[New York Post] – Wed, 21 Feb 2024 04:21:00 GMT
- Knicks could get trio of injured players back to start second half
- Knicks need to get healthy first, but a run to East finals is possible
- Five things that are necessary for the Knicks to make a deep run
- Knicks’ Julius Randle ‘doing well overall’ but still without specific timetable to return
- Knicks provide health updates on Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson
[Sports Illustrated] – Tue, 20 Feb 2024 14:12:41 GMT
- Carmelo Anthony Says Nuggets Rebuffed Lakers’ Blockbuster Trade Offer in 2011
- Carmelo Anthony Says Lakers, Nuggets Had a Trade ‘Done’ Before 2011 Knicks Deal
- Carmelo Anthony said Lakers had a done deal to acquire him in 2011
- Future Hall of Famer reveals he was nearly traded to Lakers to pair with Kobe Bryant
- Lakers News: Carmelo Anthony Reveals Trade With Nuggets That Almost Took Place In 2011
[New York Post] – Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:52:00 GMT
- Kevin Durant’s agent wanted him to sign with Knicks ‘more than anything’
- Kevin Durant’s Reveals Knicks’ Free Agency Push in 2019
- Kevin Durant admits Knicks brand is cool after 2019 comments: I might have embellished
- Kevin Durant reveals WHY he snubbed the New York Knicks and signed for the Brooklyn Nets when he left the Warr
- Suns’ Kevin Durant Says Agent, Dad, Aunt wanted Him to Join Knicks over Nets
[New York Post] – Wed, 21 Feb 2024 01:43:00 GMT
- OG Anunoby sure he will be back in Knicks’ lineup before playoffs
- Knicks OG Anunoby details rehab process after elbow surgery: Trying to get the range of motion and then slowly regain strength
- Knicks News: Critical OG Anunoby injury update, former player signs with contender
- Knicks’ OG Anunoby Says He’s Optimistic of Regular Season Return From Elbow Injury
- OG Anunoby injury update: Knicks G/F could return during earlier portions of March
[Posting and Toasting] – Wed, 21 Feb 2024 00:16:37 GMT
NYC names February 18 Taj Gibson Day!
[Sports Illustrated] – Wed, 21 Feb 2024 03:48:42 GMT
BREAKING: Brooklyn Nets Reportedly Sign Knicks G League Player
[New York Daily News] – Wed, 21 Feb 2024 01:15:45 GMT
- Donte DiVincenzo, Bojan Bogdanovic and Isaiah Hartenstein expected to return for Knicks Thursday vs. 76ers
- Unleashed! Knicks’ Donte DiVincenzo is filling the stat sheet and attracting attention
- Knicks may be without four starters vs. Magic as injury situation worsens
- How Donte DiVincenzo’s scoring outburst can help Knicks down the line
- Donte DiVincenzo’s Current Injury Status For Knicks-Magic Game
[New York Post] – Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:19:00 GMT
Jalen Brunson’s academic accomplishments give him an ultra-rare NBA resume
[New York Post] – Wed, 21 Feb 2024 01:40:00 GMT
Sean Marks takes ‘accountability’ for part in Nets’ struggles that got another coach fired
[Heavy.com] – Wed, 21 Feb 2024 00:06:00 GMT
Workout Video Shows Knicks Mitchell Robinson Gearing Up for Playoffs [WATCH]
54 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2024.02.21)”
I have to confess that the Bucks are combusting much quicker than I expected. Doc Rivers is already throwing his players (and owners!) under the bus. Normally that takes until he loses early in the playoff…
The changes of Giannis losing his patience are increasing by the day. But if he ever asks out, I’m convinced the Thunder will throw everything at him and be invincible for years.
One more day, the ASB is a killer, but hey, no one needed it more than the Knicks.
So as expected, our available rotation players are likely starters iHart, DDV, Brunson, Precious and JHart, with a bench of Bojan, Burks, Deuce and Sims. I would be surprised but not shocked if Thibs elects to start Bojan instead of Precious, or tries that lineup for considerable minutes, especially if he wants Precious to play backup C.
Burks has been pretty putrid so far but I’m optimistic that he will be more comfortable and settle into the backup combo guard role. Hopefully he and Deuce can develop some chemistry together.
Predicted return dates:
OG: 3/5 vs. ATL
Julius: 3/23 vs. BKN
Mitch: 3/31 vs. OKC
“The changes of Giannis losing his patience are increasing by the day. But if he ever asks out, I’m convinced the Thunder will throw everything at him and be invincible for years.”
I doubt that Giannis will wind up in OKC. It will be a big market for sure. But if he did, good for him. Better that he goes out west than creates a superteam in the east on a team other than the Knicks.
In any case, it makes that 2025 MIL pick look pretty juicy!
Giannis would be great on this team, and KAT would probably work next to a healthy Mitch because of how much ground Mitch covers on defense. But I’d much rather keep Randle and throw as many picks as it takes to get Mikal in a Knicks jersey, then find a way to keep all of Mitch, Brunson, Randle, Hart, DDV, OG, and Bridges. That’s a back to back finals core. Probably an unlikely task of keeping them all as we’d probably have to lose Hart or DDV to make it work. And maybe if we lose Hart to make this happen, I’d be OK with it
geo wrote: “how in the world does a big player guard someone running around the arc getting open and draining 2 after 2 after 2, doesn’t matter if you bully your way to the rim every time on offense to get your one point..”
@geo: Why would a player only be getting one point for field goals and only two points for three-pointers? Clearly I’m missing something.
JJ Redick absolutely shredded Doc Rivers on his podcast yesterday. What a train wreck.
You mean having the chance to get Giannis, you’d prefer Randle and Mikal !? 😮
I had my moments not wanting Randle, after the thumbs down season, but now i think he’s great and deserves that we trust him and Brunson to get this team to another level, but come on, Giannis is a lot better than Randle and he is not even a douchebag like KD/Kyrie, he’s a great dude. Not a chance i’d prefer Randle/Mikal to Giannis.
Giannis is under contract till 2027. Doesn’t matter if he wants to be in OKC, I’m sure Presti will happily bank 3 championships before he walks.
Cyber..
Can’t go wrong either way, right? One thing to consider though, is if Giannis shakes loose and we trade for him, we’d need a stretch 5. And that likely means sending Mitch and Randle out while inking Hartenstein to a new and richer deal than Mitch had. I suppose either plan will be good for building the roster around Brunson, but I’d rather have Mitch in the middle with OG and Mikal locking the perimeter up. Just my preference though. I’d love either scenario lol
“Giannis is under contract till 2027. Doesn’t matter if he wants to be in OKC, I’m sure Presti will happily bank 3 championships before he walks.”
While Giannis doesn’t have a no-trade clause, he does have the clout of a veteran and the good will of the Bucks. I doubt that they would trade him anywhere he didn’t want to go. On top of that, the trade is not happening on draft picks alone. One of Jalen Williams or Chet is going out, and maybe both. The residual team is not necessarily championship caliber.
So sure, it’s possible but I don’t think it will happen.
Macri’s newsletter today addresses a really good question I’ve been thinking about too, asked by some allegedly renowned author by the name of Alvin Septipall or something. Basically, we’re flush with picks, but relatively low on quality young players (or at least those we would ever dream of trading). What are the precedents for superstar trades that primarily involved picks?
Turns out there are a few, so we probably won’t be out of the running for anyone right out of the gate. Of course, whether we need to make this kind of trade is a newly open question to me.
I am pretty sure OKC can put together an offer that allows them to keep their trio. But even if, say, Jalen Williams goes, Shai/Giannis/Chet is an iron-clad championship favorite for years to come.
OKC has enough valuable picks between their own, Houston’s not quite there core, and the aging Clippers unprotecteds that I don’t think player compensation will matter. Of course they can always throw in Giddey, Jaylin “Not Jalen” Williams, Ousmane Dieng, and probably a half dozen other young guys I’m less familiar with.
“Shai/Giannis/Chet is an iron-clad championship favorite for years to come.”
I would disagree with this.
Damn. Hadn’t thought of that. Makes a ton of sense. And since Giannis already took the extension he’s going to have to go wherever they trade him to. And frankly that’s only fair considering how much future capital he forced them to spend on him.
There goes my Giannis dream! Oh well. I suppose the fit next to Mitch/iHart was suboptimal anyway.
IMO Mitch is better than 50-50 to be part of a trade with Bojan if one occurs, assuming they decide that I-Hart is the better long term fit and lower injury risk (I think he is even though I love aspects of Mitch’s game also). I think they should be hoping Mitch comes back this year and reproves his value going into the summer.
Bojan + Mitch is pretty close to right for Mitchell even if it winds up being a 3 way because the Cavs don’t want Mitch.
Depends on what the Cavs do in the playoffs.
With OKC it will come down to whether the player values better championship prospects or location more in any “marginal choice” where OKC looks a bit better on paper.
I hate to be blunt, but:
(a) there really aren’t that many all draft-pick superstar trades. I don’t subscribe to Macri’s newsletter (maybe I should) but zero come immediately to mind. It’s hard to sell a fanbase that just lost its superstar on draft picks only, without some young guy upside and/or talent (preferably both).
(b) how would a single, limited center and a 35-year-old be “right” for a Spida trade? We have experience around here with a “superstar” trade (Melo) and it cost basically every young player the Knicks had, and multiple 1s. The 2011 equivalent of “we’ll give you Bojan, Mitch, and some 1s” would have gotten laughed out of the room by Denver. (A parlor game here, for those so inclined, would revolve around whether Mitch even has more value in a trade like this than young 2011 Mozgov did.)
We only had one good young player, so it’s not like we were going to be able to put a package of intriguing youngsters together either.
I hate the idea of Mitchell so much. I’d rather keep this team as is.
Mitchell diminishes Brunson, relegates Donte to bench minutes, and makes our defense worse. Yet the price for him will not include any of that. It’s bad value.
I love our backcourt. They’re complementary. They’re good value. Keep it as it is, please.
hi doogie, that’s the way nba2k has the blacktop 1 v 1 set up…
behind the arc is worth 2 points, within the arc is 1 point…
depending on the shot making difficulty setting you use – almost impossible to beat someone small: like steph or kyrie, that’s quick and hard to guard and can hit consistently behind the arc…
started playing Spiderman 2 last night…one of the boys is almost finished with the game, i’ve seen how tough the game gets the longer you play it…talk about an immersive and expansive experience…
the map is huge and the combat/web swinging moves are crazy for both miles and peter…
you never play games doogie?
probably don’t do it enough, but here during life after work I’ve come to learn a morning of video game playing is just the way to ease into the day…
Not sure I agree with this take.
In 2011 when The Knicks made the Melo trade, they were already short on draft picks because they had used draft picks to get rid of salary in order to clear cap space for the 2010 free agency.
We didn’t really have a lot of first round picks to give without going super far out in the future. They couldn’t trade their 2011 pick (which was used on Shumpert) because they had already traded their 2012 pick. And they couldn’t trade their 2013 pick (which they used on Hardaway) because you can’t trade back to back firsts, so they traded them their 2014 pick.
So with the Melo trade, the Knicks didn’t really have a choice but to trade a bunch of their young players plus the 2014 pick for Melo.
Maybe Denver didn’t want to “rebuild” and would have preferred a package with young players instead of picks but we’ll never know because we didn’t really have picks to offer them. And they weren’t going to take picks super far down the road either.
Now we have all of our picks plus extra picks to throw at a team. If a team loses a superstar, my general vibe is that most of the time they signal that as a rebuild and the GM’s would rather get picks than players because it gives them more shots at drafting another star player. Maybe they’d want a couple of players as well. But the Melo trade is a bad comparison here.
Alvin Sepinwall a much more astute and flexible thinker than his brother I hear….
Just as an example, we could theoretically trade a team 4 first round picks that would convey in the next 3 drafts. We could trade them both our pick and the Dallas pick in 2024, the milwaukee pick in 2025 (which could be SUPER valuable), plus our pick in 2026.
4 first round picks in 3 upcoming drafts is a pretty good way to kick start a rebuild.
Totally with you, Hubert. I know Mitchell is good and wants to come to NY, but it’s lunacy. We have a short, super-star scoring point guard with defensive liabilities. Let’s get two!
The only way it makes sense even a little bit is if we turn around and hand him to the Nets for Mikal, or something equivalent. Having him on the Knicks as currently constructed is just crazy.
Also, I get weird Melo vibes from Mitchell. Hard to define, but I feel we’d all feel the same in ten years about Mitchell as we do about Melo. Tastes delicious, empty calories.
I would rather be this team with the ability to draft new players and make small trades every year than to be second aproned and out of picks with a Brunson-Mitchell backcourt. I feel like that trade makes us permanently not good enough.
Hubs, I feel the same way and it is one of the reasons why these injuries to OG and especialy Randle are so worrisome.
If these dudes didn’t get hurt and we rolled into the playoffs as the 2 or 3 seed, everyone was healthy, and then got to the ECF and were competitive against Boston, I feel like Leon would feel satisfied that he built a contender and would be content to do what you’re suggesting.
As it is, there’s a good chance we get to the playoffs without some of our best players 100 percent. If Randle struggles again is it because he’s hurt or is it because PLAYOFF RANDLE SUCKS? If we flame out early will Leon feel more pressured to make a Mitchell like trade or will he be reasonable and realize we’re better than that and just got struck with too many injuries?
I personally think this team, healthy, is a contender. And we’d be better served making more draft picks to fill out the 11 through 15 spots on the roster with prospects we can develop while the current team competes, then reload the bench/role players when dudes like HART get older.
geo wrote: “you never play games doogie?”
@geo: Nope. Not ever. I *literally* cannot think of when I would have time to do such a thing. My job is super-demanding, I spend as much time as I can with my girlfriend when I’m not working, and my parents are not doing well at all (major understatement—I just got back from Florida late in the day yesterday).
But even in my earlier years when life was quite a bit simpler, it was not something I ever gravitated towards. I guess the closest was playing Strat-O-Matic football with my buddies, but that’s a huge time crunch that I barely had time for even back then (although I enjoyed it immensely). Strat-O-Matic football, I believe, is something way different than what I believe you are asking me about, though.
Swifty I think Leon is hell bent on acquiring Mitchell and nothing that he sees this spring will make a difference.
In fact I think he’s so hell bent on it that this team is worse right now bc he prioritized saving picks for Mitchell instead (e.g. he gave up IQ instead of picks, and he traded for Bojan instead of giving up a first for Brogdon).
The only thing that will stop us from getting Mitchell, IMO, is being outbid.
Not sure it makes sense to speculate what the summer moves should be or what Leon is likely to do until after playofffs are over. If healthy, playoffs will reveal and make it crystal clear of what our strenthgs and weaknesses are. They always do.
If not healthy, then you have to specualte and guesstimate what would have happened if they were healthy. Same as last year…with healthy Ju and IQ, many think Knicks beat Miami. Leon still guesstimated that Grimes inability to get shots off was near term weakness that he must adress and went out and signed DDV.
We have a very young team full of great kids that are super easy to root for(except maybe for Ju)…let’s enjoy the ride over the next 3 months…
If DDV continues this hot shooting run into playoffs…no chance we overpay on a trade for Mitchell. Kid is putting up Steph numbers and locked up for three more years for peanuts.
I refuse to believe that Leon’s mind is made up regardless of what happens in the playoffs. Thats just silly.
I think if Leon was this dead set on Mitchell he would have paid Utah’s asking price when he tried to trade for him and Brunson was not seen as a top-15 NBA player.
Is Donovan really that bad on defense?
He’s averaging nearly 2stls/36 and he’s only been on 1 team that finished outside the top 10 on defense, that includes a 1st, two 2nds, and a 4th team DRTG. The Cavs are currently 2nd this season and Mobley has missed nearly half the season.
Physically, Spida has a wingspan 4″ longer than Donte with a stronger frame and only gives up half an inch of standing reach compared to Donte.
I’m not saying Donovan Mitchell is an all-NBA defender, but is he really that bad?
Doesn’t really make sense.
Back then Leon thought he needed to make two big moves, so he tried to hold on to something.
Now that Brunson is a bona fide star, Leon doesn’t need to hold anything back if he thinks it’s the final piece.
His reputation comes from his last postseason in Utah when the Mavs targeted him constantly and obliterated him.
Granted that was Jalen Brunson. Maybe the guy deserves a break. But to shake his reputation he has to get through a postseason without being an automatic bucket for the other team.
…moxie?
had to take a pause after reading about your folks…my heart goes out to you on that…very challenging…
make sure you take care of your health constantly, very demanding stuff with your folks…
do you think you’re really busy, or is it more a matter of perception?
do you journal/list activities?
just how busy do you think other folks are?
do you enjoy feeling/being busy?
I have at times…learning now how to do more of “nothing”…
seems counter intuitive towards a fulfilling life, huh? 😊
Thibs was an assistant under Doc in Boston when they won a title.
Fun conspiracy theory. Doc is a sleeper cell agent hired by Thibs to sabotage the Bucks so Giannis asks for a trade to the Knicks.
I mean, yeah, Brunson torched Donovan in the playoffs that year. But even all NBA defenders can get roasted by the best offensive players in the game in any given game or any given series. It happens. Good offense beats good defense in the NBA.
I’m not sold on Donovan, though. Not because of the defense per say just that it doesn’t feel like we NEED him and what he brings to the table offensively, especially with DDV rising up so much.
I keep coming back to Mikal. I know, I know…but he honestly is perfect for us and DDV I think would gladly accept a 6th man role if it was Mikal replacing him in the starting line up. Mikal and OG on the wings with iHart or Mitch in the paint would be a nightmare defensively for other teams and Mikal would be a GREAT 3rd option for us.
1. The young players vs picks debate really depends on where the other team is on the win curve. I think most teams rebuilding from scratch prefer picks to players because they get to set their own priorities and select their own fit. A team like the Cavs may want a good young player or two back with the picks. That’s one reason I wasn’t thrilled with giving up Grimes. Not that the Cavs want either player or either has huge value (3 team deals are possible), but a package of Mitch, Grimes, Bojan and a boatload of picks is more interesting than Mitch, Bojan and a pile of picks for whoever the target winds up being.
2. Mitchell seems to be playing better defense this year, but he was targeted in the playoffs in Utah also. He has a LOT to prove in the playoffs this year. We can probably hide Brunson or Mitchell, but can we hide both even with Anunoby? That’s the question.
3. Mikal seems like the best fit, but we may have to wait another year or longer for him until he can start pushing his way to the Knicks. Can we go another year with this same team and maybe making a single pick in this draft and rolling one out (incineration)? 🙂
geo wrote: “had to take a pause after reading about your folks…my heart goes out to you on that…very challenging…
make sure you take care of your health constantly, very demanding stuff with your folks…
do you think you’re really busy, or is it more a matter of perception?
do you journal/list activities?
just how busy do you think other folks are?
do you enjoy feeling/being busy?
I have at times…learning now how to do more of “nothing”…
seems counter intuitive towards a fulfilling life, huh? 😊”
Thank you, @geo (I always hear “Nat Geo” in my head when I type that). The thing about my folks is that they’re 89 and 91 years old, and that I “should” have seen it coming. I think one generally doesn’t, though, as we don’t want to.
Yes, I think I’m actually busy. I’m also kind of a low-energy guy, though—always have been, even when I was young—so that means that I’m often pretty tired and makes the fact that I am busy even more challenging. Journaling/charting daily activities? Nope—I don’t have time. (LOL)
I don’t assume that I am more busy than “most folks.” In fact, I don’t make any assumptions at all about other folks, because it doesn’t seem the right thing to do. I am very “live and let live,” and don’t judge how or how much others are doing. (I imagine that it doesn’t seem that way with my constant corrections, but I see that as something different entirely.)
By the way (not to you), it’s per se, not per say. LOL again.
“I am very “live and let live,” and don’t judge how or how much others are doing. (I imagine that it doesn’t seem that way with my constant corrections, but I see that as something different entirely.)”
This speaks for itself.
LOL yet again.
Porto with the shocker! Somewhere in Portugal Cybersoze is ecstatic.
We Arsenal fans on the other hand….
I don’t know who Tommy Beer is, but Mrs Hartenstein broke this news here a week ago.
I’m assuming that Brunson is playing, then. This still leaves OG, Randle, and Robinson out, of course. That’s a lot, and is no bueno.
Mitch is out of his boot and back in the facility, so at least he’s making progress.
This season in particular, Clyde has been on one…
Can’t wait to hear from him again this season!
https://x.com/iqfor3/status/1760423285609697571?s=46&t=5f6SjCXRpl5-CJjJc6F-cg
I was at the stadium with my son, lost my voice but it was all worth it! 🩵🤍🩵
“This season in particular, Clyde has been on one…”
Huh? Clyde has been on one *what*?
https://nypost.com/2024/02/21/sports/julius-randle-eyeing-knicks-return-but-surgery-a-possibility/
Surgery?? 😱