Post by irish2u2 on Sept 30, 2022 22:10:31 GMT -5
Training camp for the Knicks started Tuesday which in my world is akin to a National Holiday. I’m a glass is half full type fan so unlike a lot of my fellow Knicks fans bemoaning the fact we didn’t get this guy or that guy I am fairly content with the team we have now. I say that knowing the Knicks have the resources to make a huge franchise changing trade if one becomes available. That type of trade is not named Donovan Mitchell.
So what makes me excited for the team and its future?
Jalen Brunson of course. He is not a prototypical PG but he is certainly capable as a PG and he can score which certainly helps plus he is a leader and tough as nails. Brunson is not a superstar player. He may not be considered by some a star player but he is a good player who should be able to get more out of himself and his teammates than we are used to seeing. In fact Jalen Brunson fixes the Knicks biggest problem of offensive leadership especially in the second half of games. That’s huge. He should take the ball out of Randle’s hands and let Julius be Julius which is a pretty damn good player. More on him later.
Just adding Jalen Brunson alone is enough to get me excited about the Knicks this season but let’s not overlook the other new Knick. Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein is going to be a major asset for the Knicks. He’s a young big known for his basket defense and his inside/outside offense. But did you know Hartenstein’s PER (Player Efficiency Rating) from last year would lead the Knicks? This kid can play and he has the game to play both center and power forward. He’s not a star. He may not even be a starter but he’s good, he’s capable, he plays both ways and he’s just 24 years old. And he’s a legit seven footer.
Pretty much everybody in the NBA got better. The Knicks did not add a superstar level player but here is what they did add. Depth. Promise. And what looks like a good dose of team chemistry. The Knicks won’t wow people like the Nets across the river may potentially do but they will play together with a lot less drama and a lot less angst. I like this team a lot and while I do believe making the playoffs is a good bet for this team advancing in the playoffs is going to be difficult because that is when your superstar players shine.
But there is also a lot to be said for being a sum of the parts team too. The Knicks have a solid 10-12 player core. They have young players who are very likely going to be better this year. Maybe a lot better. RJ Barrett seems to have all the intangibles of a future star and he’s just 22 years old. I think Brunson helps RJ be more efficient on offense but Barrett’s main assets are an extremely high basketball IQ and a work ethic second to none on the Knicks. He’s a grinder. And he’s a more than solid two way player unafraid to take on anybody.
Brunson certainly helps Randle and Mitch Robinson too. Let’s end all the debate about Julius Randle. He’s a very good player who has led the Knicks in scoring, rebounding and assists three seasons in a row. He’s a 20/10 guy which is a rarity in the NBA. He’s also an extremely emotional player who wears his heart on his sleeve. Like John Starks. Like Anthony Mason. Like Latrell Sprewell. He said a couple of stupid things last season and he didn’t play as well as he did the season before when he was an All-Star but he’s a very good player who looks to be in great shape and playing with a lot less responsibility on his shoulders. Which is good. I like Julius a lot but the simple fact is Obi Toppin needs playing time to reach his enormous potential. My hope is Julius plays himself back into favor making him a much more valuable trade chip. You don’t give away a Julius Randle. You let him show his considerable worth and then deal from a position of strength.
All Mitch Robinson has to do is what he did last season while staying healthy and out of foul trouble. But to me Mitch is an enigma because I keep seeing these workout videos where he shows a mean handle and pretty decent range and form on his jump shot. When do we get to see that part of his game? Is it Mitch or Thibodeau who limits what Robinson might contribute beyond lobs and put backs? At least develop a decent hook shot. The talk around the camp fire is that Mitch has developed a bit of a jump hook and is taking jumpers from the foul line in. Good for him! The more of an offensive threat Mitch becomes the greater his impact.
The next question. Who is the starting wing. Is RJ better at SF than SG? Is Quentin Grimes ready to elevate his considerable two way game? What about the Knicks all time 3 point shooter Evan Fournier? Or the biggest enigma on the New York Knicks who is Cam Reddish? Alan Hahn, who I believe is the most objective Knicks analyst around, did a great write up on Cam Reddish. Cam is ideal small forward size at 6’8 with a 7’1 wingspan. He’s athletic. He has ball and shooting skills. When motivated, which is key with him, he’s a capable rebounder and defender and he just turned 23 years old. But he has nowhere near the work ethic and commitment of his Duke teammate. In the past he has done enough to get by which is fine on the prep and college stages but not in the NBA. Has Cam picked up anything from his Knicks teammates who are all grinders? I hope so. Cam could be a missing piece of the puzzle if he plays to his considerable potential which at one time was considered to be higher than RJ or even his other Duke lottery choice pick Zion Williamson.
Nothing in Cam’s NBA career shows this vast potential. His shooting numbers are below average as is his rebounding and assist numbers. He’s a middle of the pack defender but every once in awhile you get a glimpse of a different Cam Reddish. A star like Cam Reddish. This is a walk year for him which can be scary or ultimately revealing. I though being reunited with RJ would be good for Cam but Hahn reveals they weren’t all that close at Duke. Still seeing how RJ conducts himself as a pro might help Cam become a player. A real player. Mitch, Julius and Cam is my perfect front court with Isaiah, Obi and either Grimes or Fournier backing them up. For now it looks like RJ is the wing and Fournier is the starting SG because the team needs shooters and just Brunson is not enough. Now if Randle and RJ show some return to form on their three point shots you can make room for Cam and/or Grimes who both have capable perimeter games.
I think the Knick’s strongest backcourt is with RJ at SG where he can use his size, length and strength to its best advantage as long as he shoots better. Again Brunson helps. Now add in Quickly, Grimes and a healthy Derrick Rose and that’s a deep backcourt with a lot of scoring potential. Quentin Grimes is another youngster I have my eye on. In the Las Vegas Summer League Grimes showed a lot more offensive skills than last season. His handle is vastly improved and he was able to beat defenders off the bounce easily and then either stop and pop or get to the rim and finish. He’s an excellent athlete with a good shooting touch and he’s a demon on the ball defender. And he is just 22.
The Knicks cannot match the star power of Brooklyn, Boston, Philly and others but they do have great depth, defense and a lot of good offensive players. The Knicks offense is distributed and to me that is not a weakness. But… a killer superstar scorer wouldn’t hurt either. The key to the New York Knicks besides the addition of Brunson is the development of the youngsters. As they go so do the Knicks.
So what makes me excited for the team and its future?
Jalen Brunson of course. He is not a prototypical PG but he is certainly capable as a PG and he can score which certainly helps plus he is a leader and tough as nails. Brunson is not a superstar player. He may not be considered by some a star player but he is a good player who should be able to get more out of himself and his teammates than we are used to seeing. In fact Jalen Brunson fixes the Knicks biggest problem of offensive leadership especially in the second half of games. That’s huge. He should take the ball out of Randle’s hands and let Julius be Julius which is a pretty damn good player. More on him later.
Just adding Jalen Brunson alone is enough to get me excited about the Knicks this season but let’s not overlook the other new Knick. Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein is going to be a major asset for the Knicks. He’s a young big known for his basket defense and his inside/outside offense. But did you know Hartenstein’s PER (Player Efficiency Rating) from last year would lead the Knicks? This kid can play and he has the game to play both center and power forward. He’s not a star. He may not even be a starter but he’s good, he’s capable, he plays both ways and he’s just 24 years old. And he’s a legit seven footer.
Pretty much everybody in the NBA got better. The Knicks did not add a superstar level player but here is what they did add. Depth. Promise. And what looks like a good dose of team chemistry. The Knicks won’t wow people like the Nets across the river may potentially do but they will play together with a lot less drama and a lot less angst. I like this team a lot and while I do believe making the playoffs is a good bet for this team advancing in the playoffs is going to be difficult because that is when your superstar players shine.
But there is also a lot to be said for being a sum of the parts team too. The Knicks have a solid 10-12 player core. They have young players who are very likely going to be better this year. Maybe a lot better. RJ Barrett seems to have all the intangibles of a future star and he’s just 22 years old. I think Brunson helps RJ be more efficient on offense but Barrett’s main assets are an extremely high basketball IQ and a work ethic second to none on the Knicks. He’s a grinder. And he’s a more than solid two way player unafraid to take on anybody.
Brunson certainly helps Randle and Mitch Robinson too. Let’s end all the debate about Julius Randle. He’s a very good player who has led the Knicks in scoring, rebounding and assists three seasons in a row. He’s a 20/10 guy which is a rarity in the NBA. He’s also an extremely emotional player who wears his heart on his sleeve. Like John Starks. Like Anthony Mason. Like Latrell Sprewell. He said a couple of stupid things last season and he didn’t play as well as he did the season before when he was an All-Star but he’s a very good player who looks to be in great shape and playing with a lot less responsibility on his shoulders. Which is good. I like Julius a lot but the simple fact is Obi Toppin needs playing time to reach his enormous potential. My hope is Julius plays himself back into favor making him a much more valuable trade chip. You don’t give away a Julius Randle. You let him show his considerable worth and then deal from a position of strength.
All Mitch Robinson has to do is what he did last season while staying healthy and out of foul trouble. But to me Mitch is an enigma because I keep seeing these workout videos where he shows a mean handle and pretty decent range and form on his jump shot. When do we get to see that part of his game? Is it Mitch or Thibodeau who limits what Robinson might contribute beyond lobs and put backs? At least develop a decent hook shot. The talk around the camp fire is that Mitch has developed a bit of a jump hook and is taking jumpers from the foul line in. Good for him! The more of an offensive threat Mitch becomes the greater his impact.
The next question. Who is the starting wing. Is RJ better at SF than SG? Is Quentin Grimes ready to elevate his considerable two way game? What about the Knicks all time 3 point shooter Evan Fournier? Or the biggest enigma on the New York Knicks who is Cam Reddish? Alan Hahn, who I believe is the most objective Knicks analyst around, did a great write up on Cam Reddish. Cam is ideal small forward size at 6’8 with a 7’1 wingspan. He’s athletic. He has ball and shooting skills. When motivated, which is key with him, he’s a capable rebounder and defender and he just turned 23 years old. But he has nowhere near the work ethic and commitment of his Duke teammate. In the past he has done enough to get by which is fine on the prep and college stages but not in the NBA. Has Cam picked up anything from his Knicks teammates who are all grinders? I hope so. Cam could be a missing piece of the puzzle if he plays to his considerable potential which at one time was considered to be higher than RJ or even his other Duke lottery choice pick Zion Williamson.
Nothing in Cam’s NBA career shows this vast potential. His shooting numbers are below average as is his rebounding and assist numbers. He’s a middle of the pack defender but every once in awhile you get a glimpse of a different Cam Reddish. A star like Cam Reddish. This is a walk year for him which can be scary or ultimately revealing. I though being reunited with RJ would be good for Cam but Hahn reveals they weren’t all that close at Duke. Still seeing how RJ conducts himself as a pro might help Cam become a player. A real player. Mitch, Julius and Cam is my perfect front court with Isaiah, Obi and either Grimes or Fournier backing them up. For now it looks like RJ is the wing and Fournier is the starting SG because the team needs shooters and just Brunson is not enough. Now if Randle and RJ show some return to form on their three point shots you can make room for Cam and/or Grimes who both have capable perimeter games.
I think the Knick’s strongest backcourt is with RJ at SG where he can use his size, length and strength to its best advantage as long as he shoots better. Again Brunson helps. Now add in Quickly, Grimes and a healthy Derrick Rose and that’s a deep backcourt with a lot of scoring potential. Quentin Grimes is another youngster I have my eye on. In the Las Vegas Summer League Grimes showed a lot more offensive skills than last season. His handle is vastly improved and he was able to beat defenders off the bounce easily and then either stop and pop or get to the rim and finish. He’s an excellent athlete with a good shooting touch and he’s a demon on the ball defender. And he is just 22.
The Knicks cannot match the star power of Brooklyn, Boston, Philly and others but they do have great depth, defense and a lot of good offensive players. The Knicks offense is distributed and to me that is not a weakness. But… a killer superstar scorer wouldn’t hurt either. The key to the New York Knicks besides the addition of Brunson is the development of the youngsters. As they go so do the Knicks.
This team does have a lot of questions and aside from Mitch the starters are not very athletic especially if Fournier starts. But while there are a lot of questions about the team there are also a lot of potential answers. The sad fact is it could be true that 45 wins might just get us to the play in. But one of the reasons for my optimism is that we have lots of assets to use before the trade deadline and there is no telling who might be available.