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Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Ntilikina, Jack

October 29th, 2017 at 2:09pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Knicks have their first win of the season in the books after crushing the Nets at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Now, the real challenge begins for the team’s franchise linchpin, Kristaps Porzingis, as the Knicks face the powerhouse Cavaliers. Marc Berman of the New York Post opines that a strong showing against an elite team — despite Cleveland losing three of its last four games — is imperative for Porzingis.

Porzingis averaged just 11.3 PPG in four games against the Cavaliers last season. Thus far this season, Porzingis has post 30+ points in three of the Knicks’ first four games. The Latvian forward realizes that a strong performance against the defending Eastern Conference champions would be a great step forward.

“Cleveland is Cleveland,’’ Porzingis said. “They’re have a lot — LeBron — and it’s always tough to play against them. Especially me, I haven’t had great games or we as a team against Cleveland. Hopefully, we can play the same way defensively against them and have a possibility of winning.’’

There’s more news surrounding the Knicks:

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek is concerned about pushing rookie guard Frank Ntilikina too hard after his early season struggles, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. Ntilikina, 19, looked great in his MSG debut against Brooklyn on Friday, but an ankle injury forced him to miss several games to open the season. “If he earns that starting spot, fine. But we have to keep an eye on him, with the little bumps and bruises that he has had, to not throw him to the wolves,” Hornacek said.
Veteran Jarrett Jack stepped in for fellow veteran Ramon Sessions to start against the Nets. Jack had an efficient performance, posting eight points, five assists, and seven rebounds the night before his 33rd birthday. As Marc Berman of the New York Post writes, Jack could step into the role of starter with Sessions being cut once Joakim Noah‘s suspension ends.

Mills: Knicks Won’t Trade Ntilikina Or Hernangomez

October 29th, 2017 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks consider Frank Ntilikina and Willy Hernangomez part of their future and don’t plan to include either in a trade for Suns guard Eric Bledsoe, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Team president Steve Mills conveyed those sentiments today in a meeting with reporters in Cleveland, effectively quashing speculation that the Knicks might be involved in the chase for Bledsoe.

Ntilikina has been limited by injuries and Hernangomez has seen his playing time cut because of a logjam at center, but Mills said both are considered valuable components going forward. He added that coach Jeff Hornacek approached this season the right way by making Hernangomez work for his playing time. “This is part of Willy’s development,’’ Mills said. “He’s a guy who’s going to be with us [at least] the next three years and we have a lot of time to work with him, and he’s going to be part of who we are.”

There’s more from Mills’ session with the media:

Even though the Knicks are off to a 1-3 start following a winless preseason, no thought has been given to a coaching change. Mills pledged that “Jeff, [GM] Scott [Perry] and I are in this together,” although he stopped short of guaranteeing that Hornacek will be safe for the entire season. “We told him to focus on getting the team better and finding ways to reduce the turnovers and make sure we’re improving defensively,” Mills said of a recent meeting with Hornacek. “That’s what our goal was. We didn’t focus on the record. Our focus is how we’re improving over the course of the season. If we do all the things from a defensive standpoint, wins will come out of that. I do believe it’s getting better.”
The organization is stressing stability in the wake of the chaotic reign of former team president Phil Jackson, who was fired over the offseason. Mills doesn’t believe it would be healthy to make another significant move so soon. “We need to make sure we’re doing as a team and doing the things we said we were going to do over the summer,” he said. “As long as we’re doing those things, we’ll continue to build this group. Stability is important for this group. We haven’t had a lot of it here.”
Despite the injuries, the organization has been impressed by Ntilikina, the eighth selection in this year’s draft. “He’s not a flashy player but does the right things, plays solid defensively, willing to challenge guys right from the start,” Mills said. “The way he played, with the style he played, was what we saw when we scouted him. … “We’re committed to him and his development. What we’re trying to do with this team, it centers around guys like Frank, KP, draft picks moving forward.”
The Knicks will have to make a roster move next month when Joakim Noah‘s suspension expires. They signed two veteran point guards over the offseason in Ramon Sessions and Jarrett Jack, and Mills said the team would like to keep both. “We always knew we needed veterans to help support Frank,’’ he explained. “Was that going to be Ramon as starter? Jarrett as starter? They both bring different things to the table. Jarrett did a great job of calming things down. Ramon brings different things to the table. They both mentor Frank in different ways. We feel we need guys like that to bring Frank along.’’

Knicks Notes: Noah, Ntilikina, Anthony, McDermott

September 24th, 2017 at 9:06am CST by Arthur Hill

The addition of Enes Kanter in Saturday’s Carmelo Anthony trade makes center Joakim Noah a stronger candidate for the stretch provision, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Knicks signed Noah to a four-year, $72MM free agent deal last summer, and he is owed $55MM over the next three seasons. Kanter will make $20.5MM+ this season and has a player option worth more than $18.6MM for 2018/19, so that’s a lot to pay two centers when Willy Hernangomez and Kyle O’Quinn are also on the roster.

Noah had a nightmarish first season in New York marked by disappointing performance, shoulder surgery and a drug suspension that will carry through the first 11 games of this year. Knicks management may want to get him off the roster, but the deadline to stretch this season’s salary passed on August 31, so the team is stuck with his $17.765MM and the accompanying cap hit. It could use the stretch provision on the $37.825MM Noah is owed over the final two years of his contract, paying $7.565MM a year over the next five seasons.

There’s more from New York this morning:

The Knicks view Frank Ntilikina as their point guard of the future, but veterans Ramon Sessions and Jarrett Jack will probably compete to be the opening-night starter, Berman adds in the same piece. A bruised knee forced the rookie to miss summer league, and the Knicks want to let him grow into the job, which GM Scott Perry believes is as difficult as being an NFL quarterback. Ron Baker, who re-signed this offseason, will spend more time at shooting guard.
Anthony was popular in the locker room, but was never seen by his teammates as a leader, Berman writes in a separate piece. Two of his former coaches, Mike D’Antoni and George Karl, thought he valued individual achievements and his personal agenda more than winning. Berman also wonders how much of Anthony’s prime is still left at age 33.
The Knicks hope Doug McDermott, who was also acquired in the Anthony deal, will give them a three-point threat who can handle both forward positions, Berman adds. One scout calls him a taller version of Kyle Korver.
If Kanter opts in for next season and McDermott isn’t re-signed, the Knicks will have saved about $8MM by trading Anthony, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley.

Knicks Notes: Beasley, Anthony, Rambis, Jack, Triangle

September 19th, 2017 at 8:48pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Knicks unveiled one of their latest signings, journeyman Michael Beasley, during a press conference at their Westchester training facility on Tuesday. Beasley, a former second overall pick from the 2008 draft class, is confident as he joins his fifth team in six seasons, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes.

Beasley, 28, averaged 9.4 PPG and 3.4 RPG in 56 games (six starts) with the Bucks last season. It was Beasley’s first season playing more than 55 games since his 2012/13 campaign with the Suns. Beasley feels that if Carmelo Anthony stays, and the rest of the team performs up to expectations, the Knicks can be a “five, six seed” in the Eastern Conference.

“Tim Hardaway Jr., Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and myself — those are four guys that can score 25 points per game,’’ Beasley said. “Then you add in Lance Thomas, Kyle O’Quinn, Joakim Noah — let’s not forget about that All-Star,” Beasley said. “It’s up to us to put it together just like it was up to them last year. Whatever happened last year is what happened. But I’m here now, and I’m going to do everything I can to get everyone on the same page, even if that page is beating me up every day in practice.”

As we wait to see whether Beasley and the Knicks can deliver on his optimistic forecast, here are a few more Knicks notes:

In a separate story, Berman of the New York Post, dubbing Beasley as a possible Anthony replacement, notes that Knicks assistant coach Kurt Rambis played a role in bringing Beasley to New York. Beasley played under Rambis in Minnesota, and he confirmed that his former coach “had a lot to do” with him joining the Knicks, per ESPN’s Ian Begley (Twitter link).
After missing most of the last two seasons, 13-year veteran Jarrett Jack signed a deal with the Knicks last week. As Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes that the veteran likes the Knicks’ 2017 first-round pick, Frank Ntilikina. “He’s a solid kid, man,” Jack said. “Really, really can play. Really long arms, really active defensively. Great size. Just looking forward to giving him all the game that I’ve gotten over these 13 years.”
Berman of The New York Post writes that early indications are that the triangle offense may be a thing of the past, as expected after Phil Jackson‘s departure. The aforementioned Jack, who spoke to reporters about his experience at voluntary workouts, said that coach Jeff Hornacek has not mentioned the offensive scheme once.
Whether Anthony stays or traded elsewhere, his Knicks future is a no-win situation, Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders writes.

Knicks Sign Jarrett Jack To Non-Guaranteed Contract

September 15th, 2017 at 12:17pm CST by Austin Kent

SEPTEMBER 15, 12:17pm: Jack has officially signed his one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Knicks, sources tell Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 14, 4:10pm: The Knicks have agreed on a deal with veteran point guard Jarrett Jack, Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders writes. The deal is said to be a one-year, non-guaranteed pact.

We wrote just last week that the Knicks were in the market for a veteran point guard, supposedly considering a number of options ranging from Jack to Trey Burke and Archie Goodwin. Already rostered on the squad are Ramon Sessions and promising – but raw – lottery pick Frank Ntilikina.

Where Jack slots into the Knicks’ plans remains to be seen. The deal that Scotto reports is non-guaranteed, so it’s possible that the club will simply gauge Jack’s effectiveness through training camp. The 33-year-old has been ravaged by injuries since the first half of the 2015/16 season.

If Jack can establish himself as reliably healthy – a potentially significant “if” – he could potentially slot into the starting position ahead of Sessions, a career backup. If Jack ends up getting released, Sessions and second-year man Ron Baker could share the role until Ntilikina is ready to assume the top spot, which may not happen this season.

Through 12 seasons, including 343 starts, Jack has averaged 11.0 points and 4.5 assists per game. Aside from a two-game stint with the Pelicans last season, Jack’s last stint saw him post 12.2 and 5.4 across two seasons with the Nets.

Knicks Notes: Jack, Burke, Dotson

September 7th, 2017 at 6:05pm CST by Austin Kent

When the Knicks drafted Frank Ntilikina, they expected to bring him along slowly so that he could develop from a raw prospect into a dangerous core piece down the road. The loss of Derrick Rose via free agency, however, suddenly cleared room on the depth chart.

With nobody standing between Ntilikina and a significant workload early, New York went out and signed veteran reserve Ramon Sessions. It turns out, however, that there a few more playmakers the Knicks have been keeping their eye on. Per Ian Begley of ESPN, the club views Jarrett Jack and Trey Burke as potential adds as well.

This isn’t the first time that Jack’s name has been brought up by the New York media – in August Ohm Youngmisuk, also of ESPN, linked the Knicks to Jack and Archie Goodwin.

While Jack had a solid season across town with the Nets as recently as 2014/15, he has been besieged by injuries ever since.

Burke, in contrast, has simply seen his role decrease from season to season as his four-year career has drawn on. Though the former NCAA Tournament star is still just 24 years old, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll be anything but a bit player for the next team that he finds himself on.

If the Knicks are going to make a move to shore up their playmaking corps, they may want to act sooner than later. Begley’s tweet actually came in response to the news that the Trail Blazers had signed the aforementioned Goodwin to a training camp deal.

There’s more from the Knicks:

This isn’t the first time that New York’s point guard dilemma has been discussed lately. Frank Urbina of HoopsHype took a deep dive into the options the Knicks have available to them.
Houston-native Damyean Dotson was among those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Marc Berman of the New York Post caught up with the first-year Knicks guard to talk about the storm that he lived through.
A number of Knicks executives are in Europe watching their young players perform at EuroBasket 2017, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez and Mindaugas Kuzminskas are all currently playing for their respective national teams.

Knicks Consider Jarrett Jack, Archie Goodwin

August 23rd, 2017 at 6:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

In their quest for depth at point guard, the Knicks are considering both Jarrett Jack and Archie Goodwin, posts Ohm Youngmisuk on ESPN Now.

Jack, 33, would bring another veteran presence to a position currently occupied by Ron Baker, rookie Frank Ntilikina and journeyman Ramon Sessions, who signed with the team earlier this month. Jack is trying to rebound from two season-ending injuries, a torn ACL in his right knee in January of 2016 and a torn right meniscus in March of this year. His only NBA action last season was two games with the Pelicans after signing a 10-day contract in late February.

At 23, Goodwin fits in better with New York’s youth movement. He played briefly last season with the Pelicans and Nets, amassing a combined 15 games, and spent most of the year with the Greensboro Swarm in the G League. A late first-round pick in 2013, Goodwin played his first three NBA seasons with the Suns, where his coach was current Knicks mentor Jeff Hornacek.

New York has 19 players headed to camp, one under the league maximum. The Knicks are over the cap, so any offer would have to be for the veteran’s minimum.

Jarrett Jack To Miss 4-To-6 Weeks With Meniscus Tear

March 3rd, 2017 at 7:23pm CST by Milo Taibi

Jarrett Jack is expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks with a right lateral meniscus tear, the Pelicans announced in a press release. Jack, who signed a 10-day contract on February 24, appeared in two games with New Orleans, scoring six total points with five assists.

While the team hasn’t yet announced plans for Jack, GM Dell Demps has shown a propensity to waive injured players (Omri Casspi, Lance Stephenson) rather than use a short-handed roster. Jack was initially diagnosed with a torn right ACL on January 3, 2016, and has endured a difficult recovery ever since. From that point, Jack has been waived by the Nets, signed (and subsequently waived) by the Hawks, and signed with New Orleans.

Following the diagnosis, Jack tweeted “Would say frustrated but that word doesn’t even come close to doing my mood justice.” (Twitter link)

Pelicans Sign Jarrett Jack To 10-Day Deal

February 24th, 2017 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

12:33pm: The Pelicans have officially signed Jack to a 10-day contract, the team announced today (via Twitter).

9:56am: The Pelicans will add a veteran point guard to fill the final opening on their roster, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, who reports that Jarrett Jack has agreed to sign a 10-day contract with the team.

Jack, 33, was one of a handful of free agent guards to audition for the Pelicans this week in the wake of the team’s DeMarcus Cousins acquisition, which sent three guards – Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, and Langston Galloway – to Sacramento. Hollis Thompson and Jack have earned 10-day contracts with New Orleans, while Mario Chalmers, Quinn Cook, and Reggie Williams also worked out for the club this week.

After averaging 12.8 PPG and 7.4 APG through 32 games with the Nets last season, Jack suffered a torn ACL in January, cutting his season short. As a free agent this past summer, the Georgia Tech alum signed with the Hawks, but he was waived when his knee injury lingered into the preseason. It appears he’s fully healthy now.

Jack’s signing will give the Pelicans a full 15-man roster for now, with 13 of those players on guaranteed full-season contracts.

And-Ones: Cavs, Bogut, Barnes, Holiday

February 23rd, 2017 at 12:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Cavs won’t make a decision on Larry Sanders until after the trade deadline, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com passes along (ESPN Now link). Cleveland is also keeping an eye on the Andrew Bogut situation. The Cavs would like to bring the center aboard and they’re expected to be in the mix for him.

Here’s more from around the league:

Several teams have expressed interest in Matt Barnes, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com tweets. Sources tell Shelburne that he’s waiting until after the trade deadline to make a decision.
Jarrett Jack will audition for the Pelicans, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets. New Orleans is pursuing backcourt help after trading away several players in the DeMarcus Cousins deal.
Point guard and pending free agent Jrue Holiday said the Pelicans “see me as a part of [the future],” the team tweets. The organization is calling Holiday, DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis their version of a Big Three.
Mike Bibby and Ricky Davis will be the co-captains of the Ghost Ballers, the fourth official team in the new 3-on-3 league, according to a press release on BIG3.com.
Thunder center Enes Kanter returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since undergoing arm surgery, Royce Young of ESPN.com reports. It’s uncertain whether Kanter, who suffered a broken arm punching a chair on the bench on January 26th, will return to action on Friday against the Lakers.
Former Rockets center Yao Ming, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year, has been appointed as president of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to an ESPN.com report. He gave up ownership of the league’s Shanghai Sharks in order to take over his new role.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post