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Knicks Notes: Offensive Struggles, Anunoby, Randle, Milton, Rotation

March 11th, 2024 at 10:40am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks played their worst game of the season and posted their lowest offensive total in nearly six years in Sunday’s 79-73 loss to Philadelphia, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. It was the fewest points scored by any NBA team in 2023/24, barely eclipsing the 74 points that New York held Orlando to Friday night, and Knicks players were honest about their performance.

“We played like [expletive],” Josh Hart said. “I mean, we obviously didn’t shoot the ball well. Turnovers bad. I think I had six or seven myself … But we’ve got to try to flush it. Got them again on Tuesday. Try to come out and play better.”

The Knicks shot 32.5% from the field and committed 19 turnovers, with All-Star Jalen Brunson going just 6-of-22. The game had a late-1990s feel to it, Popper observes, including a fourth quarter altercation between Donte DiVincenzo and Kelly Oubre that led to a shoving match involving several players.

DiVincenzo refused to comment on the scuffle, but Oubre said, “All of that stuff’s funny to me. I don’t know why. I just laugh, because nobody’s gonna fight.”

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Coach Tom Thibodeau said OG Anunoby will travel with the team when it departs for the West Coast on Thursday, per Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link). There’s hope that Anunoby will be able to return soon from a right elbow injury that has sidelined him since January 27. Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson will also make the trip, but there are concerns about why Randle still hasn’t been cleared for contact, Begley adds.
Randle missed his 18th game of the season Sunday night, which means he won’t receive a $1.28MM bonus for appearing in 65 games, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Randle’s contract includes the same bonus for next season, which will now be considered unlikely. His cap hit will be adjusted to $28.9MM and the team will receive a $1.28MM tax variance credit for this season, Marks adds.
Shake Milton has only played one minute in three games since signing with the Knicks last week, but Thibodeau is urging him to be patient, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. “Just fit in and stay ready. Trades are hard in the middle of the season. You gotta learn the system,” Thibodeau said. “But I like what I’ve seen from him in terms of his attitude, his approach. He’s been very, very good.”
In a separate story, Popper examines what the Knicks’ rotation might look like if everyone is healthy. He notes that a potential starting five of Brunson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Randle and Robinson hasn’t played together yet. If that’s the starting unit, Popper expects Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein and Miles McBride to be the first three reserves. It’s tougher to determine who’s next in line, as Precious Achiuwa, Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, Jericho Sims and Milton will all be competing for limited minutes.

New York Notes: Knicks Injuries, Nets, Johnson, Sharpe, Thomas

March 7th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau gave injury updates on multiple players on Thursday, as Fred Katz of The Athletic relays (All Twitter links).

Thibodeau said forward OG Anunoby, who is recovering from right elbow surgery, has been doing contract drills and is playing five-on-five, which indicates he’s getting close to returning. He’ll be day-to-day moving forward, though he hasn’t yet been fully cleared to play. Anunoby last suited up on January 27.

According to Katz, Thibodeau gave a brief update on Mitchell Robinson, who has been sidelined since December 8 following foot surgery, saying, “Mitch looks good. He told me to tell everyone that.”

Thibodeau also said star guard Jalen Brunson was able to participate in most of Thursday’s practice, but he wasn’t sure what his status would be for the injury report ahead of Friday’s game vs. Orlando, Katz adds.

Here are a few more notes out of New York:

With 20 games remaining, the Nets are three games behind the Hawks for the No. 10 seed in the East — the final spot in the play-in tournament. As Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post writes, Brooklyn has the league’s second-easiest remaining schedule, but is embarking on a stretch with 10 of 11 games on the road, where the team is just 9-19 thus far in 2023/24. How the Nets fare over that stretch could determine whether or not they make the playoffs.
Nets forward Cameron Johnson exited Tuesday’s victory over Philadelphia with a right ankle sprain and was unable to return, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “Yeah, it’s just a right ankle sprain and we’re gonna evaluate him [Wednesday],” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “I imagine they’ll evaluate him [Tuesday night], but we’ll have more information [in the morning].” Johnson is officially out for Thursday’s matchup in Detroit, Lewis tweets. On the NBA’s latest injury report, backup center Day’Ron Sharpe has also been ruled out due to a right wrist contusion he sustained during a hard fall Monday.
In more positive news for the Nets, their second-leading scorer could return this weekend, according to Lewis (Twitter link). Cam Thomas has been battling a right ankle/midfoot sprain and will be out Thursday, but he might be back either Saturday vs. Charlotte or Sunday vs. Cleveland. The third-year guard will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, McBride, Randle, Anunoby, Hart

March 4th, 2024 at 7:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The left knee injury that knocked Jalen Brunson out of Sunday’s game in the first minute appears to be minor, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. There was extreme concern when Brunson had to be helped off the court after air-balling a jump shot and falling to the ground in pain. However, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that X-rays came back negative and hinted that Brunson might be available for Tuesday’s game against Atlanta.

“Anytime someone goes down like that you have concern, but then he felt a little better, he had the X-rays, he was examined by the doctors and so that news is good,” Thibodeau said. “… “I guess [it’s possible that he plays Tuesday against the Hawks]. It’s a knee contusion and everything was negative so we’ll see where he is [Monday].”

Replays showed that Brunson was injured when he collided with teammate Isaiah Hartenstein while running around a screen, Bondy adds. He appeared to suffer a jolt of pain as he released the jumper and called for the trainer as he grabbed his knee and shin area.

Donte DiVincenzo told Bondy that Brunson didn’t appear concerned after the game.

“I asked him if he was OK. And he said he’ll be fine. And that’s everything to me,” DiVincenzo said. “Like I said the last time he went down [with a sprained ankle earlier in the season], I don’t worry about Jalen. He’s one of the toughest guys in the league. … Whatever it is, he’s going to bounce back. He’s tough as nails.”

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New York was able to pick up an important road win without Brunson because of the gritty play of Miles McBride, Bondy states in a separate story. The backup guard replaced Brunson after the injury and never came out, logging more than 47 minutes while serving as the primary defender on Darius Garland and sinking a clutch three-pointer in the game’s final minute. “I feel fine honestly. That’s what I put in the offseason work for. I prepare my body for this,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen. [Brunson] should be fine hopefully, but got to be ready for anything.”
Thibodeau said Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby all took “the next step” on Sunday by traveling with the team for the first time since going down their respective injuries, Bondy adds in another piece. Randle and Anunoby have been cleared for basketball activities, and Bondy says there’s continued optimism that Randle will be able to avoid surgery on his dislocated right shoulder.
Josh Hart tied his career high with 19 rebounds as part of a triple-double on Sunday. He also took a playful jab at the Cavaliers’ bench after nailing a corner three-pointer with 1:36 remaining, grabbing at a chain worn by Donovan Mitchell, who was in street clothes, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “Me just kinda being a competitor and just having fun, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s tough,’” Hart said he told the bench. “And then I saw Donovan and obviously that’s my guy and then I saw the chain and I was like, ‘Ooh! That’s nice!’ But nah, I wanna play this game with competitiveness but also grace and joy.”

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Hartenstein, Injury Updates, Anthony

February 27th, 2024 at 5:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The already depleted Knicks will go without two more prominent players tonight against New Orleans. All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson and center Isaiah Hartenstein won’t play, according to coach Tom Thibodeau.

Brunson woke up with neck spasms this morning after taking some hits in the controversial win over Detroit on Monday. Hartenstein is experiencing Achilles soreness, SNY TV’s Ian Begley relays. (Twitter links).

The Knicks have already been dealing with injuries to OG Anunoby, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson.

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Regarding those above-mentioned injured starters, The Athletic’s Shams Charania shared some updates on FanDuel’s Run It Back program: “I’m told [Randle’s] rehab is going well, his goal is still to play this season. He has not had any setbacks yet. … I’m told the hope – and pretty much the expectation – is over the next two to three weeks, OG Anunoby will be be back on the floor. … [Robinson] has got to keep hitting check marks, we know he’s been dealing with foot issues over the course of his career.”
Health is one of the team’s major issues if it wants to make a sustained playoff run, The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy opines, adding that the Knicks will go as far as Brunson takes them.
Carmelo Anthony is happy that his former agent, Knicks top exec Leon Rose, has mended fences with Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul, according to The New York Post’s Peter Botte. Anthony made his comments during a “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast. “No matter what, you need New York. You can’t go around New York. You can try to, but you gotta come back here. Especially when you’re in certain industries. When you’re in music, when you’re in sports, you gotta come through New York. So when you don’t have no relationship with the Knicks, you ain’t got no relationship around. Your relationship game ain’t strong around the NBA. So I’m happy, that’s honorable that those parties came together and settled their differences, because it’s gonna benefit everybody in the industry.”

Knicks Notes: Randle, Anunoby, Robinson, Hartenstein, More

February 21st, 2024 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Tuesday that Julius Randle continues to make “good, steady progress” in his recovery from a dislocated right shoulder, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. One day later, speaking publicly on Wednesday for the first time since suffering the injury, Randle told reporters that he’s feeling “better and stronger” than he was earlier in the month, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post.

However, neither Thibodeau nor Randle indicated that the possibility of season-ending surgery is off the table.

“I mean, we’ll see. There’s still necessary steps. It’s a process to everything. I have to weigh out everything ultimately and decide from there,” Randle said. “But right now I’m just focused on trying to avoid (surgery), obviously, and get back on the court as soon as I can.”

Even if Randle is able to return to action this season without undergoing surgery, it’s unclear if he’ll be able to avoid a procedure on the shoulder in the offseason, Botte writes.

“I’ve heard many different opinions. Both, so we’ll see,” Randle said when asked about that scenario. “I like how I feel today as far as getting better, feeling stronger, progressing to where I need to be, as far as getting on the court.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

While Randle’s recovery timeline remains very much up in the air, another injured Knicks forward – OG Anunoby – said on Tuesday that he “for sure” expects to return before the end of the regular season and be available for the playoffs, according to Botte. Anunoby, who underwent a procedure on his right elbow a couple weeks ago, is expected to be reevaluated around March 1 and to resume on-court activities not longer after that, a league source tells Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Within that same Athletic story, Katz says center Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery) is on track to resume on-court work not long after the All-Star break, though it remains to be seen whether or not he’ll return this season. Katz adds that big man Isaiah Hartenstein doesn’t view the Achilles injury he has been nursing as a serious issue.
Hartenstein, Donte DiVincenzo (hamstring), and Bojan Bogdanovic (calf) all returned to practice on Tuesday and went through a second day of workouts on Wednesday, according to Thibodeau, who said that all three players remain on track to return on Thursday (Twitter link via Steve Popper of Newsday).
During a Boardroom.tv discussion (YouTube link) between Kevin Durant and longtime business partner Rich Kleiman, the duo confirmed that Kleiman badly wanted Durant to sign with the Knicks as a free agent in 2019, when the star forward instead chose to join the Nets.

Injury Notes: VanVleet, Brunson, Middleton, Robinson, GPII

February 7th, 2024 at 9:06am CST by Luke Adams

Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet, who missed Tuesday’s loss in Indiana due to a left adductor strain, will be sidelined for at least three more games, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). That means VanVleet will be out for Friday’s return to Toronto in addition to games vs. Atlanta on Saturday and New York next Monday.

“Probably around All-Star break,” head coach Ime Udoka said when asked when VanVleet might return. “We’ll see. Who knows if that’ll take into All-Star break or right before the break?”

As Feigen writes, the Rockets’ final game before the All-Star break is next Wednesday in Memphis, then the team isn’t in action until the following Thursday (February 22) in New Orleans. Pushing VanVleet’s return until after the break would give him an extra eight days to recover, but if he’s able to play on Feb. 14, he’d also get those eight days of rest following his first game back.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the league:

One current Eastern Conference All-Star and one three-time East All-Star exited their respective games early on Tuesday due to ankle injuries. Knicks guard Jalen Brunson turned his right ankle in the fourth quarter vs. Memphis, but appears to have avoided a severe sprain, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link). Meanwhile, Bucks forward Khris Middleton left the Footprint Center in Phoenix wearing a walking boot and using crutches after spraining his left ankle in the first quarter, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Head coach Doc Rivers said X-rays on Middleton’s ankle were negative.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, who has been out since mid-December after undergoing ankle surgery, will begin on-court shooting shortly after the All-Star break, head coach Tom Thibodeau said on Tuesday, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. There’s still hope that Robinson will be able to return before the end of the season.
The Warriors announced on Tuesday in a press release that Gary Payton II is making good progress from the left hamstring strain that has sidelined him since January 2 and is now considered day-to-day. However, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link), Payton is unlikely to return during the team’s current road trip, which concludes with a back-to-back set in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Indiana on Thursday. Andrew Wiggins (left ankle contusion), on the other hand, is probable to play on Wednesday after missing Monday’s contest, says Slater.

Knicks Rumors: Fournier, Brown, Burks, Grimes, Murray

February 6th, 2024 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Knicks consider potential trade opportunities for Evan Fournier‘s expiring $18.9MM contract, they’re unlikely to trade him in order to take back more players on expiring deals, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. For instance, a deal of Fournier and a handful of second-round picks for Detroit guards Alec Burks and Monte Morris likely wouldn’t appeal to New York, according to Katz, given the team’s longer-term goals.

As Katz explains, the Knicks still hope to get the opportunity to acquire a star this summer, and if they don’t have an expendable player earning in the $20MM range, they may have to include at least two of Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo in that sort of deal for salary-matching purposes, which they’d rather not do.

The ideal outcome at this week’s deadline, then, would involve the Knicks sending out Fournier and another asset or two in exchange for a player earning in the $20MM range who is under contract beyond this season. Raptors wing Bruce Brown is one such player, and Katz confirms that the two teams have discussed a deal. Those talks haven’t included Quentin Grimes, instead centering around Fournier and draft compensation, Katz reports.

If the Knicks don’t find a deal involving Fournier by the deadline, a buyout is unlikely, according to Katz, who says the club would strongly consider hanging onto the swingman until the offseason in case his $19MM team option for 2024/25 comes in handy for matching purposes. Given that Fournier’s value on the open market would be well below $19MM, New York would presumably have to line up a trade agreement before or around draft night in order to feel comfortable exercising that option.

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New York has “dipped and dabbled” in talks for Burks, per Katz, and Ian Begley of SNY.tv expects those discussions between the Knicks and Pistons to continue leading up to the deadline. Katz speculates that couple second-round picks might be enough to pry Burks away from Detroit.
Katz, like Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, has heard that a trade involving Grimes seems increasingly less likely as the deadline nears. The Knicks’ don’t want to simply trade Grimes to the highest bidder, Katz notes, but would like to use him to acquire a player who could be a valuable long-term contributor. The club has yet to find that player.
Although the Knicks have spoken to the Hawks about Dejounte Murray, those talks have been informal, per Katz, who doesn’t think they’ve advanced past the “concept” stage.
Teams in touch with the Knicks suggest that New York has cooled on the idea of adding another big man, according to Begley. Precious Achiuwa‘s strong play as of late has presumably factored into that stance, Begley adds.

New York Notes: Simmons, Nets’ Defense, Knicks’ Injuries, Randle

February 5th, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ben Simmons will sit out the Nets’ game against the Warriors on Monday due to injury maintenance for his lower back, according to Andrew Crane of the New York Post. Simmons is expected to return on Tuesday when the Nets host the Mavericks in the second game of a back-to-back. Simmons has appeared in two games since missing 38 consecutive contests due to a nerve impingement in his lower back.

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Entering Monday’s game, the Nets had shown defensive improvement in recent weeks. They had the league’s eighth-best defensive rating (114.0) since Jan. 5. However, they were still only 5-8 during that stretch. “We’ve got guys who can play defense,” Simmons told Crane. “I think it’s a collective thing, and we can’t get lost in the offensive piece of it. I think when we play defense and we get stops, the offense is easy.”
Injuries to Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Quentin Grimes are starting to take a toll on the Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. It showed in the Saturday night loss to the Lakers, when they were outscored 33-19 in the fourth quarter and their nine-game winning streak was snapped. “We’re missing [Anunoby]. We’re missing his ability defensively, able to knock down shots,” wing Josh Hart said. “We’re missing [Randle], an All-Star for a very good reason, 25 [points] and nine [rebounds] every night. Quentin’s ability to space the floor. I don’t think we’re missing just one guy. We’re missing three big guys, and obviously, Mitch has been out for months. But you know, when you’re missing four key players, three of which are starters, it’s always tough.”
Randle has started rehabbing from his dislocated right shoulder with the purpose of playing this season, Bondy reports in a separate story. He’ll be reevaluated in two or three weeks, but the early signs are positive. “You know his makeup. That’s what you love about the guy,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’ll be full bore. He’ll give it everything he has. … We’re gonna make sure he’s healthy before he gets out there. But we’re encouraged.”

Knicks Rumors: Grimes, Fournier, Robinson, Trade Rumors

January 16th, 2024 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

Quentin Grimes is a name to watch as a potential candidate to be moved ahead of the trade deadline, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who hears from rival executives that the Knicks are “actively fielding offers” for the third-year wing.

As Katz notes, the Knicks have made an effort to keep Grimes out of trades talks in the past, but the 23-year-old has taken a step back this year following a strong sophomore season in 2022/23 and has moved down the depth chart due to the offseason acquisition of Donte DiVincenzo. He’s playing just 19.8 minutes per night this season after averaging 29.9 MPG a year ago.

If they move Grimes in the next few weeks, the Knicks’ preference would be to attach him to Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract to bring back a player whose salary is in the neighborhood of $20MM, give or take a few million, Katz explains. The idea would be to acquire a quality player who could help immediately and whose contract could also be used – if necessary – in a deal for a star down the road. New York’s preference would be not to part with Grimes in a trade for a player who could walk in free agency this summer, league sources tell The Athletic.

No deal involving Grimes is imminent at this point, and the Knicks could also make a move with him this summer if he’s not traded at next month’s deadline, Katz writes.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

New York’s front office has been more interested in acquiring another ball-handler and facilitator rather than another center, according to Katz, who says the team is “increasingly optimistic” about Mitchell Robinson‘s chances of returning before the season ends — that optimism will influence how the club operates on the trade market.
With the Knicks not necessarily hopeful that a star-caliber player who fits into their plans will be available at the deadline, their ideal target would meet the following criteria, per Katz: He’d be someone on a tradable salary who is under contract beyond this season; he’d be able to run the offense when Jalen Brunson isn’t on the floor; and he’d be someone Tom Thibodeau can trust.
The Knicks haven’t been willing to put any unprotected first-round picks on the table in their trade talks so far, Katz reports, though they’re open to parting with protected first-rounders. New York controls four such picks from other teams, including Dallas’ top-10 protected 2024 first-rounder, which is the only one of the four likely to convey this year.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Anunoby, Robinson, Mavericks Rivalry

January 10th, 2024 at 8:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was a controversial omission from the All-Star Game last season, but it’s going to be hard to keep him out again, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Brunson, who received his second Eastern Conference Player of the Week honor on Monday, is averaging career highs with 26.0 points and 6.4 assists per game while shooting a career-best 43.6%% from three-point range. He’s got New York looking like a legitimate contender, with a five-game winning streak that has lifted the team into fourth place in the conference.

Before Tuesday’s game against Portland, Brunson received All-Star support from his own coach, Tom Thibodeau, and from Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups.

“I’m a huge fan of Jalen. I think he’s a winner more than anything,” Billups said. “You can talk about how crafty he is and how he can score and how he’s just a winner. He makes big plays. He makes winning plays. He’s leading the league in taking charges and he’s just a winner.”

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OG Anunoby‘s impact on the Knicks has been historically significant, per Christian Arnold of The New York Post. Anunoby’s plus-111 rating since coming to New York makes him the first player ever to have a combined plus/minus rating higher than 100 in his first five games with a new team. “The ball’s been moving a lot better,” Isaiah Hartenstein said when asked about the difference since Anunoby’s arrival. “Defensively, he’s been doing a great job playing team defense. He makes my life a lot easier, so just having him has been great.”
Thibodeau gave an indication last week that injured center Mitchell Robinson could be back before the end of the regular season, per Steve Popper of Newsday. The NBA reportedly will deny the Knicks’ request for a disabled player exception regarding Robinson because league officials aren’t convinced that he’ll be sidelined through the required date of June 15. “He will be reevaluated, so probably another four to six weeks and then we’ll have more information,” Thibodeau told reporters on Friday. “… And then whatever they feel the best course is for him, that’s what we’ll do.”
Off-court issues may be creating a rivalry between the Knicks and Mavericks, tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, who notes that Thursday’s meeting in Dallas will be the first since the Mavs tanked the end of last season to keep their first-round pick from conveying to New York and the first since Mark Cuban blamed Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson for interfering with Dallas’ attempts to re-sign his son, Jalen.