Veteran big man Taj Gibson sees a resilient quality in this year’s Knicks, which he credits to the coaching change, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Gibson, who also played for Tom Thibideau in Chicago and Minnesota, believes the coach has brought a toughness to the organization that wasn’t there before.
New York nearly let a 21-point lead slip away Sunday night, but managed to hold on for a narrow win over the Timberwolves. At 15-16, the Knicks are seventh in the East and solidly in the playoff race with the All-Star break approaching.
“Our coaching staff has been drilling guys from the beginning of the summer up to this point,” Gibson said. “The preparation beginning at shootarounds has been outstanding. It’s always tough to play 48-minute games, but the way we all huddle around each other, everybody top to bottom, hangs out, works out late with each other. Everybody understands the stakes. And guys want to win.”
There’s more from New York:
- Frank Ntilikina is out of contact tracing, but the team isn’t planning to send him to the G League for playing time, Begley adds in the same piece. “I think we’ll take a look at it as we go,” Thibodeau said. “I like Frank being here. He’s done an excellent job; he’s got a great attitude, great approach. And even though he’s not playing, he’s adding a lot to our team right now.”
- The Knicks are “monitoring” Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, who is rehabbing a broken foot, a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. However, Jonathan Warner of NBC Sports Northwest says Portland has no plans to move McCollum and speculates it would take an offer of multiple first-round picks plus a core player to get the Blazers’ attention.
- Sunday marked the last game of the season with no fans in Madison Square Garden, notes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Under new regulations from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, 2,000 spectators will be permitted at games starting Tuesday. “Even with the fake noises, it kind of sounds like the way it sounds when I watch it on TV,’’ Immanuel Quickley said. “It’s definitely a buzz even without fans. So I’m sure with fans, it’s going to be even more lively. So I’m excited to get the fans back in the building.’’
Players with 200% availability
Blake Griffin
Wall
Westbrook
Drummond
Otto Porter
Oladipo
I would not target above players
I’d target 50% availability
Zach LaVine
McCollum
Barnes
Make insane offer for LaVine
Ex
Lonzo Redick and 5 Firsts for Lavine
You’re out of your mind if you think anyone is giving up 5 1st for Lavine. Even more crazy that you think they need to add Lonzo and Reddick
3 unprotected firsts
Lakers 2022 and 2024
Bucks 2024
And 2 lottery protected firsts
Man, is Ntilikina a share holder at Hoops Rumors? Lotta ink spilled on this guy here ….. who would even notice or care if he sailed the world tomorrow
Overseas in 2 years
haha, I agree. He seems like a nice guy, but he does not belong in the NBA. All of the articles about him missing time due to COVID… he’d be out regardless.
Why doesn’t he belong in the NBA?
Other teams have elite defenders with limited offensive skills, like Robert Covington or PJ Tucker. Are those guys not NBA players too?
Thibs is like “I like Frank. I’m never gonna play him but I like him”. lol
Blazers aren’t moving McCollum, yet the details of what a deal might look like get disseminated.
Wonder if this is one of those stories to drum up phone calls about C.J. McCollum? Did portland pay for this?
I kinda think CJ might get moved in the offseason, would be tough to do it now but if tey come up short again this year I think they mix it up a tad
Seems like the smart financial play to me for a small market & maybe even good for McCollum. He has no problems scoring efficiently. It would be interesting to see him as the go-to scorer.
I agree – it’s doubly puzzling bc I’m not sure what the Knicks have to offer Portland, even if they hypothetically were looking to move him
If Beal was on the table I could see them them offering CJ, Simons, Leonard, and stuff. But the Knicks aren’t exactly chock full of win now players, unless Portland is eyeing Randle
I’ve never seen a team sell a wingspan, like they do with Frank. lol. LaVine would be a wonderful addition to this young core!
Portland wouldn’t touch New York’s entire roster and draft picks. McCollum is having an all star year. The best of his career.
I wouldn’t want CJ too small. Go after Beal or Lillard
Do you even watch Blazer games??? CJ is too small at 6’3”, but Dame is just right at 6’2” or Beal at a towering 6’3”??? SMDH
Lol
Get LaVine
No. Bulls aren’t trading him.
CJ is too old for us at 29. Only way we can make a trade for a young talent. Is by using Randle even in a three way. Oladipo or Fournier would be much cheaper. Not sure anymore if Knicks make a move now. We can just sign a FA. I’m more concerned about the draft, to be honest.
Do Knicks fans not know how to use google? CJ too old at 29, but Oladipo at 28 and Fournier at 29 years old are just the right age for your youth movement. Just stop already.
Knowledge don’t need google. Only children who don’t know game or talent need to look shots up. CJ would take assets and deplete team. Fournier and Oladipo come cheaper. And maybe even at a discount. But I guess You would have to google to know that. Try and keep up kid. Or stay away.
I’d go CJ over Oladipo just bc I think CJ’s game ages better
But yeah not sure how much he moves the needle, esp if we give up Randle in a potential deal
CJM is a guy the Knicks should monitor. Teams monitor guys that they think might become available AND they might have interest in over the balance of the season or in the next off season. Nobody knows what direction a rebuild will take, and when it might be time to add a veteran or what veteran would fit. A lot depends on draft position (right now the Knicks don’t even figure to get a top 10 pick). A lot also depends on whether the Knicks move forward with Randle centric team, or transition to a team more Barrett / Toppin friendly; it’s a binary choice regardless of the rhetoric to the contrary. What is known, is that CJM is likely to available within the next cycle based on the data points, and he’s a player that might be a good addition in lots of different situation.
Any links to these so called data points (tea leaves) that actually gives validity to any of this? Only way CJ gets traded is for a superstar that is an upgrade at forward that’s on a similar timeline to Dame.
Links? No, I’m not parroting anyone. I don’t need to. How about you speak with someone who understands the NBA (if any such person will speak with you), and maybe they’ll explain it to you. Or, God forbid, figure it out yourself, by looking at the high end veterans that are traded. Age, years left on contract, team performance and composition, etc.
I doubt that you’re among, or privy to the thoughts of, the decision makers for the Blazers. If not, then you really have no idea what the Blazers might insist on in a trade.
But are you privy? To anything other than “data points” you feel no need to share?
Sure maybe “in the next cycle” CJM could be moved, I guess? But you could say that about almost any player in the league these days.
But let’s say you’re right: does a McCollum-centric team put NYK in a superior tier to a Randle-centric team? My data points tell me probably not.
First of why would Blazers even trade him. You geniuses think this is actually a debatable point. Writers write for readership. Rumors are for conversation and maneuvering. Any team rebuilding is going to look at real talent available. And The whole NBA uses and needs Knicks and NY to sell and work for their players. This has been going since the Babe Ruth Yankees. So we real fans don’t think CJ would come to NY. And to once again answer the thedoggie. There are cheaper alternatives. Even ones who fit our age time line better. Knicks imo are still figuring out if Randle stays. There’s no rush to glory for us. We have 55 million in cap. Plus 3 of the top 33 picks in the draft. CJ is a conversation piece for the google crowd.
Wow, I can only imagine how great your points would be with better reading comprehension. I didn’t suggest I knew what any team is going to do or not in the future, where I would need to privy to anything. I merely said CJM is likely to be available at some point and thus he was worth monitoring. I clearly was not indicating that the choice was between Randle and trading for CJM; in fact I think the Knicks interest in CJM would be greater if they decide to stick with Randle, and pursue veteran support. And, btw, I did “share” the data points as I see them – and I indicated they’re mine. So, read better.
A.) What are the data points? Please explain for us peons. Are they “Age, team compositions, etc”? These data points you discovered with no “links”. You’ve just been flying around with different teams all year, haven’t you?
B.) So it’s CJ or Randle…? Hmm, who are they trading for CJM then? Barrett and Mitch? Obi and Quick? To go all in on CJM and Randle? Please. Do you actually know who’s on the Knicks roster?
C.) You seem to write in a very flowery, post-structuralist, “I enjoy the smell of my own gas” type of language. So you can change your point as it suits you, because half of what you type is just masturbatory nonsense.
The problem is this isn’t an academic conference, it’s an internet message board. IMO, your CJM point is rooted in vague nonsense and condescending remarks.
imo, Knicks should stand pat and just continue improving via the draft. They desperately need shooting, though, as the last two games have shown. Abysmal fourth quarter shooting in both games. If they could acquire a shooter without giving up much, sure, but otherwise, stick to the rebuild and don’t overreact to being in the playoff hunt a year ahead of schedule.
The NY media and national will always push for action. Just cause they are starting to win. Never mind these same folks killed these same players the last two yrs. Most didn’t even like Thibs hiring. Knicks do need consistent scoring. It’s why all these names get called up in trades. All are scoring talents. Yes shooting can always help. But the most important thing is to build our core. Is Randle part of this. Stop this nonsense about Beal or CJ. It would deplete team to get a big star. One more draft and we are in great position. We can even wait on Randle one more yr. FA we can sign a talent without giving up anything. Rebuild rebuild it’s only been 30 gms.