The outstanding recent play of Knicks veteran big men Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson has appeared to validate the team’s decision not to make a big offer to center Andre Drummond on the buyout market, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman notes that head coach Tom Thibodeau ultimately made the call to not add Drummond.
“Those guys cover so much for us on the defensive end, blocking shots, being in the right position,” All-Star forward Julius Randle raved of the Knicks’ two veteran bigs. “They anchor our defense, honestly. They make my job easier, our guards’ job easier. It’s just amazing to have those two guys behind you. If you make mistakes, they’re going to cover for you.’’
Noel and Gibson have had to step up in the absence of Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, anticipated to miss the rest of the year with a broken foot.
There’s more out of the Big Apple:
- Thanks to sharpshooting Nets duo Landry Shamet and Joe Harris connecting on 43% of their triples combined since the league’s All-Star break, Brooklyn might have its own poor man’s version of a “Splash Brothers” shooting tandem, writes Matthew Brooks of NetsDaily.
- 32-year-old veteran Knicks reserve guard Derrick Rose is relishing his second tour of duty in New York, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “It’s great being on a young team where everybody is locked in, everybody loves playing with one another and everyone is on the same page — which is to win games,” Rose said. “So it’s perfect.”
- Nets center Nicolas Claxton and power forward Reggie Perry have entered the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN.
GO KNICKS!!!
I want to see Knicks trade for Steph Curry
Knicks have $73 million practical cap room
Let’s start with Klay and Curry to the Knicks
Knicks would need to send Randle, Barrett, Robinson, and like 10 first rounders.
The Warriors would be wise to trade high while they still can.
The longer they wait the less they will get in return when they have no choice in a year or two and have to start slashing their payroll.
Relax buddy. Steph has rings, Warriors are not gonna go trading their star players willy nilly like your team so you have to change your name 4 times.
Perfect trade proposal to test out the new comment flagging feature on the site!
Boundary pushing use of the phrase “Knicks’ decision” regarding Drummond
Right. They’re talking like Drummond had no choice or something. It sounds a lot more like Drummond had no interest, so the Knicks are acting like they never wanted him anyway.
Well with how Drummond is playing for the Lakers right now, they should breathe a sigh of relief he wasn’t interested.
I’ve updated the wording on that — the decision of whether or not to sign him wasn’t just up to the Knicks, but they did decide not to use their $14MMish in cap room to offer him way more than he got from the Lakers ($800K).
Oh, ok – I wasn’t throwing shade at you, Luke. I was assuming the “Knicks’ decision” was just more Berman hyperbole.
Same here, Luke. Bagging on Berman, not you.
Doesn’t any money above the minimum just go back to the cavs, and not Drummond? Wouldn’t they have to offer a multi-year deal for him to receive any of the new money?
Generally when a player and a team agree to a buyout, they also agree to waive setoff on the player’s new contract.
Even if the Cavs and Drummond didn’t agree to that, setoff doesn’t apply dollar-for-dollar — the higher his new salary, the more the Cavs would recoup, but he’d still earn more overall too.
Ok, thanks for the clarification! I guess it’s a little different than in MLB, where I believe it’s dollar for dollar per the CBA, but I could be wrong about that, too.
I know the Nets are close to signing Mike James for LMA’s roster spot, but, if there isn’t an issue with protocols to join a new team, the Nets may want to offer a 10-day to Mo Wagner to cover for being down two bigs in Claxton and Perry.
I still wouldn’t have minded Drummond. Randle and RJ lead the league in mins played. Not real happy about that. With 14 gms left Knicks are still in the 4th seed race. Be great to get home court. I would be ecstatic with 6th seed, or even top 8. It would be a great yr for us. But if you are within reach of more. You gotta go for it right. Hawks, Celtics, Knicks, Heat all will battle for 4-5 seed. Imo as a 4 or 5 seed. Knicks could even win a 1st rd series. Now wouldn’t that be Something. Go NY Gooooo
It would be awesome to see the Knicks avoid the play in games and end up at least 6th, though avoiding the Bucks in the 1st round would be the cherry on top of the sundae for sure.
I was encouraged before the season that Knicks would improve, but never did I imagine this. I thought 33-39 with a shot at the play-ins would be a success, but to be top 6 in the last month of the season is something else.
Not counting my chickens yet, 9th is as possible as 4th with how close those teams are in the standings, but the season’s a success already, and hopefully we fans get even a little more.
We got Hornets and Hawks up next. Great opportunity to make a statement. I hear ya and it’s been a long time. Me too I’m just taking it gm by gm.
I don’t think anyone would call Noel’s or Gibson’s play “outstanding”
“decent” “workmanlike” maybe.
I feel what you’re saying, but for thibs they’re playing like all stars lol.
Absolutely don’t need curry were in the drivers seat the knicks are the team for the future what were doing now I knew from day 1 when we signed noel,burks,rivers at the time to mesh with randle and company we are better than 22 wins NOW the league is recognizing this.
Drummond wasn’t coming to Knicks at the minimum. Only to Lakers a contender. Don’t believe a word of it. Only way we could of got Drummond was with a trade. Thibs is not going to disrupt team with a player he wouldn’t keep. Instead he used it to light a fire under Noel n Taj. Knicks know next yr is the year to go for it. Drummond wasn’t a must. If Fournier or another scorer wasn’t enough for them to trade for at TD. Then Drummond sure wasn’t. We got trades, draft, cap space next yr. To do something major. We have 5 gms left in April all winnable at home. Knicks can really step it up if we just go 4-1. Suns are the toughest game.