Atlantic Notes: DiVincenzo, Embiid, Melton, Nets, Bridges
Knicks swingman Donte DiVincenzo is one of several notable players who will be ineligible for end-of-season awards this season despite playing in far more than 65 games, as James Herbert of CBS Sports observes. DiVincenzo appeared in 81 games this season, but technically didn’t meet the NBA’s 65-game criteria.
As we outlined in our glossary entry on the NBA’s new 65-game rule, a game only counts toward the 65-game minimum if the player logged at least 20 minutes. A player is also permitted to play 20+ minutes in just 63 games as long as there were at least two additional games in which he played 15+ minutes.
DiVincenzo played 20+ minutes in 62 games and logged at least 19 minutes in seven more, including one in which he played 19:51. If he had reached the 20-minute threshold in one of those games, he would’ve been award-eligible, but he just missed out. The Knicks wing would have been included on Most Improved Player ballots from multiple voters, including JJ Redick, who took to Twitter to express displeasure with the rule.
As Herbert points out, DiVincenzo’s teammate Isaiah Hartenstein is another player who might have received award consideration but is considered ineligible despite appearing in 75 games, since he played 20+ minutes in just 50 of those contests. Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, another Most Improved candidate, played in 74 games but had 20+ minutes in just 61 of them, so he’s also ineligible.
Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas (82 starts), Mavericks wing Derrick Jones (76 games, including 66 starts), and Clippers swingman Terance Mann (71 starts) likely wouldn’t have been serious candidates for any awards, but they’re a few of the other players who paradoxically failed to meet the 65-game criteria due to the nature of the rule. For what it’s worth, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) says he would have put Jones on his All-Defensive Second Team if he could have.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, the Sixers are once again entering the postseason with questions about the health of Joel Embiid, who sat out Sunday’s regular season finale and has played just five games since returning from knee surgery. However, Embiid is on track to play in Wednesday’s play-in game. He practiced on both Monday and Tuesday, per head coach Nick Nurse; 76ers guard De’Anthony Melton (back) did not (Twitter links via Kyle Neubeck and Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports).
- After a disappointing season in Brooklyn, the Nets‘ roster figures to undergo an overhaul this summer, and the players who finished this season with the team are bracing for that possibility, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “I don’t think (any) of my years in the league I had the same team two years in a row,” Dorian Finney-Smith said. “Even if you win, teams still make moves, so I can only imagine how this summer’s gonna be.”
- Nets forward Mikal Bridges admitted that it was a challenge to maintain a positive outlook during a “really tough” season and said that working on “being better mentally” will be one of his goals for this offseason, Lewis writes for The New York Post. He pointed to a December 27 loss to Milwaukee in which the Nets rested most of their regulars and the disappointing road trip that followed as low points. “The Milwaukee game and losing on that road trip, that was tough. I think that was a part of it. That didn’t help. For the players, I know that I was pretty hurt from that, I was pretty pissed off about that situation,” Bridges said. “That’s just part of it. I think I’ve failed at that part mentally. I was doing pretty good mentally, but I didn’t do a pretty good job of that this year. I let my emotions get to me.”
Knicks Notes: Hartenstein, DiVincenzo, Brunson, McBride, Anunoby
It took some time for Isaiah Hartenstein to adjust to the style that coach Tom Thibodeau wants him to play, but the Knicks center now believes he’s in a “perfect situation,” writes James Herbert of CBS Sports.
Hartenstein thrived as a play-maker with the Clippers before signing with New York in the summer of 2022. But Thibodeau had other players to run the offense, and he wanted the big man to focus on protecting the rim, rebounding and setting screens. Hartenstein wasn’t certain the situation would work out, but he’s been more comfortable in his second season with the team, blending his passing skills with Thibodeau’s demands while replacing Mitchell Robinson as the starting center.
“Coming in, it took us some time to adjust,” Hartenstein said. “But I think, unless you’re really the top guy on any team, you’re going to have to adjust to a certain role. You’re not going to be able to do everything you want. So, I mean, if you want to be a winning player, you have to be able to do it. Now I’m in a perfect situation, where I’m allowed to play my game, and it’s been working really well.”
Hartenstein has helped the Knicks weather numerous injuries to their front line and has emerged as a candidate for the All-Defensive team, according to Herbert. He’ll be in line for a huge raise on his $8.2MM salary when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“I think I’ve proven that, no matter what big comes in, it’s a matchup,” Hartenstein said. “I don’t think, any big that ever comes in, I’m scared of or anything. I think I’ve established that I’m a starter in the NBA. I can play a big role on a winning team.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Donte DiVincenzo set the franchise record for three-pointers in a season Friday night, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. DiVincenzo hit six shots from long distance in an overtime loss at San Antonio, giving him 245 for the season, which ranks third in the league. “It’s cool, it’s a cool accomplishment. You look at the list of who is on there, it’s special,” DiVincenzo said. “We still have nine games to go. So there’s no real pressure. Just go out there and take the shots I’ve been taking all year.”
- In a separate story, Bondy examines New York’s potential first-round playoff matchups and how the team has fared against Indiana, Cleveland, Orlando, Philadelphia and Miami. Bondy also considers a possible extension this summer for Jalen Brunson, but believes it’s unlikely because Brunson will only make $25MM next season, which limits the extension to $156.5MM over four years. The All-Star guard will be in position for a much bigger payday as a free agent in 2025, becoming eligible for a five-year deal worth approximately $258MM.
- Steve Popper of Newsday looks at how Miles McBride has been able to improve his three-point shooting as his playing time has increased. McBride sank a career-high nine three-pointers Friday night.
- OG Anunoby will miss his seventh straight game Sunday with right elbow “injury management,” tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Robinson is listed as questionable after spraining his left ankle in his second game back following ankle surgery.
New York Notes: Robinson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Clowney, Wilson
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson returned on Wednesday from an ankle injury that robbed him of nearly four months of action. Robinson contributed eight points, two rebounds and two blocks in 12 minutes during a 44-point romp past Toronto. Even in limited minutes, he looked like a defensive force, Fred Katz and Eric Koreen of The Athletic write.
“I believe my defense is kind of there,” Robinson said. “I think I still got a little bit to work on for that, but the shot blocking is still there, so that’s pretty good.”
Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic noticed how Robinson, now backing up Isaiah Hartenstein, impacted the Knicks’ rotation.
“Mitchell Robinson, when he checked in, looked like a giant out there,” Rajakovic said.
We have more on the New York teams:
- The four-year, $46.9MM contract that Donte DiVincenzo signed as a free agent last summer is turning into a huge bargain, Katz writes. DiVincenzo, who set a franchise record with 11 three-pointers against the Pistons on Monday, has emerged as a starter. He’s just another example of mid-sized contracts the Knicks have given out where the player has exceeded their cap hit in terms of production. “Donte has been amazing for us this season,” Josh Hart said.
- Knicks forward OG Anunoby, trying to work his way back from elbow soreness, did some conditioning work in Toronto, but head coach Tom Thibodeau said Anunoby’s status hadn’t changed, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. “No, just allowing it to calm down and each day it’s a little better, but be patient, get through it,” Thibodeau said.
- Rookies Noah Clowney and Jalen Wilson made significant contributions during the Nets’ win over Toronto on Monday, combining for 19 points and 11 rebounds, Bridget Reilly of the New York Post writes. “They come in, they do solid things. They do simple better,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said of Clowney and Wilson. While the Nets haven’t been officially eliminated from the play-in tournament, Brian Lewis of the Post argues that Clowney, Wilson and the team’s other young players should get extended minutes the rest of the way.
Knicks Notes: Robinson, Anunoby, Randle, Brunson, Hart, More
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson appears to be nearing a return from the ankle injury that has sidelined him since early December, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Head coach Tom Thibodeau spoke to reporters before Monday’s victory over Denver and provided a positive update on Robinson’s progress.
“Mitchell is moving quite well,” Thibodeau said. “He’s cleared for contact and all that. He’s going through practices and so just needs a little more time. But he’s doing really well overall.”
Forward OG Anunoby participated in parts of Monday’s shootaround, while Julius Randle (shoulder) continues to do controlled contact work but has yet to be cleared for live contact drills. Given that the reports on Anunoby and Randle were more mixed than the one on Robinson, a reporter asked Thibodeau if the center will be the first of the three players to return.
“Assuming your assumption is correct, yes,” Thibodeau cryptically replied.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Jalen Brunson has now played in 65 games this season, ensuring that he’ll be eligible for end-of-season awards such as All-NBA. As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Brunson can’t qualify for a super-max contract since he signed with the Knicks as a free agent, but he’ll be eligible this July to sign an extension that could be worth up to $156.5MM over four years.
- As effective as Josh Hart has been for the Knicks this season, he has become an unreliable three-point shooter, making only 30.4% of his long-distance attempts this season after hitting 35.0% in his first six NBA seasons. According to Peter Botte of The New York Post, Hart and his former Pelicans teammate JJ Redick have already made plans to work this offseason on Hart’s outside shot. “At some point in the summer I’ll pull up to the Hamptons,” the Knicks wing said on Monday. “Shoot, get in the gym with him. Drink wine with him. He can bring all the wine. Because he’s rich. And just enjoy.”
- Evan Fournier previously shared the Knicks’ franchise record for three-pointers in a game with 10, but saw that record erased on Monday when Donte DiVincenzo knocked down 11 treys against his Pistons. With 234 three-pointers in 2023/24, DiVincenzo is also poised to break Fournier’s record of 241 made threes in a season. “Not at all surprising, to be honest with you,” Fournier told Botte after the game. “He’s definitely found his role, and congrats to him. He has great chemistry with these guys, especially (Brunson), and he’s very smart as far as finding the pocket for a three and he has such a quick release. … He’s having a hell of a season and he deserves (the record). He’s honestly the perfect fit for how they play, and I am happy for him.”
- Struggling guard Alec Burks sat out Monday’s game due to a sprained right shoulder, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. It’s unclear how much Burks’ shoulder injury has factored into his shooting struggles since joining the Knicks. He’s shooting just 32.0% from the field since the trade deadline.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Harden, Knicks-Pistons Trade, DiVincenzo, Holiday
The Sixers‘ first meeting with James Harden since trading him to the Clippers last fall was relatively calm, but Wednesday’s rematch in Philadelphia will likely have a different atmosphere, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Harden concentrated on play-making on Sunday afternoon, scoring 12 points and handing out 14 assists as the Sixers picked up a much-needed road victory. Harden left without speaking to reporters, but his former teammates said they’re happy that he appears to have found a positive situation in Los Angeles.
“James is a hell of a player and I’ll always have a huge amount of respect for him,” Tobias Harris said. “Playing with him here, it’s good to see him playing in L.A., flourishing and playing his game and just ballin’ out. It’s all love and respect. He’s a hall-of-fame player, and for me it was an honor being here, playing with him.”
Harden can expect a raucous reception when he returns to Philadelphia for the first time since a bitter contract dispute with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey led him to demand a trade last summer. Haden launched repeated verbal attacks at Morey and disrupted training camp and the early part of the season before being traded to L.A. at the start of November.
Vardon adds that instead of being focused on Harden, the Sixers are concerned about their playoff prospects as they try to stay in the race for the sixth seed while Joel Embiid recovers from meniscus surgery.
“We know what the situation is,” Tyrese Maxey said. “We know we gotta go out there and fight. He’s not here, he’s not walking through those doors right now. What we have in this locker room, that’s who has to go out there and compete.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks will host the Pistons tonight in a reminder of a trade that has turned out poorly for both teams so far, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. New York hoped to bolster its shooting last month when it acquired Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic from Detroit. However, they’ve both been disappointing, even with extra opportunities created by injuries to Julius Randle and OG Anunoby. For Detroit, Quentin Grimes has missed 15 of 21 games with a right knee injury he suffered when he was still with the Knicks. Evan Fournier has appeared in 19 straight games after being trapped on Tom Thibodeau’s bench, but he’s been in a severe shooting slump.
- Donte DiVincenzo is nearing the Knicks‘ record for most three-pointers in a season, Bondy adds in a separate story. He’s 18 away from the mark of 241 that Fournier set two years ago. “I don’t think about it. Obviously I’m aware of it, but I don’t go into the game going, ‘How many do I need?’” DiVincenzo said. “That’s for you guys to talk about, that’s for everybody else to have fun with. But when you start doing that — there’s basketball karma, basketball gods. That’s not something [I want to mess with].”
- Celtics guard Jrue Holiday explained the shoulder issue that will cause him to miss his fourth straight game tonight, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “Not a dead arm. I got hit on my shoulder and it felt like my arm went dead,” Holiday said. “But it’s not a nerve thing or anything. It’s just the part of the shoulder that I got hit in. But my shoulder is fine.
Atlantic Notes: DiVincenzo, Randle, Nets, Ramsey
With a short-handed lineup and a poor shooting day from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks relied on their complementary players to get past Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Donte DiVincenzo played “maybe his best game” since signing with New York last summer, according to coach Tom Thibodeau, scoring 31 points and closing out the victory with a 13-point fourth quarter.
“I wasn’t even paying attention to the score,” DiVincenzo said. “I was just trying to make the right play, be aggressive, and the right play they were giving me [was] space at the rim, and I took advantage of it. I didn’t know the score. I was just trying get stops and play the right way.”
The Knicks also got a huge effort from guard Miles McBride, who scored 26 points while playing all 48 minutes, and center Isaiah Hartenstein, who battled through Achilles soreness to contribute 17 points and nine rebounds.
“It says a lot about them and I love the mental toughness of our team, the ability to persevere through things,” Thibodeau said. “When things aren’t going our way, just keep going, then make it go our way and then in the end, find a way to win, whatever it is that we gotta do, that’s what we have to do. And it’s a credit to them. That’s the makeup of these guys and their willingness to commit to play for the team first and put everything they have into it.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Knicks forward Julius Randle still hasn’t been cleared for full contact as he works his way back from a dislocated shoulder, according to Ian Begley of SNY (video link). Randle has been in a holding pattern for several weeks, able to do everything except participate in contact drills.
- Interim Nets coach Kevin Ollie was unhappy with his team’s level of competitiveness in today’s loss, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn collapsed in the fourth quarter while dropping its sixth straight game. “You have to counter-punch … talking, loose balls, offensive rebounding. It has nothing to do with talent and it has nothing to do with the ball going in. It’s those little things we have to get better on, we have to double down on. That’s the only way we’re going to win,” Ollie said. “I talked to them about that: How’s your stamina? Not just your wind, I mean from a competitive standpoint. That has to be there every single minute for us to win, and it wasn’t.”
- Jahmi’us Ramsey‘s second 10-day contract with the Raptors will expire on Saturday night, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. Lewenberg expects the 22-year-old shooting guard to be signed for the rest of the season, probably with a partial guarantee for 2024/25.
Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, DiVincenzo, Robinson, Anunoby
Tom Thibodeau‘s reputation as a no-nonsense, old-school coach isn’t entirely deserved, Donte DiVincenzo tells Sam Amick of The Athletic. DiVincenzo was aware that Thibodeau topped an anonymous player poll of the coaches they’d least like to play for, but that didn’t affect his decision to sign a four-year, $47MM deal with New York last summer.
“From the outside world, there’s always (a different view),” DiVincenzo said. “But in our house — in-house — we have a good dynamic and we enjoy it and everybody enjoys being around each other. To the outside world, you don’t really know. All you know is perception. All you know is the history from other teams (Thibodeau has coached) and his years with different organizations. But we’ve had plenty of rest days, plenty of off days.”
Thibodeau has a reputation for giving heavy minutes to his rotation players, especially his starters, and causing them to wear down throughout the season. But he also inspires intense loyalty in players who approach the game the same way that he does. DiVincenzo said working with Thibodeau hasn’t been much different from his other NBA stops.
“I played for (the Warriors’ Steve) Kerr and played for Coach Bud (former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer). It’s not like you come here and all of a sudden you’re just running track every day (in practice),” DiVincenzo said. “I think what he does by far better than anybody I’ve been around is he’s the most prepared. So it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go for two hours on your feet and running. But when you’re in there, you’re gonna lock in and you’re gonna get the stuff done and we’re gonna get out of there.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Thibodeau has one season left on his contract and he’s hoping to land a long-term extension this summer, league sources tell Amick. Thibodeau currently makes about $7MM per year, Amick’s sources say, and he’s in line for a major raise considering the huge deals recently landed by Monty Williams, Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Doc Rivers and Kerr.
- Mitchell Robinson talked about the frustration of having another season disrupted by injuries, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Robinson, who’s hoping to return soon from ankle surgery, was off to the best start of his career when he felt discomfort in his left ankle during a December 8 game against Boston. He was cleared to keep playing following an X-ray, but was later diagnosed with a stress fracture. “I’m like, man, I’m trying to figure out ways to stop it from happening, the best ways that I can,” Robinson said. “And it’s like one thing after one thing. I felt like I was finally getting in shape to the top of my career right there and the next thing you know.”
- When Robinson does return, he’ll be joining a much different version of the team, notes Fred Katz of The Athletic. The Knicks have shaken up their roster since early December, and Robinson is looking forward to playing alongside OG Anunoby. “He’s active. He’s not afraid to take a chance,” Robinson said. “He might miss one (steal) here or there, but that’s all right. He’ll get most of them.”
Knicks Notes: Anunoby, McBride, DiVincenzo, Brunson
The Knicks sent OG Anunoby back to New York for another MRI on his surgically repaired right elbow, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. Anunoby, who underwent a procedure on February 8 to have loose bone fragments removed, returned to the lineup last week. He managed to play three games, but often looked uncomfortable and shot just 1-of-8 at Sacramento on Saturday. After he was downgraded to out for Monday’s game against Golden State, the team decided to have him go home for more testing.
“He’s coming back from surgery. We want to make sure that he’s completely healthy,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We knew this was a possibility when you bring a guy back from surgery. If there’s discomfort and stuff and he can’t function the way that we feel he needs to function on the court we’re just going to give him the time that he needs to let it calm down and we’ll go from there.”
The Knicks will wrap up their road trip Thursday at Denver, and Anunoby is expected to miss that game as well. Thibodeau declined to speculate that Anunoby might have returned from surgery before he was fully ready.
“You can’t work backward,” he told reporters. “There were many steps he had to go through. He met all the markers and he was cleared. This is a possibility whenever you come back from surgery, this is what you’re looking at. And so, we feel good about where he is. Just give him the time that he needs.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Miles McBride turned in a career night in leading New York to a win over the Warriors, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. McBride scored 29 points in 46 minutes and served as the primary defender on Stephen Curry for most of his time on the court. “He was huge for us, obviously,” Josh Hart said. “Everyone’s gonna see the box score and see he shot the ball very well and was very efficient, but he did that while guarding Steph, pressuring him, running around with him all game. So he was huge for us and something that we need.”
- Donte DiVincenzo broke out of a shooting slump with 18 points in his first game back in San Francisco after playing for the Warriors last season, Bondy adds. DiVincenzo said he asked for Curry’s advice before signing with the Knicks last summer. “If you played with him, wouldn’t you want to?” DiVincenzo said. “That’s pretty much as simple as it was. I had a relationship with him on and off the court. Obviously, I value his opinion.”
- Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Jalen Brunson is “high on the list” for a spot on Team USA for the Summer Olympics, Bondy states in a separate story. Brunson is part of a 41-player pool that will have to be trimmed down to 12.
New York Notes: DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Thomas, Nets’ Team Meeting
Donte DiVincenzo always feels like he has something to prove when he faces the Kings, and Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t want that to dominate his shooting guard’s thoughts heading into Saturday’s game, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. DiVincenzo played for Sacramento at the end of the 2021/22 season, but his time with the organization ended when the Kings withdrew his qualifying offer a few days into free agency. Thibodeau talked with DiVincenzo before the game to make sure that wouldn’t affect his decision-making.
“Not like anything crazy. Just something quick,” DiVincenzo said. “Just a reminder, don’t get too locked in — because everyone knows you want to try so hard to beat your former team, stick it to them. But at the end of the day, when I’m at my best I’m focused on this locker room and making the right plays.”
Bondy notes that DiVincenzo will have a much friendlier reunion tonight with the Warriors, who helped him reestablish his market value last season. He spent one year with Golden State before landing a four-year, $46.9MM deal with the Knicks, and he still communicates with many of his ex-teammates.
“I watch a lot of their games because they’re on the West Coast, so we play our game and they’re usually on afterwards,” DiVincenzo said. “Keep in touch with a lot of those guys. That’s pretty much it. It’s just a personal relationship rather than — there’s no like extra motivation or anything like that.”
There’s more on the NBA’s New York teams:
- The Knicks‘ stifling defense will get a significant test against the Warriors, Bondy states in a separate story. Helped by the return of OG Anunoby and a league-wide decision to permit more contact, New York has held teams to 94 or fewer points in five straight games. The Knicks will have to get by tonight without Anunoby, who will miss the game due to “injury management” for his right elbow, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.
- High-scoring guard Cam Thomas wasn’t on the court for a crucial possession when the Nets needed a basket late in Sunday’s loss at San Antonio, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. During a timeout prior to the play, interim coach Kevin Ollie replaced Dennis Smith Jr. with Cameron Johnson, who misfired on a three-point attempt. “I guess they thought that was the best lineup to get a three off. So, you know, it was a good look. He just missed it…” Thomas said. “I mean, it is what it is. I mean if he made it, we wouldn’t be here right now talking about if I was in the game or not. But you know, it is what it is. You can’t get it back; you just gotta move on to the next game.”
- The Nets held a players-only meeting after Saturday’s loss in Indiana, but they couldn’t hold onto a late lead against the Spurs, Lewis adds in another piece. “We’ve just got to close out the last couple, six minutes better,” said Dennis Schroder, who Lewis hears was one of the leading voices at the meeting.
Knicks Notes: Offensive Struggles, Anunoby, Randle, Milton, Rotation
The Knicks played their worst game of the season and posted their lowest offensive total in nearly six years in Sunday’s 79-73 loss to Philadelphia, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. It was the fewest points scored by any NBA team in 2023/24, barely eclipsing the 74 points that New York held Orlando to Friday night, and Knicks players were honest about their performance.
“We played like [expletive],” Josh Hart said. “I mean, we obviously didn’t shoot the ball well. Turnovers bad. I think I had six or seven myself … But we’ve got to try to flush it. Got them again on Tuesday. Try to come out and play better.”
The Knicks shot 32.5% from the field and committed 19 turnovers, with All-Star Jalen Brunson going just 6-of-22. The game had a late-1990s feel to it, Popper observes, including a fourth quarter altercation between Donte DiVincenzo and Kelly Oubre that led to a shoving match involving several players.
DiVincenzo refused to comment on the scuffle, but Oubre said, “All of that stuff’s funny to me. I don’t know why. I just laugh, because nobody’s gonna fight.”
There’s more from New York:
- Coach Tom Thibodeau said OG Anunoby will travel with the team when it departs for the West Coast on Thursday, per Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link). There’s hope that Anunoby will be able to return soon from a right elbow injury that has sidelined him since January 27. Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson will also make the trip, but there are concerns about why Randle still hasn’t been cleared for contact, Begley adds.
- Randle missed his 18th game of the season Sunday night, which means he won’t receive a $1.28MM bonus for appearing in 65 games, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Randle’s contract includes the same bonus for next season, which will now be considered unlikely. His cap hit will be adjusted to $28.9MM and the team will receive a $1.28MM tax variance credit for this season, Marks adds.
- Shake Milton has only played one minute in three games since signing with the Knicks last week, but Thibodeau is urging him to be patient, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. “Just fit in and stay ready. Trades are hard in the middle of the season. You gotta learn the system,” Thibodeau said. “But I like what I’ve seen from him in terms of his attitude, his approach. He’s been very, very good.”
- In a separate story, Popper examines what the Knicks’ rotation might look like if everyone is healthy. He notes that a potential starting five of Brunson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Randle and Robinson hasn’t played together yet. If that’s the starting unit, Popper expects Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein and Miles McBride to be the first three reserves. It’s tougher to determine who’s next in line, as Precious Achiuwa, Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, Jericho Sims and Milton will all be competing for limited minutes.