Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Knicks Rumors

Bucks, Serge Ibaka Agree To Seek Trade

January 20th, 2023 at 10:28am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks and Serge Ibaka have agreed to try to find the veteran big man a new home via the trade market, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Ibaka has been away from the Bucks for the last six games for personal reasons and Charania’s report suggests the 33-year-old will remain away from the team as it explores potential deals.

Formerly one of the NBA’s top shot blockers in Oklahoma City and a key part of a championship team in Toronto, Ibaka was – in his prime – capable of protecting the rim on defense and knocking down outside shots on offense. However, he has been slowed by back issues in recent years and has seen his production drop off.

Acquired from the Clippers at last season’s trade deadline, Ibaka appeared in 19 regular season games for Milwaukee down the stretch, averaging 7.0 PPG and 5.3 RPG with a .519/.351/.800 shooting line in 17.8 MPG, but he wasn’t part of the Bucks’ playoff rotation. In 2022/23, he has played a career-low 11.6 minutes per game in 16 appearances, putting up 4.1 PPG and 2.8 RPG on .481/.333/.615 shooting in his limited role.

Given his decline in playing time and performance, Ibaka likely won’t generate a bidding war on the trade market, but his one-year, minimum-salary contract is about as team-friendly as it gets, so a deal is possible. It sounds like he’d be a strong candidate for a buyout if the Bucks can’t find a trade partner.

Prior to Charania’s report, Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link) had mentioned Ibaka as a possible target for the Knicks if the team wants to add more frontcourt depth in the wake of Mitchell Robinson‘s thumb injury.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Could Porzingis Reunion Be Possible?

January 19th, 2023 at 5:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • It once seemed unthinkable but it’s not so far-fetched now that the Knicks would consider a reunion with Wizards big Kristaps Porzingis, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. Porzingis can reject his $36MM player option for 2023/24 in order to become a free agent this summer. The Knicks could also target the shot-blocking, three-point specialist if he becomes available on the trade market.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Mitchell Robinson Out At Least Three Weeks After Thumb Surgery

January 19th, 2023 at 2:15pm CST by Rory Maher

Starting center Mitchell Robinson underwent successful surgery on Thursday to repair a right thumb fracture, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). He will miss at least three weeks, which is when he will be reevaluated.

Robinson exited Wednesday’s loss to Washington with the injury, which was initially ruled a sprain until the fracture was discovered upon further testing. The 24-year-old has dealt with a number of injuries in his five NBA seasons, including hand and foot surgeries in 2021 to repair fractures. He also missed eight games in November with a knee sprain.

It’s a tough blow for New York, as Robinson anchors the team’s 11th-ranked defense. He’s also one of the top offensive rebounders in the NBA, trailing only Steven Adams in total offensive rebounds (165) and offensive rebounding percentage (16.9%).

Through 38 games, Robinson is averaging 7.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 26.9 minutes per contest. Backup centers Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims will be in line for more minutes with Robinson out.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

New York Notes: Warren, Nets, A. Williams, Robinson, Knicks

January 19th, 2023 at 9:21am CST by Luke Adams

With Kevin Durant sidelined due to a knee injury, Nets forward T.J. Warren feels as if he’s capable of stepping up and taking on a bigger role. However, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, Warren is still on a minutes limit after missing nearly two years of action, and while he recognizes it’s in his best interest, he can’t help but be frustrated by it.

“Yeah, it’s super-frustrating, trust me,” Warren said. “It’s trying to find a balance (between) being out two years but also knowing that I feel like I can carry the load a little bit during those long stretches.

“But just got to put my trust and training staff’s hands. … They’ve been doing a great job with me, got me back to this point, and just got to see the bigger picture, end of the season, playoffs, playing at my best, hopefully off the minute restriction.”

Warren has averaged 20.7 minutes per game in 19 appearances since making his season debut. In the Nets’ last three games with Durant unavailable, he has averaged 16.0 points in 24.9 minutes per night.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York-based teams:

  • Despite losing all three of their games since Durant’s injury, the Nets remain upbeat and confident that they’ll be able to right the ship and avoid a repeat of last season’s 5-16 slide without KD, Lewis writes in another New York Post story. “Last year it was… it was kind of a toxic environment,” Nic Claxton said. “We didn’t know if everybody wanted to be here at the time. This year there’s no divide between everybody that’s out there. We’re going to figure it out.” As Lewis notes, Claxton’s comments appear to be referencing James Harden, who asked to be traded during Durant’s absence.
  • After being waived by the Nets last week, rookie guard Alondes Williams has rejoined the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, according to Chris Milholen of NetsDaily. Williams had spent plenty of time with Long Island on his two-way contract, but is now an NBA free agent and would be free to sign with any team if he gets an offer.
  • Knicks center Mitchell Robinson left Wednesday’s game due to a sprained right thumb and will undergo further evaluation on Thursday to determine the severity of the injury, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. If Robinson misses time, big man Jericho Sims will likely reclaim a rotation role for New York.
  • Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t concerned about how much court time his top players are seeing, referring to critics of his rotation as the “minutes police,” Braziller says in another story for The New York Post. “I know you guys like to create the narrative for your stories and you don’t look at it in totality,” Thibodeau said. “I don’t think we have anyone in the top 20 in minutes played.” As Braziller details, in the 15 most recent games entering Wednesday night, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson were in the NBA’s top five in minutes played, while Quentin Grimes was 14th. However, all three players rank much lower among the full-season minutes leaders.
Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Knicks Increase Efforts To Trade Cam Reddish

January 18th, 2023 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks have “redoubled” their efforts to find a new home for forward Cam Reddish, according to Marc Stein, who says in his latest Substack report that Reddish is the Knick most likely to be moved ahead of the February 9 trade deadline.

Stein confirms previous reporting from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, stating that the Lakers and Bucks are among the teams with interest in Reddish. The Mavericks are another potential suitor, says Stein.

Scotto also previously reported that the Knicks are seeking a pair of second-round picks in a Reddish trade. Stein doesn’t dispute that the club is looking for “second-round draft compensation” in exchange for Reddish, though he doesn’t specify the number of picks New York is looking for.

Sources tell Stein that the Knicks have some interest in reacquiring Mavericks wing Reggie Bullock, who spent two seasons in New York from 2019-21 and was a favorite of head coach Tom Thibodeau. Although Reddish is earning just $5.95MM compared to Bullock’s $10.01MM salary, a one-for-one swap of the two players would be permitted under the NBA’s trade rules since the Knicks are well below the tax line.

Bullock is held in “high regard” by Dallas, per Stein, though he’s having a down year offensively, averaging just 5.8 points per game on .364/.338/.654 shooting in 43 games (29.3 MPG). The 31-year-old is considered a solid, versatile defender and played heavy minutes (39.3 MPG) during the Mavs’ playoff run last season.

Reddish, meanwhile, was a highly regarded college prospect and entered the NBA in 2019 as the 10th overall pick out of Duke, but has yet to deliver on his potential during four seasons in Atlanta and New York. The 23-year-old fell entirely out of Thibodeau’s rotation last month, having not appeared in a game for the Knicks since December 3.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Limited Rotation Could Lead To Trade

January 17th, 2023 at 7:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Domantas Sabonis, Jalen Brunson Named Players Of The Week

January 16th, 2023 at 2:37pm CST by Rory Maher

Kings center Domantas Sabonis and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (Twitter link).

Sabonis, the NBA’s leading rebounder at 12.6 per game, played a major role in Sacramento’s 4-0 week and averaged a triple-double in the process, posting 18.5 points, 14.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the four victories. Despite playing with a heavily taped right hand due to an avulsion fracture in his thumb, the two-time All-Star has led the Kings to a 24-18 record, the No. 4 seed in the West.

Brunson led New York to a 3-1 week while averaging 34.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists on a sparkling .516/.500/.971 shooting slash line. The 26-year-old has a strong case to be an All-Star for the first time in 2022/23. Through 41 games, he’s averaging 22.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.0 steal on .474/.396/.857 shooting and has been the team’s closer in crunch time. The Knicks are currently 25-19, the No. 6 seed in the East.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Harrison Barnes, Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard and Ja Morant, while Joel Embiid, James Harden, Julius Randle, Jayson Tatum and Gabe Vincent were nominated in the East.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

New York Notes: Randle, Knicks Defense, Thibodeau, Simmons

January 15th, 2023 at 8:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Julius Randle had a monster game against the depleted Pistons frontcourt on Sunday, posting numbers that a Knicks player hadn’t reached since the Patrick Ewing era, Peter Botte of the New York Post notes.

Randle racked up a season-high 42 points and 15 rebounds in the 117-104 victory, the first 40-15 game by a New York player since Ewing accomplished the feat in 1996.

“Man, he’s a legend. Respect to him,” Randle said. “Just lets you know the kind of work that he put in when he wore his jersey. I’m honored and blessed to be able to do something that he did.”

Randle is averaging 28.6 points and 13.0 rebounds in 20 games since Dec. 7.

We have more on the New York teams:

  • Randle said that coach Tom Thibodeau implored his team to perk up defensively after a five-game losing streak last month, Botte writes. “I think really since the Houston game [on Dec. 31], maybe, Coach, he got on us to really lock in defensively,” Randle said. “And I took it personally, because I felt like I wasn’t necessarily playing my best defense for those couple of games, whatever it was.” Entering Sunday’s contest, the Knicks had the third-best defensive rating since Dec. 31.
  • Thibodeau has often been criticized in past seasons for rely too much on veteran players and playing them too many minutes. That’s the not the case this season, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News notes in a subscriber-only story. Bondy points out that there are no Knicks among the top 20 in minutes per game this season and the average age of the rotation players is under 24.
  • Ben Simmons sat out the Nets’ game against Oklahoma City on Sunday due to back soreness, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. Simmons, who has appeared in 31 of the team’s 42 games this season, played 26 scoreless minutes against Boston on Thursday but contributed 13 assists and nine rebounds.
Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Porzingis Discusses Stint With Knicks; Knicks Scouting Bulls, Caruso

January 15th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams
  • In a Q&A with Mark Medina of NBA.com, Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis discussed why he feels comfortable in D.C., what he’s doing this season to stay healthy, and why his stints with the Knicks and Mavericks didn’t work out as hoped.
  • The Knicks have been scouting the Bulls “closely” as of late, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, who suggests New York would be a team to watch if Chicago decides to make guard Alex Caruso available.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

21 More NBA Players Become Trade-Eligible

January 15th, 2023 at 8:23am CST by Luke Adams

Today is Sunday, January 15, which means that nearly two dozen players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.

Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:

  1. The player re-signed with his previous team.
  2. He got a raise of at least 20%.
  3. His salary is worth more than the minimum.
  4. His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.

The following players met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Sunday:

(* Players marked with an asterisk have the ability to veto trades.)

Most of the players on NBA rosters are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt. That group includes Thunder guard Isaiah Joe, who becomes trade-eligible on Monday, Bucks swingman Pat Connaughton (trade-eligible on Wednesday), and Thunder forward Kenrich Williams (trade-eligible on Friday).

There are also several players who won’t become trade-eligible before this season’s February 9 deadline, including Lakers star LeBron James. Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be dealt.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts