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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: Rose, Jackson, Lin, McDaniels

March 19th, 2017 at 11:56am CST by Arthur Hill

NBA agents are forecasting a disappointing free agent market for Knicks guard Derrick Rose, with one calling him “the next [Rajon] Rondo,” relays Fred Kerber of The New York Post. New York is considered unlikely to try to re-sign Rose, who has been a disappointment since being acquired in a trade with the Bulls last summer. The unidentified agent who compared him to Rondo said Rose will probably get a short-term deal from a bad team worth about $15MM per year. Another expects him to take less money to join a better organization, probably $8MM to $10MM or $10MM to $12MM annually.

One positive for Rose this season has been health, as he has appeared in 60 of the Knicks’ 69 games and is on track for the most he has played since a devastating ACL tear in 2012. “I really believe I worked my butt off this summer to hold up,” Rose said. “I had aches and nagging injuries [in the past]. This year I didn’t have that. Every game, it’s a fatigue factor, but as far as how my body’s feeling, my body’s holding up pretty well.”

There’s more today out of the Big Apple:

Most of the current Knicks aren’t comfortable in the triangle offense and would like to see the team abandon it, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com. They believe the tight spacing makes it difficult to drive to the basket and say the offense results in a lot of contested shots. If team president Phil Jackson insists on running the triangle, he might have to overhaul the roster to make it work. There are also concerns that the young players who are learning the triangle will have to make a huge adjustment when Jackson leaves.
The Nets are finally enjoying the benefits of teaming Jeremy Lin with Brook Lopez, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn was expecting the combination to be the core of the team after signing Lin last July, but injuries wiped out a major part of his season. The Nets are 7-11 with Lopez and Lin in the lineup together, but just 6-44 otherwise. “That growth is absolutely there, and I think it’s going to get exponentially better,’’ Lopez said. “That’s team-wise as well. When you really look at our situation, I don’t think we’ve all been out there at the same time. We’ve got some new guys who are coming in. They don’t know all the plays, they’re just getting thrown in the fire in the heat of the moment, but they’re producing. That bodes well for our future.”
Nets coach Kenny Atkinson has been happy with the play of K.J. McDaniels, who was acquired from Houston at the deadline, tweets NetsDaily.com. “He’s given us some quality minutes,” Atkinson said. “He’s a smart player, he can stretch the floor. I like his IQ and spirit.”

Jeff Teague Likes New York, But Not The Triangle

March 15th, 2017 at 7:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The triangle may discourage Pacers point guard Jeff Teague from considering the Knicks when he becomes a free agent this summer, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post.

Teague is considered among the possible replacements for Derrick Rose, who may not be re-signed when his contract expires at the end of the season. Teague said he hoped to be traded to New York in 2014, but that was before Phil Jackson arrived as team president with his triangle offense.

Teague, who will be 29 in June, believes the approach isn’t a good one for a penetrating point guard like himself or Rose, saying, “I think a player like Rose, it gives you a better chance of containing him.”

An Indiana native, Teague may decide to stay with the Pacers, who own his Bird rights and can offer more money and more years than other other team. However, this will be his first experience as an unrestricted free agent, and the Knicks should be among the interested organizations if he decides to listen to offers. New York could have nearly $25MM in cap space if Rose is not re-signed.

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek is defending the triangle and claims it could be a selling point for free agents.

“There might be players out there who think that way,” he said in response to Teague’s comments, “but there are also probably players out there who say, ‘Oh, man, I’d like to run something like that.’ Guys might not necessarily want to run around in the staggers. It’s still an offense guys who are knowledgeable in the game should like. It’s a strategy almost every time down the court as a player. In a way, looking at it that way, it’s fun to run.’’

This is Teague’s first season with the Pacers after seven years in Atlanta. He is making $8.8MM and averages 15.1 points and 7.9 assists per game.

Central Notes: Payne, Mirotic, Bucks, Parker

March 9th, 2017 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls had reportedly been seeking first-round picks in exchange for players like Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott prior to the trade deadline, but instead they sent both Gibson and McDermott to the Thunder – along with a second-rounder – for a package headlined by point guard Cameron Payne. As Shams Charania of The Vertical writes, the Bulls paid a hefty price for Payne, who is now hoping he can deliver on the team’s belief in him, calling the move to Chicago a “blessing in disguise.”

“It’s going to take time, but I want to be the guy for the Bulls’ future,” Payne told Charania. “I felt like OKC wanted something else, and I’m happy that Chicago felt the need to come trade for me. With what they gave up to get me, it meant a lot.”

Let’s round up a few more items from around the Central division…

Within the piece linked above, Charania also notes that the Bulls had “several serious discussions” about trading Nikola Mirotic prior to the deadline, and were seeking a first-round pick in return. Ultimately, Chicago hung onto Mirotic, and now the team will have to see if it can hang onto him in restricted free agency this July.
With the Knicks in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Derrick Rose acknowledged that the Bucks are somewhat intriguing as a potential free agent destination this summer, given Milwaukee’s proximity to his hometown and his family in Chicago. Marc Berman of The New York Post has the details, along with the quotes from Rose.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since going down with a torn ACL last month, Bucks forward Jabari Parker said today that he believes he can come back even stronger, according to Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I don’t want to be the same player,” said Parker, who is still on crutches. “I wouldn’t be myself if I don’t challenge myself to do better things, bigger things. … I know I can be better.” Parker, who said he hopes to play 40 or 50 games this season, will be eligible for an extension later this year, as I discussed earlier today.

Knicks Notes: Jackson, Noah, Randle, Rose

March 7th, 2017 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

After speaking to Phil Jackson following Sunday’s game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr suggested that the Knicks president may be having a hard time dealing with another sub-.500 season from his club, as Mike Vorkunov of The New York Times details.

“It’s hard,” Kerr said. “It’s hard for anybody. A competitor like Phil — Phil is a fierce competitor — so losing eats competitors up. It’s no fun, but that’s part of it and part of the deal when you’re in this business, for sure.”

Despite making a series of win-now moves in the 2016 offseason, the Knicks remain out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, with a winning percentage only slightly better than last season’s mark. Since Jackson took over as the team’s president of basketball operations, New York is just 75-153 (.329).

As Jackson and the Knicks try to find a way to turn things around for 2017/18, here are a few more notes out of New York:

Knicks center Joakim Noah underwent a procedure on his knee last week that was expected to keep him out for the rest of the season, but Noah hasn’t given up on the idea of getting back on the court in the coming weeks, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. “I want to play,” said Noah, who has begun “light” rehab work. “Right now, I’m just taking it day by day. The next step is getting strength back in my leg and go from there.”
Knicks fans in favor of tanking down the stretch may not have loved it, but Chasson Randle showed on Monday why the Knicks moved quickly to sign him after releasing Brandon Jennings, says Marc Berman of The New York Post. As Berman observes, Randle had a plus-27 rating in New York’s win in Orlando, compared to a minus-23 mark for starting point guard Derrick Rose. Randle has a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18, so the Knicks figure to take a longer look at him down the stretch this season to see if he’ll be part of the club’s plans for next season.
Speaking of Rose, Iannazzone has the details on the point guard’s left eye, which was on the receiving end of an inadvertent elbow from Kristaps Porzingis on Sunday. According to Iannazzone, Rose saw an eye specialist after the game, but was told everything is OK.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Rose, Horford

March 3rd, 2017 at 1:04pm CST by Austin Kent

The foundation of the Sixers franchise is cracked, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The scribe turns a spotlight on the organization for its handling of injuries to star players and even the management of its payroll this year and last.

Ambiguity and a lack of transparency with regard to the recovery times of players like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons call into question whether the club has a management problem or just a communication problem. Regardless, the “fans and players need this organization to be run better,” he writes. Recently the Sixers revealed that both Embiid and Simmons will miss the remainder of the 2016/17 campaign after several weeks of misplaced optimism and muted details about the severity of their injuries.

Finally, Cooney acknowledges that for the second time in two years the franchise has taken on and eaten the lofty contracts of opposing teams’ veterans in bids to push their payroll closer to the salary floor. A team that doesn’t reach the salary floor is obligated to pay the difference out to the players on their roster, but by taking on Andrew Bogut‘s deal, the club absolves itself of the responsibility. The part of Bogut’s $11MM contract that the Sixers inherited in the Nerlens Noel trade, of course, is prorated relative to how much of the 2016/17 season he spent with each organization.

“Don’t think that hasn’t soured some, if not most,” of the Sixers’ players, Cooney cautions.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

A less-than-impressive showing on defense in Wednesday night’s Sixers loss has Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bob Ford wondering if “Jahlil Okafor‘s career in Philadelphia may have ended with that one play.”
Injured big man Joel Embiid is taking his setback in stride. “Be back soon,” the Sixers rookie tweeted Thursday. “The process has to be postponed.”
While the Knicks as an organization moved to embrace the triangle offense, point guard Derrick Rose isn’t so enthusiastic. “S—, do I have a choice? Do I have a choice?” he joked with Ian Begley of ESPN and reporters on Thursday.
While it wasn’t long ago that it seemed Derrick Rose was on his way out of New York, he’ll remain with the Knicks for the rest of the year and, per Laura Albanese of Newsday, is working on adding a three-point shot.
The Raptors will need to play with more energy and passion if they’re to stop their slide down the Eastern Conference standings, writes Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun. Modified minute distributions for the second unit may be in the cards as well.
The impact of Al Horford on the Celtics isn’t always measured by traditional statistics, writes A. Sherrod Blakey of CSN New England. “He makes plays, high basketball IQ, he can score, he can pass, he can rebound and the way he played (against Cleveland) we need him to play like that for us to win. He does a lot for us that doesn’t even go on the stat sheet though,” says point guard Isaiah Thomas.

Knicks Notes: Point Guard Search, Rose, Thomas

March 3rd, 2017 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks will have a hard time finding their next point guard either through the draft or free agency, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. With Derrick Rose unlikely to return next season, getting a replacement will be an offseason priority. However, Kerber notes that New York’s draft pick won’t be high enough to snag one of the elite point guards available, and the top free agents are likely to stay where they are.

The Knicks are currently in a three-way tie for eighth in our latest Reverse Standings, giving them just a remote shot at a top two pick that will probably be necessary to draft Washington’s Markelle Fultz or UCLA’s Lonzo Ball. That leaves lower-tier options such as De’Aaron Fox of Kentucky or international standout Frank Ntilikina.

The problem is similar in free agency, where the Knicks will have about $25MM to spend, but the best available players — Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry and George Hill — are all expected to remain with their current teams. Kerber says the Knicks might target Jrue Holiday or Jeff Teague, but the Pelicans and Pacers with both have Bird rights and the advantages of being able to offer more money and more years.

There’s more this morning from New York:

Rose is optimistic about reaching the playoffs despite the Knicks’ 25-36 record, and says he plans to unleash his 3-point shot in the postseason, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I’m trying to put pieces of my game together,” Rose said. “I’m not shooting 3s yet. Hopefully I’ll start shooting them in the playoffs. It’s going to take a lot of sacrifice and dedication to get there. I’m just adding pieces to my game throughout the season.”
One positive for Rose this season has been his health, Berman notes in the same piece. Rose has appeared in 52 of the team’s 61 games, and if he plays 15 more it will be the most in a season since his ACL tear in 2012. “Two times, three times a day, the entire summer,” Rose said of his offseason workout schedule. “I worked on my game and body. That’s one of the reasons my body is holding up.”
The Knicks’ defense has improved significantly since Lance Thomas returned six games ago, Berman writes in a separate story. Thomas missed about a month after taking an elbow to the face in a January game and breaking the orbital bone. The time off also allowed Thomas to overcome plantar fasciitis that had been affecting him since training camp.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Jackson, Rose, Porzingis

March 1st, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Carmelo Anthony wants another face-to-face meeting with Knicks president Phil Jackson after the season, according to Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Anthony is seeking clarity on his future in New York after the team reportedly discussed trading him to the Celtics, Cavaliers or Clippers before last week’s deadline. Any of those deals would have required Anthony to waive his no-trade clause.

Anthony wants to address the rest of this season before discussing his next move. “I don’t think right now,” he said. “Right now we’ve got to sit down and kind of finish these games and go back down to the drawing board after this season.”

There’s more news out of New York:

Anthony wasn’t notified before Brandon Jennings was waived on Monday, but said he understands not being part of every personnel decision, Kerber relays in the same piece. Jennings had requested the move and agreed to a buyout so he could join a contender. He signed with the Wizards earlier today. “As players we don’t really know what happens behind closed doors unless they bring it to us,” Anthony said. “That wasn’t something that they brought to us.”
Derrick Rose‘s desire to play for a winner will affect his decisions in free agency this summer, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Rose plans to address that topic with Knicks management during his exit meeting. “We had extremely high expectations for this team,” Rose said. “The reality is, I can’t get mad at it. If anything it’s a learning experience. I have to learn from it.’’ Rose can sign an extension with New York before the start of free agency July 1st, but the team has been disappointed with his performance since last summer’s trade with Chicago and may not want to make a long-term commitment.
Coach Jeff Hornacek has incorporated Jackson’s triangle offense more frequently as the season wears on, and big man Kristaps Porzingis believes that’s the right approach, Berman writes in a separate story. “We should’ve been playing it from the beginning of the season,’’ Porzingis said. “We’re a little behind. I don’t know when we can finally start using it properly and making an impact.”

Knicks To Target Jrue Holiday In Free Agency?

February 28th, 2017 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

Some members of the Knicks organization view Jrue Holiday as a free agent target for the club this summer, league sources tell Ian Begley of ESPN.com. As Begley points out, team president Phil Jackson displayed interest in trading for Holiday earlier in his tenure in New York, so it makes sense that the veteran point guard would be on the Knicks’ radar in the offseason.

After missing the start of the season due to a personal matter, Holiday has appeared in 45 games for the Pelicans in 2016/17, averaging 15.9 PPG and 7.4 APG to go along with a .457/.374/.705 shooting line. The 26-year-old is in the final year of his current contract, putting him in line to hit the open market this summer.

Although there are a number of big-name free agent point guards set to hit the market in July, many of those players – such as Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, and Kyle Lowry – are viewed as highly likely to re-sign with their current teams. That could leave a player like Holiday as one of the top options left on the board, though New Orleans is expected to make a strong effort to lock him up. Holiday acknowledged last week that the Pelicans view him as a part of their future along with Anthony Davis and newly-acquired DeMarcus Cousins.

The Knicks have a free-agent-to-be point guard of their own on the roster, with Derrick Rose on an expiring deal. Earlier in the season, it appeared that there might be mutual interest between Rose and the Knicks in a contract extension, but the odds of Rose remaining in New York long-term seem to have declined since then.

Here are a few more Knicks notes:

On Monday, head coach Jeff Hornacek “firmly denied” that the Knicks had moved into tank mode, as Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “Who says we’re trying to lose?” Hornacek said. “As a team we’re not thinking about losing. We’re still trying to win. Brandon [Jennings] being waived doesn’t mean [not] trying to win games. We feel Ron Baker can fill right in. It’s a different dynamic. He can control things and provide defense.”
According to Berman, the Knicks recognized that Jennings was “unhappy” with his role in New York and that he would have been upset if his playing time had been reduced down the stretch. A source tells Berman that the Knicks felt the veteran guard was “no longer a fit” with the team, leading to his release. “Brandon wanted to play more minutes here,” Hornacek said. “With Derrick here, it made it awfully tough.”
As Berman explains, even if the Knicks’ interest in re-signing Rose this summer is limited, the team may hang onto him until season’s end to keep his cap hold on the books, in case it can help accommodate a sign-and-trade.

Knicks Notes: Rose, Jennings, Randle, Ndour

February 27th, 2017 at 6:39pm CST by Milo Taibi

The Knicks appear to be done with buyouts after parting ways with Brandon Jennings today. While there was some speculation about Derrick Rose being cut by the club, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN suggests the Knicks probably won’t complete any more buyouts unless “a player they like becomes available.” (Twitter link)

Despite Jeff Hornacek‘s words to the contrary, the Knicks appear to be in full-on tank mode at this point. Sporting a 24-35 record, the Knicks are four games behind Detroit for the eighth seed of the Eastern Conference.