While the Knicks‘ front office has talked a lot about player development over the last year or two, that’s not what Julius Randle is prioritizing on the court, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes. Randle stressed this week that he won’t be satisfied with moral victories unless they come along with actual victories.
“Winning is all that mattered. It’s always mattered. Development or not — we didn’t come here to develop,” Randle said. “We want to bring the younger guys along and help them, but at the same time we want to win. That’s our expectation. That’s the only thing that matters. And from my end, that’s the only thing that matters.”
Despite the fact that the Knicks are looking to develop young players like RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and Kevin Knox, Bondy suggests that Randle’s attitude should be welcomed, since the team’s locker room has too often “been a cheerful place following defeats.” And, of course, winning games and developing prospects don’t necessarily have to be mutually exclusive.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:
- Injured Nets guard Caris LeVert has one more hurdle to clear before he returns from thumb surgery, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who suggests that LeVert could be cleared to play if he participates in a full practice on Wednesday. Although LeVert has done some 5-on-5 work already, Brooklyn wants to make sure he gets a little more practice time in before he returns. “I personally don’t feel comfortable just rolling a guy out there without the proper build-up and game simulations,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I think it’s important we want when guys step in the lineup that they’re ready to go.”
- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, one of the Nets‘ two-way players, has become a regular contributor in recent weeks as a result of the team’s injuries woes. He may return to the G League when Brooklyn’s roster gets healthier, but Luwawu-Cabarrot’s solid play has given the team something to think about, says Net Income of NetsDaily.
- In case you missed it on Monday, Jared Dudley shared one reason why Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan may have chosen the Nets over the Knicks in free agency this past summer.
Player development is a myth in the nba. You know immediately what a player is. It is extremely rare that a player comes out of no where to become a star.
I think it’s more helping them make the transition and maintaining their potential. High pick busts can set teams back. In the Knicks case, Barrett failing can be an enormous fail. Mitchell Robinson on the other hand has been one pig those successes.
One pig those successes? Obvious auto correct, but I can’t figure out what you were really going for there,
Yeah. “… one of those successes.”
Ever heard of Siakam?
“Player development is a myth” yeah okay tell that to Giannis..
You think Giannis came out of nowhere? That is an ignorant statement.
No he is saying Giannis has really improved from when he first entered the league.
Giannis is doing the same basic thing as ever, just with more success. He’s learning with experience as what happens.
If Giannis was being developed, he would have a more complete game. But that would be learning too.
Player development is mostly something for FO types to yak about if they can’t talk winning.
It’s not a myth, players do need time to develop. Even Michael Jordan didn’t start winning title right from the start.
But the problem is that player development and losing have become synonymous. I think that is Randle’s point. Why try and excuse losing as developing young players? All you are really developing them into are players okay with losing. People have just started accepting as fact that winning 30 games is not as good as winning 15 games because your draft pick will be lower. And that is just the complete opposite of what sports should be about.
Player development and having a good lockerroom while working worked during The Process.
No it didn’t. The Process was just an excuse for front office guys to keep their jobs and not try for several years. They traded off a scrappy #8 seed that made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals and turned 5 years of not trying to compete into 2 useful (albeit overrated) players out of 5 top 6 draft picks. And even with them, they just a middling team in a weak conference. They are the antithesis of sportsmanship and honor.
Your sentiment is spot on but they are a better team now than 5 years ago. They’re just not good enough. They’ve hit their ceiling with Simmons at the point.
Swinging and missing with Fultz and Butler were thier big mistakes.
While Simmons is overrated Embiid is very good hes just injury prone.
Unless he willing to at least try to shoot. They need to see what they can get for Simmons. (Ironically Holiday would be an awesome fit)
You’re confusing player development with finding diamonds in the rough.
Player development is more mis-characterized than a myth. Players certainly develop (in their games), but they really aren’t developed (by others, although others can help them). Good “player development” organizations (that sees a lot of player development on its watch) know its more about the choices they makes regarding its players, than in how they instructs them. When the Knicks understand that, they might actually see player development without talking about it.
Player development can come as an understudy. DeAndre Jordan had a good effect on Mitchell Robinson when he was getting into foul trouble by trying to do too much on defense. I think Mook is a good influence on Kevin Knox’s development even though one plays bully ball the the other is a slasher. Obviously Knox needs to get even stronger to see it in games.
That’s great that he wants to win that badly but he still has to trust his teammates and make the right basketball play. And I appreciate that he has his level ISO abilities but he still needs to be coached. I hope he sees that now.