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New York Notes: Achiuwa, Anunoby, Simmons, Williams

October 10th, 2024 at 9:19am CST by Dana Gauruder

Precious Achiuwa had to wait until the end of July to re-sign with the Knicks as a free agent due in part to the team’s salary cap issues. Achiuwa will hit the free agent market once again next summer after signing a one-year, $6MM deal but he could pump up his value in a reserve role this season, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

Achiuwa projects as the main frontcourt reserve until Mitchell Robinson returns from ankle surgery.

“I know I’m versatile. Playing the power forward, the center, the versatility of my game stands out the most,” Achiuwa said. “And last year I was able to show a lot of people that I was able to do a lot of different things.”

Robinson’s tentative timeline to get back in action is sometime in December or January.

We have more on the New York teams:

OG Anunoby missed chunks of time in the regular season and postseason due to injuries after the Knicks acquired him from the Raptors last season. The defensive ace is healthy this preseason and coach Tom Thibodeau basically looks at it as a fresh start. “He missed a lot of time last year. … So we still got to get reacclimated to everything we’re doing,” he said of Anunoby, according to Peter Botte of the New York Post. “Obviously you start at a zero base and you build. And that’s where we are. We’re building right now, but we have to understand that you build together. And so you’re asking everyone to share the floor, share the ball, and then be committed together defensively. And so that’s what we’re working on.”
The Nets’ Ben Simmons will be a free agent after this season but that’s not what he’s thinking about. He just wants to be a productive player and good teammate, he told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “We have a younger team that I want to help these guys get better. I want to lead by example. I want to compete,” Simmons said. “(Head coach) Jordi (Fernandez) is coming in first year. It’s a big year for him. I want to be a leader on this team. So (screw) what happens next year, and what contract I get, if I get a contract. I want to do my job while I’m here and be professional and help these guys in any way I can. So who knows? I want to play as long as my body will allow me. So if it’s one year, five years, six years, I don’t know what it is. But I just want to keep going until I can’t anymore.”
Ziaire Williams had 10 points and three steals in 23 minutes during the Nets’ preseason game on Tuesday. He was acquired from Memphis in a salary dump and is looking to establish himself in the league, Lewis writes. “I’m trying to reinvent myself, show people that I belong in this league,” Williams said. “I’m trying to work my hardest every day. Just put all my heart, my soul out there on defensive, and carry that over to the offensive end.” Williams is eligible for a rookie scale extension until October 21, the day before the season begins.

Knicks Waive Damion Baugh, Alex O’Connell

October 9th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

After cutting Boo Buie earlier today in order to sign Moses Brown to an Exhibit 10 contract, the Knicks have parted with two more players, announcing (via Twitter) that Damion Baugh and Alex O’Connell have been placed on waivers.

New York initially signed Baugh and O’Connell to Exhibit 10 deals a week ago. They spent training camp with the Knicks, though neither saw any action in the team’s preseason opener on Sunday.

The plan is likely for both players to report to the Westchester Knicks, where they’ll receive bonuses worth $77.5K apiece if they spend at least 60 days with New York’s G League affiliate.

Westchester acquired O’Connell’s returning rights in a trade with the Stockton Kings last month and will need to do the same with Baugh’s rights, which are still controlled by the South Bay Lakers.

New York now has 19 players under contract, including 12 on guaranteed deals and three on two-ways. It’s possible the club will continue to use those openings at the back end of its roster to shuffle players in and out for G League purposes in the next week-and-a-half. The Knicks must set their regular season roster by October 21.

Atlantic Notes: Yabusele, Knicks’ Starters, Shamet, Nets

October 8th, 2024 at 7:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Guerschon Yabusele scored 15 points for the Sixers in their exhibition game against the New Zealand Breakers on Monday and it was a special night for him, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

“I’m not going to lie, it felt amazing,” Yabusele said. “It’s been a long road, but happy to be here.”

Yabusele signed a one-year contract with the Sixers in late August. He was selected in the first round of the 2016 draft and played two seasons with the Celtics from 2017-19, but hasn’t appeared in a regular season NBA game in five years. The power forward excelled overseas before joining Philadelphia.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks‘ projected starters played anywhere from 13-15 minutes in their preseason opener against Charlotte on Sunday. It’s just a first step as Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns try to settle in with their new teammates. “First game, some good, some bad,” coach Tom Thibodeau said, per Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “Obviously, we have a lot of work to do. I figured it would be a little choppy. There are a lot of areas we need to clean up. But there were some good things as well.”
Landry Shamet entered Knicks camp on a non-guaranteed contract but the veteran guard is thrilled to be on a contender after spending last season with the rebuilding Wizards. Shamet scored 16 points, including four 3-pointers, in New York’s preseason opener. “I want to win, I want to compete, we all do. Anybody in the NBA that says otherwise is lying,” he told Braziller. “We all want to compete at the highest level. It’s exciting to be here. Last year was last year. It was what it was. I’m excited to be here and move forward and build with this group.”
With frontcourt players Day’Ron Sharpe and Trendon Watford sidelined by hamstring injuries, the Nets will look at some smaller lineups in the preseason, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “It just forced us to do something that actually we wanted to do sooner or later; so might as well do it the sooner the better,” first-year coach Jordi Fernandez said.

NBA GMs High On Thunder’s Offseason Moves, Celtics’ Title Chances

October 8th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder made the best roster moves during the 2024 offseason, according to the NBA’s general managers. Within his annual survey of the league’s top basketball decision-makers, John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes that 37% of his respondents picked Oklahoma City as having the best summer, with the Sixers coming in second place at 33%. The Knicks got 20% of the vote share, while no other club received more than a single vote.

It was one of many favorable outcomes in the survey for the Thunder, who were overwhelmingly selected as the team with the best young core — 60% of GMs selected OKC, compared to 20% for the second-place Magic.

New Thunder guard Alex Caruso was chosen by general managers as the most underrated offseason acquisition, receiving 23% of that vote share, while last year’s Most Valuable Player runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was picked as this year’s MVP favorite (40%), narrowly edging Mavericks star Luka Doncic (30%).

The Thunder also received a handful of votes from the league’s GMs as the team that will win the 2025 NBA Finals, but at 13%, they finished a distant second to the Celtics, who earned a whopping 83% of the vote. Besides those two clubs, only the Mavericks (3%) received a vote to become this season’s champions.

Here are a few more interesting results from Schuhmann’s GM survey, which is worth checking out in full:

New Sixers forward Paul George got 60% of the vote as the offseason acquisition who will have the biggest impact in 2024/25, followed by new Knicks Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns at 13% apiece. The Towns trade, meanwhile, was named the most surprising offseason move, eking out George leaving Los Angeles for Philadelphia (27% to 23%).
Unsurprisingly, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama was the overwhelming choice (77%) for which player the GMs would most want to start a franchise with. Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic each earned three votes in that category, while Doncic got one.
The league’s general managers are high on No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard — the Rockets‘ guard is their pick to win the Rookie of the Year award (50%) ahead of betting favorite Zach Edey of the Grizzlies (30%). Sheppard also comfortably received the largest vote share (43%) when the GMs were asked which rookie will be the best player in five years. Spurs guard Stephon Castle (17%) and Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (13%) were the runners-up in that category.
There was no consensus among the GMs on which 2024 draftee was the biggest steal. Wizards guard Carlton Carrington, Kings guard Devin Carter, Pacers wing Johnny Furphy, Lakers forward Dalton Knecht, Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon, and Thunder guard Nikola Topic each received three votes to lead the way.
Among newly hired head coaches, Mike Budenholzer of the Suns is the one GMs feel will have the biggest impact on his new club. Budenholzer received 40% of the vote, beating out Kenny Atkinson of the Cavaliers and J.B. Bickerstaff of the Pistons (20% apiece). Meanwhile, Spurs guard Chris Paul (30%) and Raptors guard Garrett Temple (20%) are the active players that GMs feel would make the best head coaches down the road.
Asked what they’d change about the NBA, 20% of GMs said the rules related to the tax aprons, trades, and roster construction are too restrictive and/or should be “indexed to (a) team’s market,” per Schuhmann, making it the top response.

Knicks Sign Boo Buie On Exhibit 10 Deal

October 7th, 2024 at 8:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks have added Boo Buie on an Exhibit 10 contract, the team’s PR department tweets.

Buie was expected to sign a similar contract with the Suns after he went undrafted in June but it never became official. Buie did appear in five Summer League contests for Phoenix, averaging 9.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per game.

Buie, a 6’2″ two-time All-Big Ten guard, scored a total of 2,187 points during his five seasons with Northwestern. In 2023/24, he posted a career-high 19.0 points per game on .438/.434/.858 shooting. His 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game in 34 appearances last season also represented career highs.

Exhibit 10 agreements are non-guaranteed, but can be converted into two-way contracts before the start of the regular season. If Buie is waived and then remains with the G League’s Westchester Knicks for at least 60 days, he’s eligible to earn a bonus up to $77.5K.

Knicks Notes: Kessler, Bridges, Roster, Rotation, Hart

October 7th, 2024 at 7:55am CST by Luke Adams

Before reaching a deal with Minnesota to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks made “multiple” runs at Jazz center Walker Kessler, league sources tell NBA reporter Marc Stein (Substack link).

According to Stein, the belief is that Utah sought at least two first-round picks in a deal for Kessler, who was repeatedly linked to New York earlier in the offseason. The Knicks theoretically could have met that price, but it would have cost them their last two remaining tradable first-rounders (the Pistons’ and Wizards’ protected picks). They also could have offered one or more pick swaps.

It’s unclear if the Jazz didn’t like the first-rounders the Knicks had left to trade (both could turn into second-round picks if they continue to fall in their protected range) or if New York opted against meeting Utah’s asking price.

Either way, the Knicks ended up pivoting to a bigger deal for Towns. That blockbuster involved a couple key rotation players in Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, but allowed the Knicks to keep one of their remaining tradable first-rounders — they still have the Wizards’ top-10 protected 2025 pick after sending Detroit’s first-rounder to the Timberwolves.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Within the same Substack article, Stein confirms that Knicks forward Mikal Bridges plans to wait until after the 2024/25 season to work on a contract extension with his new team. ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently reported that Bridges would likely postpone extension talks because he can’t sign for more than $61MM over two years at this time due to extend-and-trade rules. During the 2025 offseason, he could get up to approximately $156MM over four years.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic takes a closer look at what the Knicks’ opening night roster and fall rotation might look like, predicting that Landry Shamet and Ariel Hukporti will earn the final two spots on the “15-man” roster, which only actually has room for 14 players due to hard cap limitations. With Mitchell Robinson expected to be sidelined until at least December, Edwards anticipates that Miles McBride, Shamet, Precious Achiuwa, and Jericho Sims will be the top reserves behind the starters, with Cameron Payne as the 10th man.
As an aside, it’s worth noting that while teams are generally required to carry at least 14 players on standard contracts during the regular season, the Knicks don’t necessarily have to reach that threshold by opening night. Clubs can carry just 12 or 13 players for up to 14 days at a time and for as many as 28 total days during the season. So New York could wait until two weeks into the season to promote Hukporti (or Kevin McCullar) to a standard contract.
Knicks forward Josh Hart saw increased responsibilities on offense during the 2024 postseason due to a series of injuries affecting the roster, but with Bridges and Towns in the mix, he’s prepared to take a step back on that end of the court and let the club’s more accomplished scorers shine, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes. “At the end of the day, my job isn’t to go out there and score 20. It’s not to go out there and force things offensively and try to make things happen,” Hart said. “My job is to rebound, defend at a high level, offensively kind of be a connector, get into the lane and find guys for open shots, get the rebound, push the pace and get us easy transition buckets. … At the end of the day, I don’t think any team’s won without several people sacrificing. If that’s me sacrificing points, I will gladly do that.”

Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Blockbuster Deals

October 6th, 2024 at 8:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

No team made more noise than the Knicks this offseason.

They could have been content to re-sign top free agent OG Anunoby and basically run it back with the same core that carried them to the Eastern Conference semifinals. They were decimated by injuries as the playoffs wore on but still took the Pacers to the limit in their series.

New York did indeed lock up Anunoby, though the price tag was a whopping $212.5MM for five years (including a player option). The Knicks lost another key free agent in Isaiah Hartenstein.

Around the same time, they pulled off what seemed like the biggest shocker of the offseason, agreeing to give up five future first-round picks, among other assets, for Nets forward Mikal Bridges.

Jalen Brunson soon did the Knicks a favor by signing a $156.5MM extension, rather than waiting until next offseason when he could have gotten an even bigger payday.

As training camp approached, the biggest question seemed to be whether Julius Randle would play more at center until Mitchell Robinson returned from left foot surgery. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Knicks pulled off another blockbuster, sending Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves as part of a package for Karl-Anthony Towns. New York also surrendered another first-round pick and two second-rounders as part of the three-team deal.

Towns’ $220MM super-max extension kicks in this season, weighing down the Knicks’ long-term cap sheet. He’s undeniably one of the most talented and accomplished big men in the league. However, he has been affected by a variety of injuries since 2019, so the Knicks are taking on a huge gamble that he stays healthy and productive in the postseason.

Overall, New York’s starting unit is formidable with Towns, Josh Hart, Anunoby, Bridges and Brunson. Their offense is much more versatile with the additions of Towns and Bridges, though their three-point shooting could take a hit with the loss of DiVincenzo.

There appears to be enough backcourt depth with the likes of Miles McBride, Cameron Payne, Tyler Kolek and Landry Shamet. The frontcourt depth has been depleted by the flurry of moves and that could be an ongoing concern.

That brings up to today’s topic: Do you think the Knicks’ offseason acquistions of Bridges and Towns can deliver a championship to New York? Or will they fall short of that goal and ultimately regret going all-in and mortgaging their future?

Please take to the comments section to weigh on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Knicks Notes: Shamet, Aller, Towns, Hukporti

October 5th, 2024 at 7:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

After joining the Knicks on a non-guaranteed contract last month, Landry Shamet appears to have the inside track on a roster spot, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. The veteran guard has impressed coach Tom Thibodeau in training camp and may become a valuable member of the bench squad.

“I don’t make the final decision on that, but I’m basing it on what (Shamet’s) done on the floor. He’s really done well,” Thibodeau said. “The second unit, as I said, I’m anxious to see him as well because I’ve seen what they’ve done in practice and they’ve really done well together as a unit. So I want to see that in a game situation. But he’s done a really good job. He has really good chemistry with (Cameron Payne), and then when you put Deuce (Miles McBride) into that, they’re very fast. You can play with a lot of speed.”

Thibodeau also mentioned Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims as members of the second unit, and that group will likely get most of the rotation minutes off the bench.

Bondy points out that New York has two roster openings to fill, but can only afford one veteran because of apron restrictions. The other vacancy will go to one of the team’s two-way players, either Ariel Hukporti or Kevin McCullar.

There’s more on the Knicks:

Team capologist Brock Aller was the unsung hero of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, Bondy adds in the same piece. Aller is being recognized throughout the league for his intricate maneuvering to make the Towns deal work under cap restrictions, as well as the trades that brought in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. “Brock has been terrific,” Thibodeau said. “It’s been great execution of a plan. It’s five years in the making. It’s accumulating the draft capital and looking at the opportunities and going step by step and figuring out the things you can do.”
Towns and Bridges are both expected to be on the court when the Knicks open the preseason Sunday night in Charlotte, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Thibodeau plans to use all his regulars in the first game to give them a chance to get used to playing together. “I think for all of us just playing with each other these training camp days is important to the camaraderie and continuity,” Towns said. “Every single day I see ourselves making better and better plays so we’re doing a good job right now.”
In a mailbag column, Ian Begley of SNY tabs Hukporti as the two-way player most likely to be converted to a standard contract because he provides depth at center.

Knicks Notes: Towns, Thibodeau, McCullar, DiVincenzo

October 4th, 2024 at 12:18pm CST by Rory Maher

Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns was understandably stunned by the blockbuster trade that sent him to the Knicks after spending his first nine seasons in Minnesota, writes Chris Herring of ESPN. Still, Towns believes his familiarity with head coach Tom Thibodeau, his former coach with the Wolves, should make the transition to New York a little smoother.

“I think it gives us a little bit of a head start,” Towns said of his relationship with Thibodeau. “I know the offense he likes to run. I know the way he likes to play defense and what he expects from his players.”

Towns, who is from New Jersey, has several other ties to the Knicks — president of basketball operations Leon Rose is his former agent, another executive, William Wesley, has known Towns for over a decade and remains a family friend, and senior VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas was Minnesota’s top basketball executive after Thibodeau’s exit. Towns’ first stint with Thibodeau was rocky, but the 28-year-old said they settled their differences “years ago,” and a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post that Thibodeau was fully on board with the trade.

“He’s a lot more experienced,” Thibodeau said of Towns. “I think all those experiences teaches you a lot. He’s been through a lot of different things now, so he’s bringing all those experiences here.

“I think as with most players, now he’s had experience being deep in the playoffs. He knows what that’s like. As much as you try to prepare for it, until you go through it, you don’t fully understand what it is and I think his understanding is much further along now than it was his second year in the league, and his skill set is so unique. I think he fits well with everybody.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

James L. Edwards III and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic take an in-depth look at how Towns and Thibodeau repaired their relationship and now have a second chance to find success together. “There is some benefit to having coached him before and to know who he is as a person, but, also, that was more than five years ago,” Thibodeau said. “He’s in a different place, he’s a different player. There is going to be a learning curve and we have to adjust quickly.”
Rookie Kevin McCullar, who sustained a knee injury at Kansas prior to the draft, traveled with the Knicks to Charleston, South Carolina, for training camp. However, he hasn’t been an active participant as he continues to rehab from the injury, league sources tell Edwards of The Athletic (Twitter link). A 6’5″ wing who was selected 56th overall in June, McCullar is on a two-way contract with New York.
Donte DiVincenzo, who was sent to Minnesota in the Towns trade, recently sent out a thank you message to Knicks fans, as Ian Begley of SNY.tv relays (via Twitter).
In case you missed it, the Knicks have reunited with Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing. You can find the full story right here.

Knicks Hire Patrick Ewing As Basketball Ambassador

October 4th, 2024 at 9:25am CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks have hired Patrick Ewing as a basketball ambassador (Twitter link), a new position in which the Hall of Famer will assist both the basketball and business operations departments. ESPN’s Malika Andrews and Chris Herring were first to report the news.

“As I said the day my number 33 jersey lifted into the rafters at MSG, I will always be a Knick and I will always be a New Yorker,” Ewing said. “I can’t wait to get started in this new position and to officially be back with the organization I love so much. The Garden has always been my home and I’m looking forward to working with (president of basketball operations) Leon Rose, Coach (Tom) Thibodeau, the team and everyone else that makes this place so special.”

Sources tell ESPN that Ewing will work directly with Thibodeau and the front office in his new role.

A franchise legend, Ewing was selected by the Knicks with the No. 1 overall pick of the 1985 draft. He made 11 All-Star appearances, seven All-NBA teams, and earned three All-Defensive nods during his 15 seasons with New York and is the team’s all-time leading scorer.

The Knicks made two trips to the NBA Finals with Ewing, losing on both occasions (to the Rockets and Spurs, respectively).

As Herring writes, Ewing was a longtime NBA assistant coach following his playing career and was head coach at his alma mater, Georgetown, prior to being fired last year. He most recently served as a coaching consultant with the Hornets.

Ewing, who won two gold medals (in 1984 and 1992) with Team USA, was also named an assistant coach for USA Basketball ahead of the AmeriCup qualifiers in November and February, per a press release. Former Rockets coach Stephen Silas will serve as head coach for the qualifiers, while veteran NBA coach Keith Smart will be another assistant on Silas’ staff.