Knicks team president Leon Rose will not impose minutes limits or rotational guidelines on head coach Tom Thibodeau‘s lineups this season in New York, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “We love our young players, too,” Rose said during an interview with the team’s cable channel MSG Network.
“Thibs decides who plays, how many minutes, what the rotations are. The one thing I know about Thibs – he’s going to make decisions based on who is going to win us a basketball game. That’s his role and I have full confidence in that.” During a lottery-bound year last season, the team’s intriguing young players Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes were all still given relatively limited run in favor of the team’s older starters.
Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Though newly-extended Knicks small forward RJ Barrett may still have All-Star upside, he has plenty to prove in New York, per Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I will not be surprised if that contract ends up looking as an overpay,” an NBA source tells Berman. “But I don’t blame the Knicks for signing him to an extension. Expectations aside, he’s improved into a solid starter in the NBA who can provide offense. I don’t think he’s good enough to be a top-three guy on your team. But some views on him are colored by expectations as a No. 3 pick in the [2019] draft.”
- Celtics employees are grappling with fallout from the bombshell news of Boston’s year-long suspension of head coach Ime Udoka following a workplace affair with a female staff member, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “We have a lot of talented women in our organization and I thought yesterday was really hard on them,” team president Brad Stevens said on Friday in addressing rampant online speculation about the identity of the female staffer with whom Udoka engaged in an affair. “I think that nobody can control Twitter speculation… But I do think we as an organization have a responsibility to make sure we’re there to support them now, because a lot of people were dragged unfairly into that.”
The knix will be better than they were last season simply because of Jalen Brunson AND Isaiah Hartenstein. Sean Marks messed up by failing to sign the Center to the Nets. The knix have improved the quality of their depth. I’m curious about Derrick Rose’s role. Is he Brunson’s backup? Is he 3rd String behind Brunson and Quickley?
AND… Cam Reddish and a 1st for Jae Crowder.
Brunson/ Rose/ Quickley
Fournier/ Grimes
Barrett/ Crowder
Randle/ Toppin
Robinson/ Hartenstein/ Sims
Play-IN Tournament winners
I honestly think they will play a lot of Rose and Quickley together on the 2nd team. Both of them shoot the ball a lot and imo, if not for his size, IQ would be a SG. He is a shoot first, pass second PG, anyway.
After my kicked draft of Randle for Crowder, Johnson and Craig.
Knicks
1. Brunson. DRose. McBride
2. Barrett. Quickly. Grimes. Keels
3. Johnson. Reddish. Craig
4. Crowder. Toppin
5. Robinson. Hartenstein. Sims
Trade Fouriner…
Solid starting 5, DRose as sixth man. Reserve SG minutes shared among Quickly and Grimes. Reddish can be dealt with Fouriner or kept with Craig sitting back as an insurance policy. Toppin gets good minutes as a back up 4 and Hartenstein the back up 5. Suns covers both 4 and 5. Develop McBride and Keels and have them wait another season in the g league with the off appearance in the NBA.
For most of my life, the Knick fanbase was universally considered the game’s most sophisticated. Now, apparently, they (or at least some of them) need the TP to make clear that the coach will coach the team. Leon doesn’t waste words, publicly anyway, so he must of thought it needed to said.
IQ and Grimes were given relatively limited “run” in favor of veteran starters? Seriously? No. The opposite, particularly after the team fell out of play-in position. Both were given every opportunity to earn minutes, and took advantage of it. Grimes had risen to the 30 mpg level when he got hurt. IQ averaged close to 30 mpg the last third of the year. Toppin was given relatively limited “run” in favor of Randle.
If Berman wants anyone to believe he’s actually talking to a real “NBA source” (beyond some coffee runner), then he should refrain from quoting him using the word overpay. It’s a 2k’er’s word. Paraphrasing works better in these situations.
Berman is one of the worst writers out there. He will write pretty much anything regardless of how good the source is.
It’s sad, but, at this point, he probably has to make up narratives to have anything to write. Always find some source(s). What real sources could he have? He’s an ex-beat reporter; not a basketball guy, and wouldn’t have real relationships with any. Players and the WAGs now have social media, and don’t need him. This Knick FO doesn’t speak with outside media.
It would be kind of weird if Rose came out and said the opposite, that he was going to put restrictions on who his HC can and can’t play, no?
Given where our roster is though — I still don’t think Thibs makes sense
The Barrett quote is hilarious — 25m per will be starter level with the cap spike RJ is already that. Knicks have made many mistakes but extending RJ at that rate wasn’t one of them
There was a point last yr. When players were out. And the playoffs really not a ambition. That we could of just played for next yr. That means ———
You play the young guys. And build something for next yr. At the same time you lose gms to get a better pick. It’s what happens when you play the youth. So for instance a 8-9th pick instead of the 11th. Could of netted Dyson or a trade up for Mathurin or Ivey. It’s called playing for next yr, Rebuilding.
Rose should have stepped in then. And made it happen. The yr was basically over. When Randle went into his depression. Definitely should of happened.
But now Rose is not getting in the way. Now if Thibs doesn’t learn his lesson. And tries to ride Randle out. I believe they both will be gone. Rebuilding has no time for drama queens.
I would have drafted Agbaji last yr. Then we would be in position to move both Randle n Fournier this yr. Agbaji and Grimes are both excellent shooters.
.
I honestly think Quentin Grimes going to win the Starting Shooting Guard position and R.J. Barrett will be the Small Forward.
So Fournier off the bench with Rose, IQ, Hartenstein, and Toppin? Not a bad 2nd unit.