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Knicks Notes: Elimination, Noah, Hornacek, Anthony

March 29th, 2017 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

After a season that began with great promise, the Knicks have nothing to look forward to but the lottery. New York was officially eliminated from the postseason race with tonight’s 105-88 loss to the Heat, capping off a fourth consecutive non-playoff season.

“I haven’t been excited like this in a long time to actually get going and get ready to create something,” Carmelo Anthony told Marc Berman of the New York Post when training camp opened. But Joakim Noah, who was signed to a four-year, $72MM deal over the summer, turned out to be a disappointment and finished the season under league suspension. Derrick Rose, the other major offseason addition, has been a letdown on defense and appears unlikely to be re-signed.

The Knicks now face a crucial offseason that may include a franchise-altering trade of Anthony, who was offered to the Clippers, Celtics and Cavaliers before last month’s deadline.

In the meantime, here’s some more news out of New York:

Noah said his decision to use an over-the-counter supplement to help with his rehab after surgery “backfired,” relays Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. Noah apologized to his teammates when he returned to practice Tuesday and called his 20-game suspension excessive. “It’s a tough lesson to learn, but everything in life has its purpose,” Noah said. “I know that right now it’s a tough situation to be in not being there with my teammates out there on the court. But I’m going to take this suspension like a man and move on.”
Coach Jeff Hornacek said the substance that Noah took wasn’t provided by the Knicks’ medical staff, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. “Most of these guys, they want to do something on the side, they check with our trainers, analyze it, take a look at it,” Hornacek said. “Sometimes you can’t control these guys if they’re taking other supplements they buy in the store.”
With the playoffs officially out of reach, Anthony understands that his role will be reduced for the rest of the season, Begley relays (Twitter link). “I see the writing on the wall,” he said. “I see what it is. I see what they’re trying to do and it’s just me accepting that. That’s what puts me at peace. Just knowing and understanding how things work. I’m at peace with that.”

Knicks Notes: Noah, Anthony, Kuzminskas, Bliss

March 28th, 2017 at 12:08pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injured Knicks center Joakim Noah met with team doctors Monday before receiving clearance to practice today, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The team knows Noah can’t play again this season, but it wanted him medically cleared so his 20-game drug suspension will start as soon as possible. NBA doctors will examine Noah, who had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in late February, before Wednesday’s game against Miami. If he gets league approval before tipoff, he will serve eight games of the suspension this season.

Noah apologized to teammates today for his androgen-related suspension and said he will accept the punishment “like a man,” tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Noah said the substance he took was intended to help with his rehab after surgery and was not approved by the Knicks’ medical staff, relays Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

There’s more news out of New York:

Carmelo Anthony, who returned to the lineup Monday after resting his knee on the final two games of a Western road trip, prefers “Chinese herbs, African herbs” to other supplements, Berman notes in a separate story. He won’t commit to playing both games of this week’s back-to-back. Anthony also says of fans who want the team to tank to improve its draft position, “They can come play,” tweets Begley.
A midseason slump by Mindaugas Kuzminskas could discourage the Knicks from letting him play for Lithuania in this summer’s European Championships, Berman writes in another piece. The competition starts in August, with training camp in late July. The Knicks are concerned that Kuzminskas is running out of steam after playing in the Olympics last year.
The Knicks’ Dave Bliss is part of a group of young assistant coaches who are making their mark in the NBA, according to Yaron Weitzman of Bleacher Report. Bliss, who played four years at Georgia before graduating in 2008, is a key part of the team’s player deprogram that has helped Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez and Lance Thomas quickly become productive players.

Knicks’ Offseason Priorities: Defense, Trading Carmelo

March 28th, 2017 at 10:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks will emphasize defense in their offseason moves and are committed to shipping Carmelo Anthony out of New York, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com.

If they can find a deal for Anthony, and he agrees to waive his no-trade clause, the Knicks will focus on a defensive-minded small forward as his replacement. Begley says the team is interested in Josh Jackson of Kansas, who is expected to be one of the first players selected in the June 22nd draft. The Knicks hold the sixth spot in our latest Reverse Standings.

Along with its lottery pick, New York will have about $25MM in cap room to pursue free agents if it decides not to re-sign Derrick Rose. Anthony and Rose are both among the league’s worst players at their positions in Defensive Real Plus-Minus stats, which plays a major role in the team’s problems at that end of the court.

Coach Jeff Hornacek said Monday that the organization understands it needs to upgrade on defense.

“I think if you look at our defense this year, we can use some more defensive players,” he said. “[Management] will look at that. [General manager] Steve [Mills] and [president] Phil [Jackson] and those guys will look at whatever can help us out. We know we need some help there.”

The Knicks have been in the bottom third of the NBA’s defensive ratings all season and are currently seventh worst in points allowed at 108.5 per game. Adjusted for pace, they slip to fifth in the league.

Improvement will have to come outside of the current roster, Begley notes, as young front-line players Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez haven’t excelled at on-ball defense, although Hornacek said Hernangomez has been improving.

“He gives us different options,” the coach said. “He’s got quicker feet, so maybe we can pull him up on screens more often, that might help us out. Playing [Porzingis] at the 5, maybe with his length, if we keep him back. So we can be better from the inside.”

The Knicks were hoping they had found a defensive anchor last summer when they gave a four-year, $72MM deal to Joakim Noah. But injuries have limited him to 46 games and his poor offensive play led Hornacek to keep him on the court only about 22 minutes per night.

Jeff Hornacek Talks Defensive Struggles

March 27th, 2017 at 9:36pm CST by Milo Taibi

The Knicks‘ defensive inconsistencies have haunted them all season. Per “Defensive Efficiency,” a metric devised by John Hollinger of ESPN, the Knicks rank 26th in the league with a 108.9 rating. Jeff Hornacek has previously voiced frustration at his team’s defensive effort- in early January he conceded “we just must not be good enough defensively”- but he doubled-down on his criticisms prior to Monday’s match-up with Detroit.

“Defensively, we’ve got a lot of work,” Hornacek told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of the Daily News. “We’ve got to try to figure out what’s going to be best for us. The personnel, we were trying to mix things up a little bit, see if we can find something that worked. We never really found anything. But going into next year we need to really stay with one way and keep practicing until we get it right.”

Hornacek alluding to next season is a recent development. Only in mid-March, when the Knicks were already 6.5 games out of the eighth seed, did Hornacek acknowledge “the playoffs may not be in reach.” (Daily News link) Hornacek’s job security appears to be intact, per a March 16 report from Marc Berman of the New York Post.

With Hornacek at the helm for a second season, however, the Knicks will have to make roster adjustments to improve on each end of the court. As Bondy points out, Derrick Rose, Courtney Lee, and Carmelo Anthony have all had bottom-35 defensive ratings around the league.

“We can use some more defensive players. They’ll look at that. Steve (Mills) and Phil (Jackson) and the front office will look at whatever can help us out. We know we need some help there,” Hornacek said.

Knicks Notes: Hernangomez, Noah, Anthony, Draft

March 26th, 2017 at 9:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Willy Hernangomez is making a strong case to be the Knicks’ starting center next season, regardless of Joakim Noah‘s suspension, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Hernangomez had another impressive game Saturday with a career-best 24 points and 13 rebounds in a loss to the Spurs. He has been the primary starter since February 4th, when Noah was sidelined by a hamstring injury. The rookie center is signed through the 2019/20 season.

Coach Jeff Hornacek isn’t ready to commit to a starting center for next season, but he admits Hernangomez will be in the mix. “It’s probably too early,’’ Hornacek said. “We still look at [Kristaps Porzingis] at the five sometimes, and Willy at the 4. And the way the league is going, we’re going to find one of those two guys if we play these teams that have a 6-7 4-man. One of those two guys is going to have to guard him.’’

There’s more this morning out of New York:

Noah could start serving his 20-game suspension as early as Tuesday if he is medically cleared to return to practice, Berman adds in the same story. That would knock eight games off the suspension for this year and leave him out of action for the first 12 games of next season. Noah had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in late February.
Carmelo Anthony was held out for his second straight game with a minor knee issue, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The Knicks played six rookies Saturday as they dropped to 27-46 and are now tied with the Magic for fourth place in our latest Reverse Standings.
Even though the Knicks need backcourt help in the draft, they could take a long look at Kansas forward Josh Jackson, according to Neil Best of Newsday. Jackson is considered a top five pick, and Jayhawks coach Bill Self believes he has the versatility to succeed as a pro. “In the NBA they talk about skill sets,” Self said. “Does he have an NBA skill? I think Josh has multiple NBA skills. He’s a guard that can obviously play much bigger than that. You could almost play him at four spots offensively, and he’s big enough and quick enough that he could almost guard four sports defensively.” With Kansas being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament Saturday, Jackson is expected to declare for the draft soon.

Knicks Rumors: Carmelo, Rose, Jennings, Plumlee

March 23rd, 2017 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

After a confusing and disappointing 2016/17 season that saw the Knicks mixing and matching the triangle offense with Jeff Hornacek‘s more fast-paced system, the team will head into next season focused solely on the triangle. And that means that one or two members of the club’s “big three” may not be back.

As Marc Berman of The New York Post and Frank Isola of The New York Daily News detail, Hornacek didn’t come right out and say that players like Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose, who aren’t particularly fond of the triangle, won’t be Knicks next season. However, he hinted that those veterans may have to change their views on the triangle — otherwise, Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills “will look at other guys.”

Asked about the Knicks’ offense, Anthony admits that he liked the faster and more free-flowing approach that the team had earlier in the season, per Berman. “We kind of slowed down, started settling it down,” Anthony said. “Not as fast. The pace slowed down for us — something we had to make an adjustment on the fly with limited practice time, in the course of a game. Once you get into the season, it’s hard to readjust a whole system.”

Rose is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, so – triangle or no triangle – there’s a decent chance he’ll land elsewhere. As for Anthony, his aversion to Jackson’s system is one reason why the Knicks have considered moving him, but he’ll have to waive his no-trade clause for a deal to happen.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Although he has suggested in the past that he’ll seek a lucrative contract in free agency, Rose said on Wednesday that he’s “not even thinking money” as his free agency approaches, according to Berman. “I’ve got more than enough money saved. If I stopped playing basketball now, I’ll be alright. I want to win,” Rose said. “I want to be happy and feel at peace with myself wherever I’m at. But being at the negotiating table, you never know. I’m not going to negotiate with people where money is the No. 1 thing I’m asking for.”
Now a member of the Wizards, Brandon Jennings spoke to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News about why things didn’t work out for him in New York. One major factor? “I didn’t really understand the triangle,” Jennings said. “I think that was my biggest thing. I really didn’t understand it.”
With the Knicks taking a longer look at their young players down the stretch, rookie big man Marshall Plumlee will see more minutes. As Berman writes for The Post, Plumlee is hopeful that he can carve out a role as an effective defender and rebounder off the bench.

Knicks Rumors: Carmelo, Rose, Draft Targets

March 21st, 2017 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The triangle offense continues to be a source of tension in New York, with sources suggesting to Ian Begley of ESPN.com that the Knicks’ return to the triangle is one reason some veteran players have started to lose faith in head coach Jeff Hornacek recently. Despite Hornacek’s recent insistence that the triangle could hold some appeal to free agents, there’s concern in some corners of the organization that it could do the opposite, driving free agents away from the Knicks, Begley reports.

As Begley outlines, some Knicks players feel that the triangle is too easy for opposing teams to defend, with opposing players suggesting that they can predict where players will be on the court. Pacers point guard Jeff Teague alluded to this recently, telling Marc Berman of The New York Post that a player like Derrick Rose is easier to contain when he’s playing in the triangle.

According to Begley, there’s also some concern that if Knicks president Phil Jackson leaves the team in two or three years, there would be no guarantee that the team’s new president would insist on the same system. That could complicate the development of young players like Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez, who would then have to learn a new offense after getting accustomed to the triangle.

Begley has several more Knicks-related items of interest to pass along, so let’s round up some of the highlights…

After shopping Carmelo Anthony a little earlier this year, the Knicks “remain committed” to moving him this summer, per Begley. Anthony will still control his future, so he’d have to waive his no-trade clause to accommodate a deal. However, sources tell Begley that some members of the Clippers organization expressed confidence last month that they could acquire Carmelo in the offseason.
Although the Knicks appeared at the trade deadline to be souring on the idea of keeping Derrick Rose long-term, the club hasn’t ruled out the possibility of re-signing him, says Begley. Some members of the organization view Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague as potential free agent targets as well, as New York searches for an answer at point guard.
The Knicks will almost certainly have a top-10 pick in this year’s draft, and according to Begley, they’ve been eyeing players such as French guard Frank Ntilikina and Kentucky sharpshooter Malik Monk.
Team owner James Dolan publicly stated earlier in the year that he intends to exercise the Knicks’ half of the mutual option on Phil Jackson‘s contract this summer. Still, sources tell Begley that some people around Dolan have been urging him to consider making a change.

New York Notes: Nets, Dinwiddie, Knicks, Carmelo

March 21st, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

As we noted on Monday, CSKA Moscow guard Milos Teodosic is mulling a move to the NBA this summer, and will be seeking a team that can give him playing time, a competitive contract, and – most importantly – a chance to contend. Brooklyn has been linked to Teodosic, but as Brian Lewis of The New York Post observes, the lottery-bound Nets can probably only offer two of the three things on the Euroleague star’s wish list.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

With Jeremy Lin sidelined again, unheralded young guard Spencer Dinwiddie will take over as the Nets‘ starting point guard down the stretch. As Ryan Lazo of The New York Post writes, Dinwiddie only has a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18, but hopes to prove in the coming weeks that he belongs on the roster for the long term.
The Knicks are on track to miss out on a playoff spot for the fourth straight season, and Carmelo Anthony admits that he has been forced to consider his future with the franchise and whether he can win in New York, writes Jovan Buha of ESPN.com. “I try to put everything into perspective,” Anthony said. “I think about it all. I think about here. I think about the postseason. I think about my teammates. I just think about everything. It’s not just one specific thing that I think about. I think about it a lot.” Anthony, of course, has a no-trade clause that he could waive if the Knicks were to approach him with a trade scenario he liked.
Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek noted on Monday that his team often doesn’t make the extra pass necessary to get a higher-percentage shot, prompting Marc Berman of The New York Post to wonder if the comment was a dig at any specific Knicks players.

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Thomas, Poeltl

March 20th, 2017 at 5:09pm CST by Austin Kent

Second-year big man Kristaps Porzingis knew early on that the Knicks weren’t going to be a competitive team this season, citing a lack of chemistry and teamwork. Marc Berman of the New York Post wrote about the sophomore’s troubling realization as the franchise finds itself staring at a 27-42 record.

“I think it was pretty easy to tell from the inside that we’re not that good of a team,” Porzingis said of the Knicks. “We can win games based on our talent, but it’s not going to last long. [We needed] more work, attention to details, to keep growing as a team. A good team needs time to play together.”

The forward, whose averaged 18.0 points per game across 58 contests so far this season, acknowledged that the transition process can be difficult and that the Knicks did add several fresh faces like starting point guard Derrick Rose, but it was a disappointing year nonetheless.

“Of course, we all expected big things out of this year, but from the beginning it didn’t feel like — I felt we’d make big runs, but we weren’t there at that level where we wanted to be,” Porzingis said. “We can see now we’re not where we want it to be.”

After a two-game hiatus, guard Isaiah Thomas is back in action for the Celtics, Chris Forsberg of ESPN tweets. The All-Star had been nursing a knee bruise. The 29.2 point-per-game scorer returns as the C’s sit 2.5 games back of the Cavaliers for the top seed in the East.
Though sparsely used for the majority of his rookie campaign, first-year big man Jakob Poeltl is earning the trust of Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. “Every time you put him in, he does something positive,” Casey said. “There’s that trust, not only with myself but with his teammates. He’s doing positive things, he plays with physicality.” Poeltl has averaged 16.8 minutes per game in his last five contests.
Pressed to talk about the city of Los Angeles, Carmelo Anthony told the New York Post’s Marc Berman that he thinks L.A. is a relaxing place and that his family feels comfortable there. He also said, “Nah, don’t start, I haven’t thought about it,” though, so take it for what it’s worth. “I try not to think about it,” Anthony told the reporter. “Especially now when I’m still playing with the New York Knicks.“

Carmelo Anthony Stages Triangle ‘Protest’

March 12th, 2017 at 9:04am CST by Arthur Hill

Carmelo Anthony still has at least 16 games left as a Knick, but there are more signs that it will continue to be a rocky relationship.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes that Anthony seemed to be staging a “protest” Saturday night as he took just nine shots in a 20-point loss at Detroit. He rarely dribbled or tried to create shots and passed the ball quickly unless he was wide open. It’s only the third time in his career that he has played more than 35 minutes and takenfewer than 10 shots.

“We were just playing within the offense and just taking what they were giving me,” Anthony said with a smile after the game. “Just play the right way in this system.”

The system is Phil Jackson’s controversial triangle offense, which Anthony refuses to mention by name. He and Jackson clashed earlier in the season when the team president alleged that Anthony was holding the ball too long to make the offense work.

“It’s just hard for me to be talking about that in March, in the middle of March, to still be talking about our system and what we’re running instead of just playing basketball,” Anthony said Saturday.

It’s the latest sign that Anthony and the Knicks could be headed for a breakup this summer after another disappointing season. At 26-40 and six and a half games out of the eighth spot, they are almost certain of missing the playoffs for a fourth straight year.

Jackson contacted the Clippers, Celtics and Cavaliers to attempt to work out a deal for Anthony before the deadline, and the consensus is that he will try again this offseason. Anthony will make $26,243,760 next season, then has a $27,928,140 early termination option for 2018/19. There’s also the matter of his no-trade clause, but Anthony might be more likely than ever to approve a deal to join a winning organization and escape the triangle.