Yeah, it seems impossible for a player to be this much unproductive when he does try. He averages 0.9 assists per 36!!!!! How does he not stumble upon 2 assists in 20 minutes just by giving the ball to someone who instantly takes a shot?

Frank will start when he has earned the right.

Well Jack has a TS% of .474 and Frank’s is .438. Both horrid, but at least Frank actually attempts to guard his man.

I really don’t get the downside of starting Frank at this point.

I mean, one would think the ball would sometimes bounce on him and he would get some rebounds at least right? Our hustle + defense starting wing averages 2.7 rebounds, hits one three per game then flails his arms a lot on defense while leaving 3 pt shooters open.

It’s really amazing. Per 36, he’s averaging 5 rebounds and 0.7 steals. How is that possible? The guy obviously cares. He waves his arms a lot and runs to spots. Shouldn’t a 6’8″ forward who tries hard get way more rebounds and steals by accident?

I think he’ll positively regress a little bit, but jeez. Did you know he’s had a negative VORP every single year of his career?

I don’t want the Knicks to start Jack and Sessions in the backcourt so they start losing games. That’s the surest way to tank. I just want to see them use precious minutes on players who need them, like Hernangomez and Dotson. Or see them used on a player with high upside, like Burke. We will likely lose, but it’s not tanking, per se.

Here’s the problems with that scenario.

1. O’Quinn and Kanter are in their option year. If you bench them in favor of younger “inferior” players they are going to go ballistic. Their agent is also going to go ballistic. Their career and future paydays are on the line.

2. Any other veterans that feel they are getting less than their deserved minutes are going to get pissed off and demand a trade.

Things like that create the kind of poisoned locker room environment we are trying to avoid. They also get noticed by other players around the league. They impact your ability to attract talent later. That’s typically why the “youth movement” doesn’t occur until late in the season when the team is totally out of it and the games are meaningless. At that point all the veterans are willing to sit for the benefit of the team even if they are the better player.

Of course, you can try to trade all your veterans. But that has downsides in terms of developing the young players and doesn’t make sense unless you can actually win the trade and move in a positive direction.

Until this season is dead and buried:

Frank will start when he has earned the right.
Willy will get more minutes when they trade O’Quinn or he wins the job from him.
Dotson will get more minutes when he has proven he deserves it in practice or they trade Lee

I say we gotta stop worrying about labels like is KP a legit number one option superstar you build around. And we gotta stop thinking we can only build a legit contender or else what’s the point.

Manage the team well. Draft well. Don’t overpay for free agents. Make smart trades. Have a good coach. Develop young players. Build a team that can win 45 to 55 games every year and get to the second round of the playoffs consistently. After that, so much of it is luck and timing.

We know KP is a good two way player and a unique one at that. We know when he’s on he can lead a team to wins. We’ve got to be patient with this. To me, suggesting we trade KP is a panic move. Its similar to wanting to overpay for a veteran free agent to “win now.” Its a panic move. We need to not make panic moves. The team is actually about where we thought they would be this year. Its only because we had some early season success that people’s expectations have changed and people are more frustrated now with the losses.

If KP isn’t the type of alpha to build around, how do we get that player?

Controlling the factors that are controllable (tanking strategy, not overpaying for “veteran leadership,” not giving NTCs to half the roster for no fucking reason whatsoever) and, then, a lot of luck.

The Blazers, for instance, got Brandon Roy and Greg Oden, each an outstanding player when on the floor. Then they got unlucky.

The Sonics/Thunder drafted three MVP candidates (good guessing) and then traded one of them to keep Kendrick Perkins. Then there was a lucky spike in the salary cap and they lost the best of the three to an all-time great team. Then they traded for Carmelo Anthony. Dumb, and then unlucky, and then dumb.

If KP isn’t the type of alpha to build around, how do we get that player?

Personally, I don’t see an answer through the draft. In free agency, I see answers- but those answers are extreme long shots. I love Bagley, I love Doncic, and I think Porter is very good as well. But I’m not sure if they’re as good as KP, or if they will ever be. Bagley’s close though. I mean that kid is NIIIIICE. But should Perry consider trading KP for that 1st that will get him in a Knick jersey? IMO, this is a catch 22 in a serious way…

This is the same thing that happened with Christmas basketball. The NBA needs to be a little more respectful of local traditions.