O’Quinn’s per minute stats are pretty good: 13.0 pts/36, 10.5 reb/36, 2.1 blk/36, 2.6 ast/36, 53.6 ts%. How does this make sense after signing Derrick Williams, who has awful numbers?
Cronin: I think this goes back to what I said during the Derrick Williams discussion – no one move should define a front office. The Derrick Williams’ signing was a poor one, but this seems like an example of a front office looking for undervalued players unappreciated by their current team and going for them. It’s a fine signing. By the way, I find it a bit amusing that this is an example of a bad team not wanting to re-sign O’Quinn, so shouldn’t that be a strike against O’Quinn for all the “appeal to authority” folks out there?
Kurylo: It’s simple. This team isn’t using advanced stats in any meaningful way. I’m guessing the team looks at both Williams and O’Quinn in the same way: here’s a young player that looks promising — let’s sign him! It’s just that one has pretty good per-minute stats, which would indicate the potential to be a productive NBA player, and the other is Derrick Williams.
Give me a reason to believe after the Knicks’ treatment of Cole Aldrich (another player with strong per-minute stats), Kyle O’Quinn will actually get 20+ minutes per game.
Cronin: Aldrich wasn’t a Jackson signing, while O’Quinn is, so I suspect that they will give O’Quinn every chance he can to contribute.
Kurylo: Perhaps the weakest link in the Knicks organization (other than the ownership) is the coaching staff. I said this yesterday in the comments, but it bears repeating (or paraphrasing). Derek Fisher was trying to win games, and yet played Jason Smith 1785 minutes. So I have no faith in Fish to realize which assets help and hurt the team. Although I hope to be proven wrong.
What’s the chance O’Quinn sticks around for that fourth year?
Cronin: Yes, but only if things go poorly…hmm. I guess I should just say yes, since this is the Knicks we’re talking about. But seriously, I think he’ll play well enough to not want that fourth year option. The bar is pretty low for that fourth year option not being worth it.
Kurylo: Zero. And even worse, if he does it’s because the Knicks have no idea that he’s a good player and they haven’t played him enough minutes for anyone else in the league to notice. So he’d essentially be a millstone around their neck.
My gut feeling is they trade him. He’s young enough, and the Knicks will think he’s just filler (Jordan Hill, Mozgov, etc.) to get their next top-10 superstar.