Post by irish2u2 on Nov 29, 2020 14:02:25 GMT -5
As much as I hope and wish Leon Rose is the genius who will lead the Knicks from inside the abyss to the bright sunlight where games are won and playoffs become much more than a next year wish I do have questions about the roster.
The Knicks sign Reggie Bullock as a 3 and D wingman. Then they add Alec Burks who does the same thing AND then turn around and add Michael Kidd-Gilcrist who is strictly a perimeter defender. So where does that leave Kevin Knox? Ignas Brazdeikis? Does that mean out of the box rookie Obi Toppin is strictly a PF because the minutes at SF seem a little tight?
The center and PF rotations seem more set. Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel at center where Omari Spellman and Julius Randle can offer situational minutes when they are not playing PF. Obviously Toppin is in the mix too.
Right now guard looks like a cluster fuck.
The one set guy is RJ Barrett but after him it’s wild. Both Bullock and Burks can play SG. So too can Frank Ntilikina, Austin Rivers, Emmanuel Quickley, Jacob Evans, Myles Powell and Theo Pinson. PG is way more confused with Elfrid Payton, Dennis Smith, Jr., Jared Harper, Rivers, Powell, and Quickley all in the mix.
Then there is the order of things. Rose re-ups Bullock and then his first move in free agency is Burks? Who is a clone of Bullock?And where does Austin Rivers fit? Does our management/coaching staff envision Rivers as a PG only or a combo guard that adds playmaking when he plays SG. Incidentally that is exactly what RJ, Frank and the rookie Quickley can do too.
Or is all this part of a larger plan centered around a big trade? I hope it’s not Westbrook as one poster here has threatened to drop the Knicks if the Knicks add Russ. It seems the Knicks have a lot of traceable pieces in case they do go for a big trade. Keep in mind as of the writing of this post Elfrid Payton hasn’t been signed yet. Hmmmm....
Being the eternal optimist I kinda of want to see what we got first. I’d like to see a fierce competition at PG. Payton was a good playmaker and defender but his shooting and scoring plus injuries raise multiple questions. I was one of the legion of fans who hoped DSJ could be our starting PG. I’m going to give him a pass on last year because the coaches yanked his minutes around so much even the games he did play seemed more DNPs. Video of his summer workouts show a better jumper, a more assertive offensive game and that still ridiculous athletic skill we all loved. But then again last summer Frank looked invincible and Randle was nailing treys all over the place. I still remain cautiously optimistic.
In Rose’s defense he gave out very flexible team friendly contracts to all his free agents. And he did engineer that Sonny Weaver, Jr. Esque trade for Ed Davis that turned into Omari Spellman, Jacob Evans and 117 second round draft picks.
So what is going on? The smart money is on a big trade. Wall? Westbrook? Ball? Somebody else? Maybe a big trade finally solves the Knicks PG dilemma while thinning the roster herd some. We need shooters but pick one. Bullock or Burks? I like the idea of adding MKG but not at the long term expense of Knox or Iggy. Get the right PG who not only is the playmaker the Knicks need but also a good 3 point shooter and defender (which is not any of the big names we might get) and the Knicks frontcourt benefits enormously. But who is that guy?
BTW, you heard it here first that Myles Powell is Alonzo Trier with more skills and far less attitude. Obi Toppin will lead the league in rookie scoring. Emmanuel Quickley will become one of the draft’s bigger steals. Austin Rivers will still lead the NBA in pouts. Knicks fans will like how Spellman plays IF Spellman comes to camp in shape. As a team the Knicks will be in the top ten in team defense. Unless some major issues get solved their offense will be in the bottom 5 of the league.
The Knicks sign Reggie Bullock as a 3 and D wingman. Then they add Alec Burks who does the same thing AND then turn around and add Michael Kidd-Gilcrist who is strictly a perimeter defender. So where does that leave Kevin Knox? Ignas Brazdeikis? Does that mean out of the box rookie Obi Toppin is strictly a PF because the minutes at SF seem a little tight?
The center and PF rotations seem more set. Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel at center where Omari Spellman and Julius Randle can offer situational minutes when they are not playing PF. Obviously Toppin is in the mix too.
Right now guard looks like a cluster fuck.
The one set guy is RJ Barrett but after him it’s wild. Both Bullock and Burks can play SG. So too can Frank Ntilikina, Austin Rivers, Emmanuel Quickley, Jacob Evans, Myles Powell and Theo Pinson. PG is way more confused with Elfrid Payton, Dennis Smith, Jr., Jared Harper, Rivers, Powell, and Quickley all in the mix. Then there is the order of things. Rose re-ups Bullock and then his first move in free agency is Burks? Who is a clone of Bullock?And where does Austin Rivers fit? Does our management/coaching staff envision Rivers as a PG only or a combo guard that adds playmaking when he plays SG. Incidentally that is exactly what RJ, Frank and the rookie Quickley can do too.
Or is all this part of a larger plan centered around a big trade? I hope it’s not Westbrook as one poster here has threatened to drop the Knicks if the Knicks add Russ. It seems the Knicks have a lot of traceable pieces in case they do go for a big trade. Keep in mind as of the writing of this post Elfrid Payton hasn’t been signed yet. Hmmmm....
Being the eternal optimist I kinda of want to see what we got first. I’d like to see a fierce competition at PG. Payton was a good playmaker and defender but his shooting and scoring plus injuries raise multiple questions. I was one of the legion of fans who hoped DSJ could be our starting PG. I’m going to give him a pass on last year because the coaches yanked his minutes around so much even the games he did play seemed more DNPs. Video of his summer workouts show a better jumper, a more assertive offensive game and that still ridiculous athletic skill we all loved. But then again last summer Frank looked invincible and Randle was nailing treys all over the place.
I still remain cautiously optimistic.In Rose’s defense he gave out very flexible team friendly contracts to all his free agents. And he did engineer that Sonny Weaver, Jr. Esque trade for Ed Davis that turned into Omari Spellman, Jacob Evans and 117 second round draft picks.
So what is going on? The smart money is on a big trade. Wall? Westbrook? Ball? Somebody else? Maybe a big trade finally solves the Knicks PG dilemma while thinning the roster herd some. We need shooters but pick one. Bullock or Burks? I like the idea of adding MKG but not at the long term expense of Knox or Iggy. Get the right PG who not only is the playmaker the Knicks need but also a good 3 point shooter and defender (which is not any of the big names we might get) and the Knicks frontcourt benefits enormously. But who is that guy?
BTW, you heard it here first that Myles Powell is Alonzo Trier with more skills and far less attitude. Obi Toppin will lead the league in rookie scoring. Emmanuel Quickley will become one of the draft’s bigger steals. Austin Rivers will still lead the NBA in pouts.
Knicks fans will like how Spellman plays IF Spellman comes to camp in shape. As a team the Knicks will be in the top ten in team defense. Unless some major issues get solved their offense will be in the bottom 5 of the league. 
