Josh Hart has been raising his potential value in free agency throughout the postseason and will likely receive a new contract starting in the $15-18MM range, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto talked to four NBA executives to help gauge Hart’s next deal. They all believe he will turn down his $12.96MM player option for next season and sign a new contract with the Knicks.
The 27-year-old swingman has been a valuable addition since being acquired from the Trail Blazers at the trade deadline. He averaged 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 25 regular season games, mostly off the bench, and his hustle and intensity have made him a favorite of head coach Tom Thibodeau. Hart has seen a different role in the playoffs, starting five of the team’s eight games and matching up with the Heat’s Jimmy Butler in their second-round series.
There’s more on the Knicks:
- New York needs Julius Randle to snap out of his postseason slump to have a chance to get past Miami, writes Barbara Barker of Newsday. She points out that Randle, who is recovering from a sprained left ankle, has been held to 15 points or fewer in four of his seven playoff games. He was particularly bad on Saturday, shooting 4-of-15 from the field and committing four turnovers. “You take the emotions out of it,” he told reporters Sunday. “This (loss) is not one you can typically flush away. You learn from the game before, what you can do better. … One game is not going to determine how we feel for the next game or what we think the future’s going to be.”
- With Immanuel Quickley listed as doubtful for Monday’s Game 4 due to a sprained left ankle, second-year guard Miles McBride could see his first significant playoff action, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Thibodeau also didn’t rule out turning to veterans Derrick Rose or Evan Fournier, even though neither has been part of the team’s rotation for months. “Everything’s on the table,” Thibodeau said. “We’ll see how it unfolds.”
- A Twitter user who identified himself as Quentin Grimes‘ business manager posted a message after New York’s Game 3 loss complaining about Grimes’ usage, per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. The poster had the username Matthew Z. and handle @mattkeepgoing, and Schwartz notes that Grimes’ manager is Matt Evans, who he grew up with in the Houston area. Grimes started 66 games during the regular season, but he was moved to a reserve role after returning from an injured shoulder.
If that is really Grimes’ business manager posting complaints about his usage in Game 3, that’s pathetic. Quentin, you need to ditch this clown immediately if it’s true.
Grimes, more than any young player I can think of, has been encouraged by the coaching staff to shoot more, and more decisively from deep, even if he’s not wide open (he won’t be with this team). He seemed to get the memo before his injury. I have no idea what’s going on with him now. Shoulder problem he’s playing through, or he’s just reverted back to being too deliberate?
Either way, the agent needs to shush. When a guy gets minutes (and Grimes has), his path to more playing time (and/or a bigger role) is to play better. Not passive agressive negotiation via his agent.
That said, we need Grimes. He’s really our only floor spacer on the wing, where it matters most. Quickley can be effective at times there, he gets covered, but an easier close out. As great as Hart has been, he’s still not able to draw the defense out to the 3 point line quick enough. I’m a little surprised since he’s shot well, but its also true that there’s a limit to how many he’ll take. Barrett’s release is fine, but he simply doesn’t shoot the deep ball well enough to be a floor spacer; the defense usually welcomes his 3 pt shot. Brunson and Randle have eased the problem here at times this year, but they’re not shooting the 3 well at all right now. It’s a perfect storm hitting an area that’s weak to start with. Maybe this will induce them to address the issue this summer with more immediacy.
All of the things I was worried about as a Heat fan in this series hasnt really played out b/c of the Knicks big lineups/lack of spacing. I was really worried about Randle, Grimes, Hart and Quickley, but it hasnt been an issue so far.
They still have a lot of guys that need the ball in their hands. They could use a shooter at the 2/3 that is an adequate defender, or maybe a spacer at the 4 like that, and Grimes could be a scorer off the bench. I personally think he is better than Herro. I do think he could still start though in the right lineups. Quickley is an almost elite, if not so, catch and shoot guy, and plays well of Barrett and Randle
I also think both Barrett and Randle shoot it better in smaller lineups, b/c obviously, the spacing is a lot better in those lineups
The Knicks were better this year with Brunson off the floor, so that is something to also consider…not that I’m suggesting anything about that in this series, but in general, which is something I suspected would happen before the season
Right now, I think Grimes needs to start, because (even at full health) they don’t have other perimeter players who can shoot the 3 to form a starting unit without him. Longer term, he might fit better as a 6M type, but probably not with both IQ and Hart on the team.
In the offseason, they could try to find that 2/3, who can add the 3 point shot to our offense. They could go for just a rotation player, who could be a 20-25 mpg starter or a 15-20 mpg backup. A veteran who can bring the 3 point shot on command (whether he gets 30 mpg or 15 mpg) would work. We had Burks and Bullock, but the 2k’ers ran them out of town.
Or they go for a higher end player, one that would start and be the top perimeter option. That involves a rethinking the wing (2/3) spots. If they go there, it’s hard to see Barrett and Randle both surviving. They’re not really the best fits with each other, or with Brunson. Only so many shots to go around, so if a new guy is going to be in the top 3 of shots taken, then one of those 3 would likely have to go.
Hart has captured Thibs’ heart and in Thibs’ fashion, is going to play him until he drops. Hart is better off the bench as an ‘injection’ as opposed to starting. The waves of defense they used in Cleveland is not evident in this series. Quite simple, Thibs’ is getting outcoached.
@DXC – How would you feel if Rj was parceled for Dame this offseason?
While it shores the shooting dept up it leaves a huge hole at the 3 …(Hart can’t do everything, tho I bet he’d try)
Feel you need at LEAST 2 players who can cover the 3 these days, and by cover the 3 meaning versatile enough to cover 1~4 on switches . You’d be lite there, newho just wondering your thougts here on a potential Dame/Nyk fit… pretty confident Rose could work over Cronin with a lotta those faux firsts ect coupled with RJ Fourn, Toppin and maybe a McBride
I wouldn’t. I don’t really want Dame at the price he’s likely to cost, or, without other things, any real cost. NYK were built a certain way, and, IMO, he really wouldn’t fit. Timeline for one, despite the excitement, we’re really still more than a year away from true contention. 3 years into a 5 year process, we have nobody older than 28 in the rotation, and lots of extra picks. Defense for another (he and Brunson would be at least as bad defensively as he and McCollum or Simons).
I’m estatic we snagged Brunson. But, IMO, the players who really move then needle in the league, and have for awhile, are the big multi-skilled perimeter players (3’s with some SG skills and PF size). One is killing us now. I view RJ as a placeholder for that guy; he is multi-skilled, he just lacks the single most important one.
Agreed. You put Butler on the Knicks and I don’t know if there’s anyone that beats them. It would be a team of complimentary play.