Post by irish2u2 on Aug 4, 2021 10:39:04 GMT -5
It looks like the Knicks are pretty much done with their roster. Let me first say they added a ton of possible trade pieces if a big deal is available but I like what we got right now. And I will like it more after I am through with this post. 
I thought the Knicks were gearing up for a trade to either land Collin Sexton, Dennis Schroder or Reggie Jackson. This trio is interesting because I wanted Sexton, didn't want Schroder and was meh about Jackson.
So enter Kemba Walker. From the Bronx. Never. Saw. It. Coming. Well done Leon. Well played.
Let's look at the roster.
BACKCOURT: RJ, Rose, Walker, Fournier, Burks, IQ, Vildoza, Grimes and McBride
FRONTCOURT: Randle, Robinson, Knox, Toppin, Noel, Gibson, Sims, and Simms
That's 17 players and keep in mind the Knicks will likely use a 3 guard offense with RJ, Fournier and Burks seeing time at SF.
The three things that strike me most looking at the roster are the mix of vets and youngsters, the depth and just how Leon Rose addressed the teams needs. Last season New York snuck up on people largely because of the hiring of Thibs, the emergence of Julius Randle, defense, the acquisition of Rose, the play of Noel, IQ, Burks, Bullock and Gibson and the growth of RJ Barrett into a player on the cusp of an All-Star career. I think as important was chemistry. EVERYBODY liked each other. No drama. No selfishness.
Last season's Knicks biggest issue was offense. The Knicks finished the season 26th in scoring, 21st in FG% but also 3rd in 3 point FG% and a respectable 14th in free throw shooting. We all saw what happened in the playoffs as Atlanta crashed down on Randle and dared other Knicks to step up. Derrick Rose was the lone bright spot in the playoffs mainly because he can create his own scoring opportunities.
So how to fix the problem? Bradley Beal could have fixed the problem. Damian Lillard could have fixed the problem. Either player costs a ton in resources with RJ being gone in whatever trade presented itself. Collin Sexton would have added pop to the offense but he too would have cost the Knicks at least Obi Toppin and 2 or more first round draft choices. But New York heads into the season with a full squad led by veterans like Randle, Rose, Walker, Burks, Fournier, Noel and Gibson. There is also youth and the promise of growth youth holds in RJ, IQ, Obi, Knox, Robinson, Vildoza, Grimes, McBride and Simms.
So how will the Knicks improve? They bought back the core and continuity is huge with team sports. I like what Chicago did but revamping their roster means creating chemistry and that isn't easy. The Knicks have chemistry and will see improvement in RJ, IQ, Obi, and Robinson. Offensively they added more three point shooters in Walker and Fournier plus Grimes and McBride through the draft. Most importantly the Knicks added SCORERS who can create offense in Walker and Fournier. No more two or three dribbles and shoot like Bullock and Burks did last season. They made themselves easy to guard when Randle was being doubled by the Hawks which is why Rose was the Knicks playoff leader in scoring. Now run Walker and Fournier at a team like the Hawks and suddenly you pay big for leaving them open or facing one defender. Both Walker and Fournier are 3 level scorers too.
Since I'm apparently obsessing about Atlanta take one guess why Thibs was so taken with Miles McBride? Run Walker, Rose and a bit of McBride at Trae Young and see what happens. Maybe the Knicks make him work harder to get his but that's a start.
Let's look at the rotation. Walker was brought in to start at PG. Fournier at SG, RJ at SF, Randle at PF and Mitch at center. What strikes me first is going out we have 21 PPG in Bullock and Payton and coming in we have 38 PPG in Walker and Fournier. Neither may or may not score as much but they will score more than the players they replaced and how they score goes a long way towards the Knicks potential success next season. I think a huge factor could be Robinson. He's got the potential to be big contributor at both ends of the court. Will he? First Mitch has to stay healthy and he has to allow himself to be coached.
A strength for the Knicks will be the bench. Rose, IQ, Burks, Noel and Obi. Not much room for anybody else though I expect Vildoza to have a role especially with two thirty something PGs. I see Grimes and Sims playing a lot of G League ball. Which is good.
The big question is what does all this mean in terms of competing for a championship. I think the Knicks could be a 50 win team next season and still finish 4th in the conference. BUT they could make it to the second round of the playoffs and Leon Rose has factored in financial flexibility in 2 or 3 years when Brooklyn's window closes and the Knicks get closer to everybody else. Especially when a certain Euro player reaches unrestricted free agency.
The Lakers have 3 superstars. The Nets have 3 superstars. A bunch of teams have 1 or 2 superstars and the Knicks really have none so how do they compete with super teams or a team with a generational talent like Milwaukee or Philadelphia? You compete with team quality and depth. With the addition of Walker and Fournier plus keeping Rose, Burks and Noel the Knicks have no glaring weak spots. The Knicks won't be a pushover and they may be surprising because Walker and Fournier are ballers.
I'm pretty happy right now especially since I was convinced I'd have to lie about how much I liked Dennis Schroder or Reggie Jackson in this post.
An Addendum: As I discussed chemistry before let me also add that Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier played together last season with the Celtics. Now convince me this wasn't the plan all along.
I thought the Knicks were gearing up for a trade to either land Collin Sexton, Dennis Schroder or Reggie Jackson. This trio is interesting because I wanted Sexton, didn't want Schroder and was meh about Jackson.
So enter Kemba Walker. From the Bronx.
Never. Saw. It. Coming. Well done Leon. Well played. Let's look at the roster.
BACKCOURT: RJ, Rose, Walker, Fournier, Burks, IQ, Vildoza, Grimes and McBride
FRONTCOURT: Randle, Robinson, Knox, Toppin, Noel, Gibson, Sims, and Simms
That's 17 players and keep in mind the Knicks will likely use a 3 guard offense with RJ, Fournier and Burks seeing time at SF.
The three things that strike me most looking at the roster are the mix of vets and youngsters, the depth and just how Leon Rose addressed the teams needs. Last season New York snuck up on people largely because of the hiring of Thibs, the emergence of Julius Randle, defense, the acquisition of Rose, the play of Noel, IQ, Burks, Bullock and Gibson and the growth of RJ Barrett into a player on the cusp of an All-Star career. I think as important was chemistry. EVERYBODY liked each other. No drama. No selfishness.
Last season's Knicks biggest issue was offense. The Knicks finished the season 26th in scoring, 21st in FG% but also 3rd in 3 point FG% and a respectable 14th in free throw shooting. We all saw what happened in the playoffs as Atlanta crashed down on Randle and dared other Knicks to step up. Derrick Rose was the lone bright spot in the playoffs mainly because he can create his own scoring opportunities.
So how to fix the problem? Bradley Beal could have fixed the problem. Damian Lillard could have fixed the problem. Either player costs a ton in resources with RJ being gone in whatever trade presented itself. Collin Sexton would have added pop to the offense but he too would have cost the Knicks at least Obi Toppin and 2 or more first round draft choices. But New York heads into the season with a full squad led by veterans like Randle, Rose, Walker, Burks, Fournier, Noel and Gibson. There is also youth and the promise of growth youth holds in RJ, IQ, Obi, Knox, Robinson, Vildoza, Grimes, McBride and Simms.
So how will the Knicks improve? They bought back the core and continuity is huge with team sports. I like what Chicago did but revamping their roster means creating chemistry and that isn't easy. The Knicks have chemistry and will see improvement in RJ, IQ, Obi, and Robinson. Offensively they added more three point shooters in Walker and Fournier plus Grimes and McBride through the draft. Most importantly the Knicks added SCORERS who can create offense in Walker and Fournier. No more two or three dribbles and shoot like Bullock and Burks did last season. They made themselves easy to guard when Randle was being doubled by the Hawks which is why Rose was the Knicks playoff leader in scoring. Now run Walker and Fournier at a team like the Hawks and suddenly you pay big for leaving them open or facing one defender.
Both Walker and Fournier are 3 level scorers too. Since I'm apparently obsessing about Atlanta take one guess why Thibs was so taken with Miles McBride?
Run Walker, Rose and a bit of McBride at Trae Young and see what happens. Maybe the Knicks make him work harder to get his but that's a start. Let's look at the rotation. Walker was brought in to start at PG. Fournier at SG, RJ at SF, Randle at PF and Mitch at center. What strikes me first is going out we have 21 PPG in Bullock and Payton and coming in we have 38 PPG in Walker and Fournier.
Neither may or may not score as much but they will score more than the players they replaced and how they score goes a long way towards the Knicks potential success next season. I think a huge factor could be Robinson. He's got the potential to be big contributor at both ends of the court. Will he? First Mitch has to stay healthy and he has to allow himself to be coached. A strength for the Knicks will be the bench. Rose, IQ, Burks, Noel and Obi.
Not much room for anybody else though I expect Vildoza to have a role especially with two thirty something PGs. I see Grimes and Sims playing a lot of G League ball. Which is good. The big question is what does all this mean in terms of competing for a championship. I think the Knicks could be a 50 win team next season and still finish 4th in the conference. BUT they could make it to the second round of the playoffs and Leon Rose has factored in financial flexibility in 2 or 3 years when Brooklyn's window closes and the Knicks get closer to everybody else. Especially when a certain Euro player reaches unrestricted free agency.
The Lakers have 3 superstars. The Nets have 3 superstars. A bunch of teams have 1 or 2 superstars and the Knicks really have none so how do they compete with super teams or a team with a generational talent like Milwaukee or Philadelphia? You compete with team quality and depth. With the addition of Walker and Fournier plus keeping Rose, Burks and Noel the Knicks have no glaring weak spots. The Knicks won't be a pushover and they may be surprising because Walker and Fournier are ballers.
I'm pretty happy right now especially since I was convinced I'd have to lie about how much I liked Dennis Schroder or Reggie Jackson in this post.
An Addendum: As I discussed chemistry before let me also add that Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier played together last season with the Celtics. Now convince me this wasn't the plan all along.
