Two years ago, the Knicks followed up a successful, expectation-defying regular season with a quick playoff exit, as they fell in five games to Atlanta. This year’s team, which has also gotten hot after a shaky start, bears some similarities to that 2020/21 squad. However, forward Julius Randle is higher on the current Knicks’ ceiling.
“I think we’re a better team,” Randle said, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “More talented team.”
As Bondy points out, the ’20/21 version of the Knicks rode the NBA’s fourth-best defense to a 41-31 season, but ranked just 22nd on offense. This year’s club is more balanced, ranking in the top half of the league in both offense and defense and posting the NBA’s seventh-best net rating to date. While it remains to be seen whether that balance will translate to postseason success, RJ Barrett believes the team will be better prepared for the playoffs than it was in 2021.
“Looking back and thinking back about that series (vs. Atlanta), there are things we could have done better,” Barrett said. “Experience now will help us as well. Hopefully when we get there. So that was a good series for us to know what to expect.”
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:
- Immanuel Quickley‘s breakout season has strengthened his case for a rookie scale extension during the 2023 offseason, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. In an effort to gauge Quickley’s value, Braziller spoke to ESPN cap expert Bobby Marks, who speculated that a deal in the range of De’Andre Hunter‘s extension with Atlanta (four years, $90MM, plus $5MM in incentives) might be about right for the Knicks guard. On the other hand, holding off on a new deal for Quickley would put the team in position to maximize its 2024 cap room. “I think the next month-and-a-half and the playoffs will determine if the value of an extension outweighs prioritizing cap space,” Marks told Braziller.
- Oddsmakers have made Quickley the new frontrunner to win the Sixth Man of the Year award this season, moving him ahead of Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon, notes Cole Huff of The Athletic.
- After signing a 10-day contract, Nerlens Noel said he’ll bring “energy” to the Nets and that he’s willing to play whatever role head coach Jacque Vaughn asks of him. “This is already a top-10 defense, I’m pretty sure, especially with what they have, so I’m going to put it over the top,” Noel said, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter links). “And however coach sees fit into what position he wants to put me in, I’ll accept regardless.”
- In a normal season, Vaughn would wait until near the end of the season to start to ramp up his starters’ minutes in preparation for the playoffs, but he’s doing it a bit earlier this year to try to give his newcomers more time together, as Andrew Crane of The New York Post relays. Mikal Bridges, for instance, has played over 40 minutes in each of Brooklyn’s last two games. “In the past … we’ve played our guys not as many minutes, and then as the playoffs start to come around, we wanted to ramp those guys up so they can play, quote-unquote, playoff minutes,” Vaughn explained. “I’m trying to hedge that a little bit with the short time between regular season and this group being together and playoffs.”
Time to give Thibs an extension.
I get that JV wants to have his rotation set now, but the team is deep enough without having a true superstar, though I think Brooklyn Bridges is on his way, that he could keep everybody fresh and get more people involved. Also, their G-League team can go for the title. The LI Nets are 21-3. So, the younger players can go there to get PT. Day’Ron Sharpe definitely will. Cam Thomas is part of the rotation but it’s still an option.
Might be on my own here but over 20mil for a guard to come off the bench and put up 13-4-3, seems like a huge overpay.
Compare Quickly to Sexton, Sexton was a starter putting up 24-4-3 I remember he had all star hype at one stage and even now is putting up 14-3-2 in 4 less minutes per game than IQ. Sexton got 16mil.
So with that said I’d be offering IQ like 14mil a season. Yea he’s a better defender but I don’t see him ever being a starter, I don’t think he will ever get close to 24 points per game for a season.
So yeah 14 seems like a good mark. Maybe have a huge incentive like 10mil bonus if he wins sixth man of the year. Which would elevate him to 24mil for that season (14 salary+ 10 incentive) which would be deserved.
Quickley has made huge strides playing point. Love how he pushes the ball. He plays D and makes better decisions now. Plus we all know he can score. Put up 38 on Celtics.
Me ….. I use him to trade up next yr. A scoring 2 or 3. McBride can handle backup duties.
Knicks (39 – 27) and fighting for 4th seed. Who would have believed that at start of season.
So where are all the clowns now ……
Randle – all star
Brunson – all star
Thibs – COY ……
So Quite on the Knick board ….. sshhhhh
39 – 27 …… 39 – 27 ……. 39 – 27
No Brunson and they can’t close out. Funny how that is. How can you lose at Home to Hornets ……. Still learning
Knicks picks in 2023 ….
Own Top-14 protected (Traded to Portland in deal for Josh Hart)
DAL Top-10 protected
DET Top-18 protected (via HOU to OKC)
WAS Top-14 protected (via HOU to OKC)
Our pick is gone ……. Dallas pick is ours
Detroit pick is gone …….. Washington pick (probably also gone, but maybe.)
Since we can’t get in top 5. Makes sense to me to trade for a young star. A young (24-27) scorer, wing 2 or 3. Then there is FA. Don’t think we have much cap room for a star. But we could do a sign n trade.
Players Knicks should be looking at.
Jerami Grant, Cam Johnson …..
Would love Jerami Grant