The Knicks are embracing a “bunker mentality” as the trade deadline approaches, head coach Mike Brown said on Friday. New York has been mentioned prominently as a possible destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“We understand that we have no control over the noise out there, so we have to have a bunker mentality. Not just at the trade deadline but all the time because there is a lot of noise out there,” Brown said, per Ian Begley of SNY. “We’re all human and you try not to listen to it – you just try to stay together. You keep moving forward, trying to get better as the days go along and I think that’s what this group is trying to do.”
We have more on the New York teams:
- Goga Bitadze could be a potential trade target for the Knicks as a backup big, according to Begley. Bitadze has fallen out of the Magic‘s rotation and New York had strong interest in him last offseason, Begley notes. Second-year Pelicans center Yves Missi has also been rumored as a target for the Knicks.
- Karl-Anthony Towns , one of the players who might be on the move if the Knicks make a blockbuster trade, has done his best to block out the noise. He has pulled down 20-plus rebounds in back-to-back games. The Knicks blew out Portland for their fifth straight victory. “To me, that’s what great players do,” Brown said. “They impact the game in a lot of different ways and for him to have 22 against Toronto, and 20 tonight, double-double, it was huge. Six of those were offensive rebounds and we beat them 20-9 (on the offensive glass) and they’re a very, very good offensive rebounding team.” Jalen Brunson appreciates KAT’s hard work. “The rebounding, what he’s been doing these past couple of games has been great,” he said, per Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “We need that from him, that’s what he brings to the table. Offensively, when the ball’s not going in as much as it should be, he finds a way to impact the game. I think that’s really important for us. Big-time performance for him.”
- The Nets went with a very young lineup on Friday in Utah and it paid off. Egor Demin, who attended BYU, recorded 25 points and 10 rebounds, his first double-double, as the Nets snapped a seven-game losing streak by defeating the Jazz. “It means a lot,” Demin said in an on-court interview, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “It’s the first second game of a back-to-back we’ve won, the first [win] without Mike. He’s a big, big, big part of our team, but we’ve got to be able to function without him, too. So that win means a lot, especially for me being back home I can say so. It’s pretty fun.” Fellow rookies Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf were also in the starting five.
Oh cool, the Knicks have a bunker mentality now.
You know what would inspire the Knicks? If looking up from their bunker and they saw that Emirates Cup banner hanging from the rafters. To remind them of their capabilities.
Not sure why some people are obsessed with this? Knicks didn’t want to hang a banner but the NBA makes you.
winners win banners.
Lmao ——. what does Seattle look up for. Where TF my team go ????? Or you look to OKC
im not a a Seattle fan. I’m a fan of Rashard Lewis. But thank you for taking the time to look. very sweet.
OK so you look up to see WhereTF did Rashard Lewis career go ……. ????
155 millions dollars for his career. He could help Dolan buy the material needed to make a banner for the Knicks if it was a money-issue? I’m sure you could ask him.
Thats funny. Dolan got more money than he knows what to do with it. Only outsiders talk about that banner. It’s the NBA. So all banners should go up. That only reminds us we have a good team this year. The season has a long way to go still.
Rashard Lewis was one most overpaid players in history. It’s why we have the players who steal money today. The players who play for contracts every 4 yrs. Perfect you talk about it. You talking money to the Knicks ……. Update you brain lol.
2 time All-Star. Keep going though, you’re doing great.
I always hate the “New York Notes” thing. Why do the Knicks have to be associated with the Nets?
Who are the Nets?
😂😂😂
I love Goga but a trade would be tricky. Yabu and Dadiet are just enough to match his salary but they wouldn’t have enough room under the hard cap to fill the 14th spot even with maximum shenanigans, so that deal wouldn’t work. Not to mention that’d be a paltry return to Orlando.
There are tricks to stringing out the min roster requirement, such as 10-days, and then eventually pro-rating a player with little to no NBA experience, but you’re right as far as what does that do for Orlando besides possibly help a conference rival?
That’s what I meant by maximum shenanigans: wait 14 days after the trade, sign a ten-day, wait another 14 days, then fill the spot. If completed at the deadline, a team would need almost exactly $500k in room to pull that off. Knicks currently have $130k and this would add a whopping $10k.
I’d love to have Goga but it’s kinda hard to see what we’d have to give up to get him, especially to make it worthwhile for Orlando.
LOL, Begley. Goga “could be” a target now because the NYK were interested in him last offseason? No mention of the fact that the very different landscape for the NYK probably precludes it.
Bunker mentality is par for the course for a NY team with a great team culture. But identity > culture, and until the NYK can re-establish the former, all the comraderie in the world isn’t going to prevent the up and down performances.
There are some encouraging signs, mostly because KAT appears to be trying to contribute more in the areas that he can. His BB IQ has always been his biggest weakness (even more than his feet) on both ends. His coaches and teammates can help some with that. Brunson is trying. Brown doesn’t really team build.
To me it shows incompetence by media. I pray it’s not my team. That another center is what they are looking at. When Mitch is still here. Unless we move Mitch. There is no need for another center in NY. The priority has to be moving Yabusele and getting another 4. Isaac is the only Magic player we should be looking at.
Towns is here for the year. So they better look to strengthen team around him. Achiuwa and Westbrook can do that. Both were signed as minimum players by Kings. Yabusele, Kolek, two 2nd rd picks.
Idk about giving up multiple picks for two guys we could’ve signed to minimums ourselves, though I do agree they’d both be upgrades over the short term.
As far as Goga, it would mean a lack of faith in Huk and/or Mitch’s health, plus the idea that Mitch will bounce in the summer. Goga is on the books for a couple more years. More double big lineups?
I like Huk. Imo this coach is not backing him up. Thibs had him playing in G-league when he wasn’t using him. Always learning. No point just sitting here. You have to give those picks so they take Yabu. Russ is playing well there. Achiuwa they don’t need. Kings playing for next yr. So Kolek, they need a young PG. And picks should get their attention.
Westbrook has never won lol. You know he’s going off. And Precious would be overjoyed to be back home. I feel they will go all out for Knicks to reach Finals.