phoenix.

New York Notes: Ntilikina, Hernangomez, Dinwiddie

October 23rd, 2017 at 5:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks are one of the teams that has been linked to Eric Bledsoe as the Suns explore trade options for their veteran point guard, with one report earlier today suggesting Phoenix would want both Frank Ntilikina and Willy Hernangomez in a deal with New York.

In his latest piece for ESPN.com, Ian Begley confirms that the Knicks are one of the teams that have reached out to Phoenix and adds that the Suns have indeed asked about both Ntilikina and Hernangomez. However, New York has been opposed to trading either player, sources inform Begley. The Knicks found the Suns’ asking price “outrageous,” a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post.

According to Begley, players like Kyle O’Quinn, Lance Thomas, and Courtney Lee have drawn some trade interest in recent weeks, but it seems unlikely that those veterans would be of much interest to the Suns, who are believed to be seeking younger players. Hernangomez would seem to be a logical target, considering he isn’t currently in the Knicks’ rotation. But despite playing O’Quinn and Enes Kanter ahead of Hernangomez, the club isn’t currently looking to move the big man, says Begley.

Here’s more on the Knicks and their cross-town rivals in Brooklyn:

Although the Knicks aren’t interested in trading Ntilikina, they haven’t been able to get him on the floor early in the season either, as Fred Kerber of The New York Post writes. Currently, Ntilikina is being nagged by an ankle injury.
With Jeremy Lin out for the season, young guard Spencer Dinwiddie has earned the opportunity to step up and take on a larger role in Brooklyn, says Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Dinwiddie, who joined the Nets as a free agent last December, is under contract through 2018/19, though his contract isn’t guaranteed.
It has been five years since the Nets moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn, prompting CEO Brett Yormark to reflect on that move in an interview with Pollstar Pro. NetsDaily has rounded up the highlights of that interview, passing along several quotes from Yormark, who admits the franchise didn’t handle the transition period as well as it could have.

Suns Trying To Trade Eric Bledsoe

October 23rd, 2017 at 2:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

2:40pm: Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link) hears that the Knicks have indeed contacted the Suns about a Bledsoe deal and Phoenix wants No. 8 overall pick Frank Ntilikina and Willy Hernangomez in exchange for the veteran point guard.

1:35pm: Add the Bucks to the list of teams that have expressed interest in Bledsoe, Marc Stein of the New York Times relays (Twitter link). According to Sam Amico of Amico Hoops, the Clippers and Blazers may also have interest in the point guard.

12:49pm: The Knicks are among the teams that have contacted the Suns about a Bledsoe deal, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley.

12:34pm: The Suns are involved in trade talks with several teams regarding Bledsoe, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Teams know Bledsoe is available and something should happen soon, adds John Gambadoro of ArizonaSports, who states that Bledsoe believes he has played his last game with Phoenix.

12:16pm: Eric Bledsoe‘s dispute with the Suns continues to escalate as he will be held out of tonight’s home game with the Kings, tweets Chris Hayes of ESPN. Bledose met with team officials this morning and was subsequently sent home.

Bledsoe has become increasingly more open about his dissatisfaction in Phoenix, culminating with a tweet yesterday that stated “I Dont wanna be here.” That was posted roughly an hour before the team announced the firing of coach Earl Watson.

Bledose isn’t happy to be on a losing team in the prime of his career and he has lingering bitterness with the organization over shutting him down in March of last season because of soreness in his knees. A report earlier today said Bledsoe was “depressed” after a rumored deal fell through that would have sent him to Cleveland as part of the package for Kyrie Irving.

Bledsoe, 27, has spent the past four seasons in Phoenix after being acquired from the Clippers in a 2013 trade. He had his best year in 2016/17, averaging career highs in points (21.1 per game) and assists (6.3).

Kristaps Porzingis Vouches For Willy Hernangomez

October 22nd, 2017 at 8:13pm CST by Austin Kent

Count Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis among those clamoring to see more minutes allotted for second-year center Willy Hernangomez. The 23-year-old has been called a building block by the team, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes, but has received just four minutes of action and a DNP-CD through two games this season.

Porzingis acknowledged the logjam in New York’s frontcourt but believes that Hernangomez is a talented player worthy of a spot in the Knicks’ rotation.

Knicks Notes: Hernangomez, Hardaway, Porzingis, Ntilikina

October 22nd, 2017 at 10:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks center Willy Hernangomez isn’t hiding his anger after playing less than four minutes in the team’s first two games, relays Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Hernangomez looked like part of the team’s future after a promising rookie season, but he has fallen to third on the depth chart, with Enes Kanter, acquired in the Carmelo Anthony trade, as the starter and Kyle O’Quinn as the backup.

Hernangomez played the final 3:46 of Thursday’s blowout loss in Oklahoma City, then never left the bench in Saturday’s home opener. After the game, he let reporters know that he’s not happy with the current situation. “I’m still mad,” Hernangomez said. “I cannot help the team win if I’m sitting on the bench. Two games in a row. It’s tough. I have to wait my moment. I cannot say nothing more.” Coach Jeff Hornacek met with Hernangomez this week and told him he needs to improve on defense.

There’s more news today out of New York:

Tim Hardaway Jr. hasn’t done much so far to ease the concerns of Knicks fans about his four-year, $71MM contract, writes Howie Kussoy of The New York Post. New York’s prize free agent addition of the summer made just four of 16 shots Saturday, following a 3-of-10 performance in the opener. “I missed a couple easy ones here and there, shots that I would normally make,” Hardaway said. “Just tough to see those not go down. My teammates did a great job of keeping me in it, telling me to keep shooting. … I just didn’t get it done. It’s still a new offense, but at the same time, [I] just got to find ways to get to the line, get to the basket a little more, finish around the basket when I’m there. I missed a lot of bunnies I wish I could take back.”
Kristaps Porzingis is still getting used to the role of primary scorer in the wake of the Anthony trade, according to Ian Begley of ESPN. Porzingis hit 3-of-7 shots late in Saturday’s game, but passed up a 3-pointer in the final seconds for a layup that was blocked.
The early part of Frank Ntilikina‘s NBA career has been marked by injuries, but the Knicks remain excited about the French point guard, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Ntilikina, who was limited to one preseason game because of a bruised knee, sat out Saturday’s contest after spraining his ankle at Friday’s practice. “I think what everybody first saw is I think he can touch everyone out there in TV land, you know his arms are so long,” Hornacek said. “Even this week in practice, when he guards guys, they don’t think he’s close enough to steal the ball, and then he just reaches out and hits the ball and gets a steal.”

Kristaps Porzingis' Future With Knicks Depends On Winning, Money

October 21st, 2017 at 9:21am CST by marksuleymanov

In less than one year, Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis will be eligible for the designated rookie scale maximum extension. In recent weeks, Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid signed their extensions, coming out at five years and $148MM. After years of wanting to play basketball due to the possible financial prosperity, Porzingis tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News his focus is to win, be happy and play up to his ability.

After an opening night loss to the Thunder, and former teammate Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks are off to a bad start. However, Anthony advised the Daily News that the 22-year-old should take the money. Yet, being a losing culture could prove burdensome later on.

The Knicks’ logjam at center will be key to monitor moving forward, Alex Squadron of the New York Post writes. Willy Hernangomez logged just four minutes on Thursday while Kyle O’Quinn played 22 minutes and Enes Kanter started. Once Joakim Noah returns from suspension, that logjam will be even greater.

Knicks Notes: Melo, Porzingis, Hernangomez, PGs

October 20th, 2017 at 12:21pm CST by Luke Adams

While some fans in New York may have been happy to see the Carmelo Anthony era come to an end last month, Anthony’s Knicks teammates weren’t among those that wanted to see him go. As Ian Begley of ESPN details, Anthony was the Knicks’ recipient of the Teammate of The Year award in 2017, an award voted on by his peers.

Begley passes along quotes from several of Anthony’s former teammates in New York, all of whom had nothing but praise for the veteran forward. Mindaugas Kuzminskas, for instance, wasn’t sure Anthony would know who he was when he arrived in New York last season, and was surprised when his All-Star teammate approached him with questions about his Olympic experience.

“Probably the biggest thing that I learned from ‘Melo is that even being a huge star, huge player, you can be still a great person, great teammate,” Kuzminskas said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a rookie or a veteran. He’s going to treat you the same way.”

While Anthony received plenty of questions about his time in New York and his recent departure from the Knicks in the days leading up to Thursday’s Thunder/Knicks showdown, the newest member of the Thunder is eager to move on, telling reporters after OKC’s opening-night win that it’s time to close that chapter. “No more Knicks talk,” Anthony said, according to ESPN’s Royce Young.

Stop reading now, ‘Melo, because we’ve got more Knicks talk below…

While there weren’t a ton of positives for the Knicks in Thursday’s loss to the Thunder, the play of Kristaps Porzingis was a bright spot. Porzingis is showing that he can be a worthy successor to Anthony, according to Ian Begley, who has the details in a story for ESPN.com.
Another one of the Knicks’ young building blocks, Willy Hernangomez, barely saw any action in the Knicks’ opener. It was a surprising decision, but Jeff Hornacek defended the call by pointing out that Enes Kanter and Kyle O’Quinn earned playing time with their preseason performances, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “I think the coach wants to see my effort on defense,” Hernangomez said. “That’s why I have to keep working hard everyday.”
The Knicks’ point guard situation was viewed as perhaps the worst in the league entering the season, and the club’s play on Thursday didn’t do much to change that perception. One NBA scout who spoke to Marc Berman of The New York Post suggests that the Knicks might as well throw rookie Frank Ntilikina “to the wolves” and let him play major minutes.

Knicks Sign Isaiah Hicks To Two-Way Contract

October 20th, 2017 at 11:46am CST by Austin Kent

OCTOBER 20: The Knicks have officially signed Hicks to a two-way deal, the team announced today in a press release.

OCTOBER 19: The Knicks are planning to sign forward Isaiah Hicks to a two-way contract, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. The North Carolina alum went through training camp with the Hornets earlier this month.

After going undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Tar Heel will look to make an impression with the franchise bouncing between the New York squad and the Knicks’ G League affiliate in Westchester.

Once the move becomes official, both of the Knicks’ two-way slots will be filled, with center Luke Kornet occupying the other one.