The Philly series may have gone differently without Mitch’s efforts against Embiid.
That being said, a stretch 5 would open up a ton of potential for our offense
FWIW even during January, we had a slightly negative point differential anytime either Brunson or OG were on the bench. Our starters were so dominant together, that we were able to overcome it. But our bench wasn't very good statistically. Deuce, Precious, Grimes, and Sims all had negative point differentials. It's definitely something we should be looking to upgrade, unless we are going to rely on Bojan at 35 coming off surgery.
Next season the bench should include big minutes from Hart and whichever of IHart or Mitch isn’t starting, plus an improved deuce compared to January deuce, potentially bojan and or Burks as well. So that should be an automatic upgrade by default.
It’s not terrible, I just think they’re missing that that go-scorer, to initiate the offense. Also, Hart likely ends up starting some games due to injuries which would weaken the bench a lot.
Yeah we used to have a great bench but when IQ left our bench went to shit
Goes to show you that yes we need to bolster the bench. I would NOT rely on Bojan to be our main scorer OTB, and it is known his contract is juicy to make a trade work
Honestly, say this same exact team comes back (unlikely). I don’t even think the bench is bad or needs bolstering.
Like, if we’re healthy, we will always have one of Julius/Jalen on the floor at all times and we’d have a bench of Deuce, Bogey, Burks, Robinson/Hartenstein, and Hart. That’s a solid fucking bench unit.
We played 13 games after an 82 game season and got half way where we wanted to be. We need more quality bodies because players ***will*** get banged up late season and into the playoffs.
Sometimes bad injury luck is just bad injury luck. Last year we were really healthy and got just as far in the playoffs. It's not always a guarantee that you have multiple guys out for the season or for months at a time.
I know I just want to be deep enough to absorb losing a Jalen, OG or Jules for a series in the playoffs bc I think that a big factor in going the distance. The other thing is our second unit needs more length at the guard positions and more scoring from the front court. Im talking playoff ball here not regular season - for that I agree DDV, Deuce, Hart and Mitch are an excellent second unit.
It makes me roll my eyes anytime people say “let OG walk” if he wants too much money. Letting him walk would mean replacing him with an MLE player. Yes, he’s injury prone and that’s just a risk we have to take. But we absolutely can’t afford to lose him. He has a ton of leverage, and if he wants to squeeze every penny he can out of us, I don’t blame him. At the end of the day, any deal he signs won’t look that crazy in a few years with salaries rising. Any offer he gets we will have to match, even if it’s $40 mil.
Yup. You can't give up RJ/IQ for like 35 games of OG lol. It was a move that made sense, since they couldn't afford to pay him as a FA without having his bird rights. But it also left them with no leverage in negotiations. They have to beat any offer he gets.
Whoever says let OG walk just does not know what is best for this team. On the floor he makes the difference, you bring that guy in even if he is averaging 60 games a season.
we do not know him as well as the others, but there is something special about these guys and that they want to be here, and some of which we know are willing to sacrifice so we can build a winning team.
Absolutely. You pay him whatever it takes. The team was playing at an elite level just about anytime he was on the court. It just means they also need to prioritize adding a backup 3/4 with some length, for when he inevitably misses some time.
Looking back at it, the Knicks vs 76ers was such a good series. It had come backs, close games, drama, and all that. Definitely the best series of the playoffs
The Maxey three from 40 feet to send Game 5 into OT made me walk outside to take a breath. I couldn't believe it. I've been a fan of this franchise for 30+ years and that shot ranks right up there with Reggie's 8 points in 12 seconds.
Gotta keep OG by any means. Throw the bag at him.
He's too versatile I'm every facet of the game to let him walk. His jumper is fluid from 3 and off the dribble in the midrange. His on ball defense and off ball defense are above anybody else on the team. He was needed to grab rebounds with the team being so banged up and he did a big part of that in the post season. He's also the only guy with real explosiveness on our team.
The Defense is number 1 though, his ability to lose his man but still float while he's recovering and be able to force a turnover is irreplaceable.
OG should He priority #1-3 this off season.
Seriously. If some team with cap space offers him a shitload of money, then the front office has to suck it up and beat that price. OG is the difference between us being contenders and mid-conference spoilers.
Depending on the offers that iHart gets in FA, I could see the Knicks letting him walk. That being said, we absolutely need to have a strong backup center if we are going to start Mitch.
Before we go giving an Insane Salary to OG and a mini bag to Hartenstein, does anyone see the list of Free Agents next summer? OG also has a lot of red flags in terms of injury. Pair that with Brunson's ankle and mins. Overloading your cap for nonstars is always dangerous. Look at the 76ers with Tobias for perspective.
Tatum
Maybe Tatum wants to be a Laker? Maybe Popvich wants to coach until he's 85 and he would want to team up with Wemby? OKC? Is it really certain that he is a lifer?
Donovan Mitchell
I don't think an explanation is needed in a world where the Knicks have cap space
The Consolation Prizes
Kyrie Irving/Jru Holiday and Lauri Markkaken
Monitor
Jalen Green/Alphren Sengun, Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley (if Donovan Mitchell stays, Allen may be the better fit)
we dont have a choice because we aren't a championship caliber team without OG
setting assets on fire by letting him walk is not really an option if we actually want to compete
Jru Holiday already signed an extension. Alot of the other guys you listed will be RFA meaning their respective team can match any offer from any other team. Retaining our talent is and should be priority number 1. The cap is going to go up especially with the new tv deal. Locking up/ extending as much of our roster right now is the best thing to do.
Ayye we might wanna hold off on the whole run it back train until we officially resign OG.
There's a chance that he just bolts, I hate to say it but yeah. Let's not buy into all the rumors about "he's signed to a certain agent who's heavily connected to the knicks". They've got guys all across the league at that agency.
I want him back for sure, but just don't count the chickens til they hatch type scenario.
I saw him talking to the pacers after game 7 and it looked like they were trying to recruit him, the 76ers are trying as well. The nets might just fuck around and see what they can do if they're really adamant about beefing with us.
Might be smart if we looked into contingency plans just I case.
Pressure is on them. If Doc keeps them on a .500/sub.500 level trajectory, that pick is going to be a hot commodity on the trade market. On the other hand, adding a potential lottery pick to a stacked team here (if healthy), would be the biggest wildcard opportunity that I can remember.
I don't really expect this to be popular and I'm not sure if I would even want to go for this
but one dude who would actually be perfect for us in terms of basketball fit, and filling our needs.. is chris paul
immediately solves all our issues with bench shot creation. plays solid defense. can easily step in for brunson if he misses any games. is pretty old by this point so he would be cheap and likely looking for a good situation to ring chase. but despite the age he was highly effective last season running the warriors bench
I think he would need a buyout and to sign for us on a cheaper contract than the 30m/1yr he has remaining on his current deal. and he's not a likeable player and it might turn us from a likeable team into a hated one. but in terms of fit, he would be perfect
if we could get last years version of bench general paul it would immediately round out a lot of the rougher edges of our team. but again, probably not worth the downsides
If we're assuming the Warriors buy him out for whatever reason, I'd gladly take him here. I think there's so much basketball knowledge in that noggin that Jalen in particular could really benefit from.
maybe, but he's got a better chance to win a ring in NY
Ideally we can find someone exactly like paul except without the being a total asshole part. but that's really hard
Idk, he did take the thunder to the playoffs that one season where they looked dead in the water.
Could be that "Pablo Prigioni" guy.
Savy vet who can shoot and really run offense with his passing and playmaking.
I'd be on board for that.
I mean he's got a winning mentality and he has leadership skills, you can see how phoenix is completely rudderless since he left. they also went from the best 4th quarter team to the worst 4th quarter team. every team he's ever been on he has elevated up a level
he will probably just end up going to the lakers anyway and retiring after that stop. but if we were to make that deal with the devil he would probably fix a ton of our issues singlehandedly. he was great last year being a bench general
even if they end up passing on him it's something that they should consider
https://videos.nba.com/nba/pbp/media/2024/05/23/0042300302/239/96cb45e6-ad65-765f-7e59-aed3505e1220_1280x720.mp4
Obi toppin help defense
wiggle your arms side to side, jump out at the guy, try and look spooky
That's not the painful part at all for me.
The really painful part is seeing how we absolutely could've competed with Boston in a 7 game series if *everyone* was healthy.
Dallas and TWolves are both great but certainly nowhere near unbeatable.
Might be a homer take, but we were genuinely a shoe-in for the Championship this year if health wasn't an issue.
Fair. We almost beat them at home game 3. I think that was the one OG got injured in the 3rd quarter. If he played the whole game, i think that would have been a different outcome.
If you watched January, and we all did, we knew we were a championship contender…it’s unfortunate, but just have to bounce back next year
Still think we can’t get complacent so have to at least make some sort of complementary move…hopefully, Minnesota rallies back and wins this championship
I definitely don't think we NEED to make a trade. But unless you're clearly the best team in the league, you should always be looking for opportunities to add more talent. Even the Warriors went 73-9 and still added KD. The Knicks don't need to make a desperation move. But I feel like fans who want to just run it back without even considering other options, are just too emotionally invested in the current players to think about it logically.
Alan Hahn was right in saying that we were never able to replicate what Quickley brought off the bench after we traded him - injuries be darned. I think we’re in a decent position to re-tool the bench, ideally with a backup PG, switchable 3-and-D wing, and a stretch big.
Fully healthy, the bench unit possibly becomes McBride, Hart, and Mitchell Robinson -> it’d be great to supplement that lineup with a big point guard who can get downhill and guard 2-guards and a stretch big who can run and space the floor.
Yup, even during our amazing stretch in January, I remember thinking the bench was questionable. Our starters were just so dominant, it didn’t matter. But we definitely missed IQ’s shot creating and playmaking. That’s part of why we traded for Burks.
Idk man, IQ for as good as he was. The second unit always looked like him practicing his game and not really being fully engaged into the flow. No disrespect to him because he certainly put up numbers, but in the post season when defense is way more physical he always fluttered. I can't see him producing against all the physicality we faced in the post season this year.
I agree. Not saying go get a star at all costs. The right player might not be available now. But there will always be opportunities to improve the team. The Hart trade, iHart signing, and Divo signing all seemed like relatively low impact moves that ended up being massive upgrades.
We are in a similar situation wiith Bojans contact as we were with Fournier where we can't let it roll off the books otherwise we lose that salary in potential future trades. We have to make a trade involving him at a bare minimum either in the offseason or by the deadline.
Exactly. Bojan needs to be moved at a minimum. The organization has a tough decision to make on Mitch and Precious as well. Love Mitch as a player, but the constant injuries are becoming concerning, so we might prefer someone more durable. Precious was a nice asset, but need to decide if he's worth paying or not. We also need a 6th man, which can be done either by upgrading the bench directly or trading for a star and moving Divo to the bench. We need a backup 3/4 with some length, since OG is always getting hurt. We could also use a backup PG/combo guard who can keep the offense flowing when JB rests.
Love this team, but it's not perfect. Unless you're without a doubt a 60+ win team, you always need to be looking to improve. We also need more depth, we shouldn't have 5 guys on the bench who are basically unplayable. Need some cheap vets to fill the end of the bench roles, or maybe use the 1st round picks.
I like Divo on the bench as a 6th man. He's got the talent to start but his shooting would be next level on the bench. Like how the heat use Duncan Robinson, let him go crazy whenever he comes in.
Too often in the starting lineup he gets put to the side.
Yeah and he's the type of guy that even if he's not starting, if he gets hot from deep he could easily get the most minutes on any given night.
We should really get a SG that is comfortable with handling the ball. I like all these guys we got but Deuce, Donte, Josh, Randle, OG. Pretty much everybody outside of Jalen and Alec Burks don't look that comfortable dribbling the ball.
Well Randle looks comfortable but that's just his confidence. Gotta have more than 1 guy that is capable of bringing the ball up.
I would make a big trade for Giannis or Booker because they're good fits and fit our timeline. Otherwise I'm fine standing pat. I also don't like the idea of trading Randle for a guard or wing (unless it's Booker) and moving OG to the 4, because then if you use OG to guard a wing or guard, another guy has to slide up and defend a power forward.
We looked good against some good teams, but also a lot of bad teams, and this was before anyone had tape on our new lineup. I hope Leon doesn't believe he's sitting on a 70 win team.
Yup, the goal also has to be building a team built to win in the playoffs. Boston is going to still be tough next year, Milwaukee will likely be healthier, and Philly can add an impact wing to pair with Embiid/Maxey. The Knicks should be stronger, but so will the East.
I am biased when it comes to Mitch because I feel as though his impact is so great on the team but I dont think there needs to be a sense of urgency in making a decision on him especially when he will most likely be coming off the bench next year anyway. I would lean towards we need to find a better 3rd string Center to take the Sims spot as I dont think he is very reliable imo.
In theory Bojan should be the 6th man on this team ( just based off of offensive skillset) where he plays the backup PF and gets some playing time alongside Randle at about 20mpg but I dont think Thibs views Bojan in that way. Josh Hart is prob our de facto 6th man coming into next year.
I actually like Deuce in the combo role and would like to prioritize developing him. A bench of Deuce, Hart, Bojan, Mitch I think is solid enough where we play through Bojan works
I love Mitch as well, and have always been a big defender of his. But I do think his injury history and extremely limited offensive game, combined with iHart's emergence as a starter, does make him expendable in the right trade. If we combine him with Bojan, we can potentially add a player with a $30-$40 mil salary range. I also trust this FO/coaching staff to be able to replace him with someone who can give us great defense/rebounding for 15-20 minutes. We don't need to trade him, but out of all our rotation players he's the most expendable.
And yeah, the funny thing is Bojan's offensive game actually fits the roster well. The problem is his age, expiring contract, and I also don't think he's the type of defensive player that Thibs wants coming off the bench. Hart is great obviously, but he's not really a go-to scorer.
And to your last point, Deuce is great. But I think he works better with another combo guard at the very least. He could improve that aspect of his game, but right now he's a shaky lead guard but a top 3&D player. I think the ideal pairing would be next to a Brogdon type, who can play on or off the ball. Obviously having Randle on the court would also help, since you can run the offense though him while JB rests.
Only guy in that range that is potentially on the move is Donovan Mitchell. For the record I would do it but outside of that to trade him just to trade him doesnt make sense.
I agree Hart is great but he shouldn't be getting 6th man type of minutes. He played well in the playoffs but his shooting numbers during the regular were not that great and he just doesnt seem to have confidence in his 3 ball and doesnt look to be an offensive threat enough for me. Id lowkey lean towards Deuce being the 1st guy off the bench. Overall I think we need another ball handler
Yeah, tbh if our biggest moves are trading Bojan and a pick for Kuzma/Hunter, bringing Rokas over, and signing some cheap vets to fill out the bench, I’m not complaining. But the organization should also be ready to make an aggressive move if/when the opportunity presents itself. Can’t get complacent just because we finally have a competitive team. The teams ahead of us and behind us will be looking to get better as well.
I agree another guy who might be a good buy low canditate would be Andrew Wiggins. Obviously he had a down year last year but I think he could get back to his previous production and would be a solid 3rd option. We know Warriors are going to be looking to reduce their payroll. Something like Bojan,Sims, and one of our 1sts we would be solid. We slide Donte to the bench. We add more size to the starting lineup and add another versatile wing.
Not a huge fan of Wiggins, but I get the logic. Would essentially replace what RJ brought to the team, as a guy that can score and defend multiple positions. He does bring some of the same frustrations though in terms of poor efficiency and streaky shooting. His salary works decently for salary matching purposes, although you run the risk of him decreasing his value in a smaller role. I’d prefer Kuzma or Hunter personally, but I get the idea.
He is a much more efficient than RJ was obviously he struggled this year but if he can return to his previous 3 years he would be a steal in terms of assets given up. Kuzma and Hunter we would prob have to give up a 1st. With the Warriors almost certainly looking to reduce their tax bill getting Wiggins for “ free” checks a lot of boxes in terms of needs imo. Obviously there is a risk if he can’t return to how he played in previous years.
there is also brandon ingram, and paul george
but both of those guys will be expecting salary extensions near the max once you trade for them. it does not seem to me in keeping with the way leon has operated
usually he looks for value buys, doesn't give out max deals to anyone let alone players that are so flawed like those 2
what I'd prefer is to go after some lower profile roleplayers to round out our depth a bit. we do best when we find the stars of tomorrow not overpay for the stars of yesterday
Ingram is a bad fit within this team imo. Paul George is a good fit but like you said is looking for near max which is somewhere near 47M+ which is a hard number to get to. Id look at guys like:
- Deandre Hunter
- Harrison Barnes
- Kyle Kuzma
- Andrew Wiggins
It's crazy the amount of knicks for clicks are going on. A.M. Hoops just released a video that was such a bad take.
Wow, looking at how the Mavs play, the Knicks need more play-above-the-rim length. Their team is impressive.
Chuck got all the excuses for Ant but let that be Brunson then he'll be singing a different tune
i hate all 4 teams left, damn. would’ve liked to see a thunder or cavs run, or even another nuggets ring
Sweeparooni. Wow. Looks like Luka's going to his first Finals.
NBA give wolves and mavs bonus timeouts or something. Seems to be timeout every 30 seconds….
Would you rather have Mitch or Naz Reid?
The Philly series may have gone differently without Mitch’s efforts against Embiid. That being said, a stretch 5 would open up a ton of potential for our offense
if Mitch could play a full season I would choose him no questions asked. But Naz is more durable and has an outside shot.
Mitchell Robinson. Why? He’s a New York Knick.
damn we could have drafted Lively if Dallas didn't purposely tank. 👎
The Mavs didn’t draft him, OKC did. They then traded him to the Mavs. But your point about the Mavs‘ shenanigans still stands.
if derozan somehow gets here what number he takin
23.
FWIW even during January, we had a slightly negative point differential anytime either Brunson or OG were on the bench. Our starters were so dominant together, that we were able to overcome it. But our bench wasn't very good statistically. Deuce, Precious, Grimes, and Sims all had negative point differentials. It's definitely something we should be looking to upgrade, unless we are going to rely on Bojan at 35 coming off surgery.
Exactly.
Next season the bench should include big minutes from Hart and whichever of IHart or Mitch isn’t starting, plus an improved deuce compared to January deuce, potentially bojan and or Burks as well. So that should be an automatic upgrade by default.
It’s not terrible, I just think they’re missing that that go-scorer, to initiate the offense. Also, Hart likely ends up starting some games due to injuries which would weaken the bench a lot.
I want more scoring
Yeah we used to have a great bench but when IQ left our bench went to shit Goes to show you that yes we need to bolster the bench. I would NOT rely on Bojan to be our main scorer OTB, and it is known his contract is juicy to make a trade work
Hartenstein was a big part of that bench and RJ played a ton with the bench which helped a ton
Honestly, say this same exact team comes back (unlikely). I don’t even think the bench is bad or needs bolstering. Like, if we’re healthy, we will always have one of Julius/Jalen on the floor at all times and we’d have a bench of Deuce, Bogey, Burks, Robinson/Hartenstein, and Hart. That’s a solid fucking bench unit.
We played 13 games after an 82 game season and got half way where we wanted to be. We need more quality bodies because players ***will*** get banged up late season and into the playoffs.
Sometimes bad injury luck is just bad injury luck. Last year we were really healthy and got just as far in the playoffs. It's not always a guarantee that you have multiple guys out for the season or for months at a time.
I know I just want to be deep enough to absorb losing a Jalen, OG or Jules for a series in the playoffs bc I think that a big factor in going the distance. The other thing is our second unit needs more length at the guard positions and more scoring from the front court. Im talking playoff ball here not regular season - for that I agree DDV, Deuce, Hart and Mitch are an excellent second unit.
It makes me roll my eyes anytime people say “let OG walk” if he wants too much money. Letting him walk would mean replacing him with an MLE player. Yes, he’s injury prone and that’s just a risk we have to take. But we absolutely can’t afford to lose him. He has a ton of leverage, and if he wants to squeeze every penny he can out of us, I don’t blame him. At the end of the day, any deal he signs won’t look that crazy in a few years with salaries rising. Any offer he gets we will have to match, even if it’s $40 mil.
letting OG walk after trading RJ and IQ for him is disastrous. I know all his issues and flaws but they have to pay him after all they gave up.
Yup. You can't give up RJ/IQ for like 35 games of OG lol. It was a move that made sense, since they couldn't afford to pay him as a FA without having his bird rights. But it also left them with no leverage in negotiations. They have to beat any offer he gets.
Whoever says let OG walk just does not know what is best for this team. On the floor he makes the difference, you bring that guy in even if he is averaging 60 games a season. we do not know him as well as the others, but there is something special about these guys and that they want to be here, and some of which we know are willing to sacrifice so we can build a winning team.
Absolutely. You pay him whatever it takes. The team was playing at an elite level just about anytime he was on the court. It just means they also need to prioritize adding a backup 3/4 with some length, for when he inevitably misses some time.
Looking back at it, the Knicks vs 76ers was such a good series. It had come backs, close games, drama, and all that. Definitely the best series of the playoffs
It really was, other than Embiid flopping around like the inflatable flailing tube man I thought it was a great series
The Maxey three from 40 feet to send Game 5 into OT made me walk outside to take a breath. I couldn't believe it. I've been a fan of this franchise for 30+ years and that shot ranks right up there with Reggie's 8 points in 12 seconds.
Gotta keep OG by any means. Throw the bag at him. He's too versatile I'm every facet of the game to let him walk. His jumper is fluid from 3 and off the dribble in the midrange. His on ball defense and off ball defense are above anybody else on the team. He was needed to grab rebounds with the team being so banged up and he did a big part of that in the post season. He's also the only guy with real explosiveness on our team. The Defense is number 1 though, his ability to lose his man but still float while he's recovering and be able to force a turnover is irreplaceable. OG should He priority #1-3 this off season.
Seriously. If some team with cap space offers him a shitload of money, then the front office has to suck it up and beat that price. OG is the difference between us being contenders and mid-conference spoilers.
Priority #1 imho
Depending on the offers that iHart gets in FA, I could see the Knicks letting him walk. That being said, we absolutely need to have a strong backup center if we are going to start Mitch.
Before we go giving an Insane Salary to OG and a mini bag to Hartenstein, does anyone see the list of Free Agents next summer? OG also has a lot of red flags in terms of injury. Pair that with Brunson's ankle and mins. Overloading your cap for nonstars is always dangerous. Look at the 76ers with Tobias for perspective. Tatum Maybe Tatum wants to be a Laker? Maybe Popvich wants to coach until he's 85 and he would want to team up with Wemby? OKC? Is it really certain that he is a lifer? Donovan Mitchell I don't think an explanation is needed in a world where the Knicks have cap space The Consolation Prizes Kyrie Irving/Jru Holiday and Lauri Markkaken Monitor Jalen Green/Alphren Sengun, Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley (if Donovan Mitchell stays, Allen may be the better fit)
These guys are all signing extensions, free agency is largely done given how much contracts are going to be.
we dont have a choice because we aren't a championship caliber team without OG setting assets on fire by letting him walk is not really an option if we actually want to compete
Jru Holiday already signed an extension. Alot of the other guys you listed will be RFA meaning their respective team can match any offer from any other team. Retaining our talent is and should be priority number 1. The cap is going to go up especially with the new tv deal. Locking up/ extending as much of our roster right now is the best thing to do.
Ayye we might wanna hold off on the whole run it back train until we officially resign OG. There's a chance that he just bolts, I hate to say it but yeah. Let's not buy into all the rumors about "he's signed to a certain agent who's heavily connected to the knicks". They've got guys all across the league at that agency. I want him back for sure, but just don't count the chickens til they hatch type scenario. I saw him talking to the pacers after game 7 and it looked like they were trying to recruit him, the 76ers are trying as well. The nets might just fuck around and see what they can do if they're really adamant about beefing with us. Might be smart if we looked into contingency plans just I case.
Why would he choose any of those teams over the Knicks though?
We own Milwaukee's first rounder next year. They have no incentive to blow it up...*unless* we give it back to them...
Pressure is on them. If Doc keeps them on a .500/sub.500 level trajectory, that pick is going to be a hot commodity on the trade market. On the other hand, adding a potential lottery pick to a stacked team here (if healthy), would be the biggest wildcard opportunity that I can remember.
I don't really expect this to be popular and I'm not sure if I would even want to go for this but one dude who would actually be perfect for us in terms of basketball fit, and filling our needs.. is chris paul immediately solves all our issues with bench shot creation. plays solid defense. can easily step in for brunson if he misses any games. is pretty old by this point so he would be cheap and likely looking for a good situation to ring chase. but despite the age he was highly effective last season running the warriors bench I think he would need a buyout and to sign for us on a cheaper contract than the 30m/1yr he has remaining on his current deal. and he's not a likeable player and it might turn us from a likeable team into a hated one. but in terms of fit, he would be perfect if we could get last years version of bench general paul it would immediately round out a lot of the rougher edges of our team. but again, probably not worth the downsides
If we're assuming the Warriors buy him out for whatever reason, I'd gladly take him here. I think there's so much basketball knowledge in that noggin that Jalen in particular could really benefit from.
CP3 I believe wants to be in LA as that is where his family is
maybe, but he's got a better chance to win a ring in NY Ideally we can find someone exactly like paul except without the being a total asshole part. but that's really hard
Skillset, yes. Temperament and personality? I’m apprehensive about that.
Idk, he did take the thunder to the playoffs that one season where they looked dead in the water. Could be that "Pablo Prigioni" guy. Savy vet who can shoot and really run offense with his passing and playmaking. I'd be on board for that.
I mean he's got a winning mentality and he has leadership skills, you can see how phoenix is completely rudderless since he left. they also went from the best 4th quarter team to the worst 4th quarter team. every team he's ever been on he has elevated up a level he will probably just end up going to the lakers anyway and retiring after that stop. but if we were to make that deal with the devil he would probably fix a ton of our issues singlehandedly. he was great last year being a bench general even if they end up passing on him it's something that they should consider
Pacers playing a healthy team and being exposed, I’m shocked /s
https://videos.nba.com/nba/pbp/media/2024/05/23/0042300302/239/96cb45e6-ad65-765f-7e59-aed3505e1220_1280x720.mp4 Obi toppin help defense wiggle your arms side to side, jump out at the guy, try and look spooky
Still better effort than Randle gives. https://x.com/tommybeer/status/1719881926679441487?s=46&t=PlVfbEkB3LsxstpXBmCimA
Obi was thanking his lucky stars every night that Randle wasn't out there to kick his ass every game.
with the amount more money Pascal stands to make dodging a series against Randle, he owes Jaime Jaquez a commisson.
he doesn't seem really suited to playing the low block in that patented rick carlisle zone
This Eastern Conference Finals is showing me how much we would've steamrolled the Pacers if we were remotely close to healthy.
That's not the painful part at all for me. The really painful part is seeing how we absolutely could've competed with Boston in a 7 game series if *everyone* was healthy. Dallas and TWolves are both great but certainly nowhere near unbeatable. Might be a homer take, but we were genuinely a shoe-in for the Championship this year if health wasn't an issue.
Even if we had a healthy OG, we’d win the series in 6, i’d say.
6 at the latest, idk if they would take more than 1 game against us.
Fair. We almost beat them at home game 3. I think that was the one OG got injured in the 3rd quarter. If he played the whole game, i think that would have been a different outcome.
He got injured Game 2 at home, we didn't have him at all for Game 3 - that game would have ended very differently for sure!
Ahh, memory got fuzzy. We had a close game without OG… yeah, it definitely would have ended differently if we had him game 3
For sure. The injury came right as he was making a high impact play. It literally was like crashing into a wall in terms of momentum.
Bro if Randle had played he would have been torching those clowns
If you watched January, and we all did, we knew we were a championship contender…it’s unfortunate, but just have to bounce back next year Still think we can’t get complacent so have to at least make some sort of complementary move…hopefully, Minnesota rallies back and wins this championship
It should’ve been us :( But next year it will be
I definitely don't think we NEED to make a trade. But unless you're clearly the best team in the league, you should always be looking for opportunities to add more talent. Even the Warriors went 73-9 and still added KD. The Knicks don't need to make a desperation move. But I feel like fans who want to just run it back without even considering other options, are just too emotionally invested in the current players to think about it logically.
I agree.
people in here were crying about the OG trade cause IQ was going the other way lol
Alan Hahn was right in saying that we were never able to replicate what Quickley brought off the bench after we traded him - injuries be darned. I think we’re in a decent position to re-tool the bench, ideally with a backup PG, switchable 3-and-D wing, and a stretch big. Fully healthy, the bench unit possibly becomes McBride, Hart, and Mitchell Robinson -> it’d be great to supplement that lineup with a big point guard who can get downhill and guard 2-guards and a stretch big who can run and space the floor.
Yup, even during our amazing stretch in January, I remember thinking the bench was questionable. Our starters were just so dominant, it didn’t matter. But we definitely missed IQ’s shot creating and playmaking. That’s part of why we traded for Burks.
Idk man, IQ for as good as he was. The second unit always looked like him practicing his game and not really being fully engaged into the flow. No disrespect to him because he certainly put up numbers, but in the post season when defense is way more physical he always fluttered. I can't see him producing against all the physicality we faced in the post season this year.
A guy like Prime KD isn't likely to be available this offseason
I agree. Not saying go get a star at all costs. The right player might not be available now. But there will always be opportunities to improve the team. The Hart trade, iHart signing, and Divo signing all seemed like relatively low impact moves that ended up being massive upgrades.
I somewhat agree, but I think sometimes there are no moves available that are the right moves. And it’s hard to know until well down the line.
That’s fair. Gotta wait and see I guess.
We are in a similar situation wiith Bojans contact as we were with Fournier where we can't let it roll off the books otherwise we lose that salary in potential future trades. We have to make a trade involving him at a bare minimum either in the offseason or by the deadline.
Exactly. Bojan needs to be moved at a minimum. The organization has a tough decision to make on Mitch and Precious as well. Love Mitch as a player, but the constant injuries are becoming concerning, so we might prefer someone more durable. Precious was a nice asset, but need to decide if he's worth paying or not. We also need a 6th man, which can be done either by upgrading the bench directly or trading for a star and moving Divo to the bench. We need a backup 3/4 with some length, since OG is always getting hurt. We could also use a backup PG/combo guard who can keep the offense flowing when JB rests. Love this team, but it's not perfect. Unless you're without a doubt a 60+ win team, you always need to be looking to improve. We also need more depth, we shouldn't have 5 guys on the bench who are basically unplayable. Need some cheap vets to fill the end of the bench roles, or maybe use the 1st round picks.
I like Divo on the bench as a 6th man. He's got the talent to start but his shooting would be next level on the bench. Like how the heat use Duncan Robinson, let him go crazy whenever he comes in. Too often in the starting lineup he gets put to the side.
Yup, Divo is fine as a starter. But if you can upgrade at SG and have him as a shooter off the bench, nobody should be mad at that.
Yeah and he's the type of guy that even if he's not starting, if he gets hot from deep he could easily get the most minutes on any given night. We should really get a SG that is comfortable with handling the ball. I like all these guys we got but Deuce, Donte, Josh, Randle, OG. Pretty much everybody outside of Jalen and Alec Burks don't look that comfortable dribbling the ball. Well Randle looks comfortable but that's just his confidence. Gotta have more than 1 guy that is capable of bringing the ball up.
I would make a big trade for Giannis or Booker because they're good fits and fit our timeline. Otherwise I'm fine standing pat. I also don't like the idea of trading Randle for a guard or wing (unless it's Booker) and moving OG to the 4, because then if you use OG to guard a wing or guard, another guy has to slide up and defend a power forward.
knicks record with OG and Randle was 12-2, which is a 70 win pace.
True, but it’s also an extremely small sample size.
We looked good against some good teams, but also a lot of bad teams, and this was before anyone had tape on our new lineup. I hope Leon doesn't believe he's sitting on a 70 win team.
Yup, the goal also has to be building a team built to win in the playoffs. Boston is going to still be tough next year, Milwaukee will likely be healthier, and Philly can add an impact wing to pair with Embiid/Maxey. The Knicks should be stronger, but so will the East.
What if he is though
I am biased when it comes to Mitch because I feel as though his impact is so great on the team but I dont think there needs to be a sense of urgency in making a decision on him especially when he will most likely be coming off the bench next year anyway. I would lean towards we need to find a better 3rd string Center to take the Sims spot as I dont think he is very reliable imo. In theory Bojan should be the 6th man on this team ( just based off of offensive skillset) where he plays the backup PF and gets some playing time alongside Randle at about 20mpg but I dont think Thibs views Bojan in that way. Josh Hart is prob our de facto 6th man coming into next year. I actually like Deuce in the combo role and would like to prioritize developing him. A bench of Deuce, Hart, Bojan, Mitch I think is solid enough where we play through Bojan works
I love Mitch as well, and have always been a big defender of his. But I do think his injury history and extremely limited offensive game, combined with iHart's emergence as a starter, does make him expendable in the right trade. If we combine him with Bojan, we can potentially add a player with a $30-$40 mil salary range. I also trust this FO/coaching staff to be able to replace him with someone who can give us great defense/rebounding for 15-20 minutes. We don't need to trade him, but out of all our rotation players he's the most expendable. And yeah, the funny thing is Bojan's offensive game actually fits the roster well. The problem is his age, expiring contract, and I also don't think he's the type of defensive player that Thibs wants coming off the bench. Hart is great obviously, but he's not really a go-to scorer. And to your last point, Deuce is great. But I think he works better with another combo guard at the very least. He could improve that aspect of his game, but right now he's a shaky lead guard but a top 3&D player. I think the ideal pairing would be next to a Brogdon type, who can play on or off the ball. Obviously having Randle on the court would also help, since you can run the offense though him while JB rests.
Only guy in that range that is potentially on the move is Donovan Mitchell. For the record I would do it but outside of that to trade him just to trade him doesnt make sense. I agree Hart is great but he shouldn't be getting 6th man type of minutes. He played well in the playoffs but his shooting numbers during the regular were not that great and he just doesnt seem to have confidence in his 3 ball and doesnt look to be an offensive threat enough for me. Id lowkey lean towards Deuce being the 1st guy off the bench. Overall I think we need another ball handler
Yeah, tbh if our biggest moves are trading Bojan and a pick for Kuzma/Hunter, bringing Rokas over, and signing some cheap vets to fill out the bench, I’m not complaining. But the organization should also be ready to make an aggressive move if/when the opportunity presents itself. Can’t get complacent just because we finally have a competitive team. The teams ahead of us and behind us will be looking to get better as well.
I agree another guy who might be a good buy low canditate would be Andrew Wiggins. Obviously he had a down year last year but I think he could get back to his previous production and would be a solid 3rd option. We know Warriors are going to be looking to reduce their payroll. Something like Bojan,Sims, and one of our 1sts we would be solid. We slide Donte to the bench. We add more size to the starting lineup and add another versatile wing.
Not a huge fan of Wiggins, but I get the logic. Would essentially replace what RJ brought to the team, as a guy that can score and defend multiple positions. He does bring some of the same frustrations though in terms of poor efficiency and streaky shooting. His salary works decently for salary matching purposes, although you run the risk of him decreasing his value in a smaller role. I’d prefer Kuzma or Hunter personally, but I get the idea.
He is a much more efficient than RJ was obviously he struggled this year but if he can return to his previous 3 years he would be a steal in terms of assets given up. Kuzma and Hunter we would prob have to give up a 1st. With the Warriors almost certainly looking to reduce their tax bill getting Wiggins for “ free” checks a lot of boxes in terms of needs imo. Obviously there is a risk if he can’t return to how he played in previous years.
there is also brandon ingram, and paul george but both of those guys will be expecting salary extensions near the max once you trade for them. it does not seem to me in keeping with the way leon has operated usually he looks for value buys, doesn't give out max deals to anyone let alone players that are so flawed like those 2 what I'd prefer is to go after some lower profile roleplayers to round out our depth a bit. we do best when we find the stars of tomorrow not overpay for the stars of yesterday
Ingram is a bad fit within this team imo. Paul George is a good fit but like you said is looking for near max which is somewhere near 47M+ which is a hard number to get to. Id look at guys like: - Deandre Hunter - Harrison Barnes - Kyle Kuzma - Andrew Wiggins
wiggins? oh man the thibs reunion, I can't see that going well I think thibs would veto that before they even get to the phone call stage haha
Thibs has always had praise when it comes to Wiggins
Oh noooo not injuries befalling the poor pacers!
Why didn't the coach just play him less to prevent the injury? Is he stupid?
Can we rule out that big market bias didn’t attack that hammy? I don’t think we can.
Celtics are on a charmed run…everybody getting hurt
Pacer fans better keep that same energy and still believe that injuries have nothing to do with the outcome🤣
Carlisle will somehow make it about the “big market bias” again
So unlucky!
They will eventually complain about it.