Knicks Morning News (2023.09.26)

Good morning KB! One week until Training Camp!!!

Now that we are in full agreement that Julius Randle is primed for the best season of his career, time for the next bold prediction from Z-man:

Quentin Grimes will be a candidate for the Most Improved Player award.

Talk about how the Knicks can get to the next level tends to revolve around Randle, Brunson and RJ…but it is another starter that is a stockpile of potential waiting to explode on the scene.

Grimes had a decent season last year…and it would certainly be just fine if his numbers stayed roughly the same as they were last year. This isn’t RJ we’re talking about: .619 TS%, 64% from 2, 39% from 3…decent rebound, assist and steal numbers, excellent point of attack defense…he’s a really good role player as is.

But a closer look reveals who he can be…a stud 2-guard who perfectly complements the drive and kick games of Randle and Brunson….the Klay Thompson of this team.

After the all-star break last year, we got a glimpse of who Grimes could be…in 22 games, his numbers were eye-popping, albeit on an increased but still too low usage of 16%: TS .687, 45% from 3.

In the playoffs, he never got it going. Even before his shoulder injury, he shot poorly and was a non-factor. Was that indicative of a player with a low ceiling or a kid who was not ready to shine under the brightest lights? I think more the latter than the former.

He will benefit from both the support and pressure of playing with guys like Brunson, JHart and DDV. He has a legit chance to be better than the latter two if he becomes better at a couple of things. One of those things is the mid-range game. He often blows by close-outs, only to drive and predictably dish a pass to Mitch rather than just pull up for a 15-foot baseline jumper, which should be money for him, and especially with Mitch in offensive rebounding position.

Who knows, maybe Grimes is a key piece in a trade for a star, with DDV as insurance at that position. But until that happens, he needs to be utilized more as an offensive weapon. He’s got 3000 NBA minutes under his belt. The time is now for him to break out. If he does, the NBA will take notice and his name will come up in the MIP discussion.

ess-dog, it’s not insane, but I don’t think Masai would make that deal. They are essentially giving up 3 first rounders, two pick swaps, and OG, who by himself is worth 2 unprotected firsts for a couple of years of an elderly Damian Lillard. Seems like too high of a price to pay.

From the Knicks-Raptors POV, the Knicks are giving up RJ, a protected MIL 1st and an unprotected 2027 pick for OG. Masai probably feels he could get better return than that from someone else.

Alan, not sure I agree. There would still be a trove of assets to use in a Giannis trade even after that move…possibly including OG!

If the Knicks wouldn’t do that deal, it would be more about whether they value OG as much as we do. E, for example, has relegated him to the overpriced hustlebunny bin. Others think he’s a perfect fit alongside Brunson and Randle, much better than RJ. And there’s considerable disagreement on whether it would be prudent to wait before ditching RJ. I’m more in the “be patient with RJ and don’t overpay for OG” camp.

“I know you admitted to trolling the fools here out of hibernation, so I should probably ignore this, but for the record Lillard has played as many minutes in his highly durable career as Giannis will have played by the time the Knicks are theoretically trading for him.”

Highly durable? In the last 4 seasons, Lillard has played 66, 67, 29, and 58 games. He just turned 33, and smallish PGs do not age well more often than not. It’s not clear how he will physically hold up in a long season followed by a long playoff run, or how much of a liability his defense would be in said run. He has a player option for $62M in 2026-27 when he will be 36.

It’s pretty far from a risk free proposition. I don’t think it’s anywhere close to trolling to make that point, except to the Dame stans among us.

Anyway, Portland’s leverage will decrease as the season approaches. I would guess that Masai knows that and wouldn’t give up as much as indicated above, since he would largely be bidding against himself. Although I could see the Nets throwing an offer at him, or moving in to facilitate a Miami trade…or Chicago doing something desperate…not smart, but possible.

https://www.foxsports.com/nba/damian-lillard-player-injuries

Jowles, stop trolling. Sincerely, DW

DW, Jimmy Butler was 30 when we were having that conversation, and he is one of the best 2-way players in the game who plays for one of the best coaches and organizations in the game.

Dame is an undersized 1-way scoring PG who is 33 right now. And you kind of answered your own question…Dame did NOT carry his mediocre team to the finals, nor have any of his teams won a single WCF game (swept in their one appearance.)

I don’t know what Dame is, but I know what he ain’t. He ain’t Jimmy Butler.

(And that’s not to say that it would be a terrible move for the Raps, who are challenged as far as acquiring superstars and getting them to stick there. I just don’t think Masai will allow himself to get fleeced for a player that comes with the risks that Dame comes with.)

The only question for me is what Masai would be willing (and wise) to pay for Dame, whether we are involved as a 3rd party or not. The trade proposed by ess-dog above seemed excessive to me, given his age and size. I don’t know why Jimmy Butler was brought into the convo, as neither the players nor the situations are not remotely similar. No one has suggested that the Knicks should trade for Lillard, except for some one-lettered poster who is currently in hibernation.

Donnie Walsh was higher on Jimmy Butler than nearly everyone here, certainly including me, and deserves major props for his consistently glowing takes on JB during the entire 2018-2019 period between when he was leaving Minny and was finally acquired by Miami. His four years with the Heat have been sensational, even in light of the injuries and missed regular season games. But to be fair, even though I and many others scoffed at the idea of maxing him at that time, I doubt he have helped our miserable franchise nearly as much if we acquired and maxed him back then, and he likely would have moved on by now. Who knows, maybe he would have been just good enough to keep Steve Mills around for another five years?

“Lillard is slightly bigger.”

I think you meant taller. Paul has always played bigger and taller than he is. Lillard plays like a smallish guard, especially on the defensive end.