NBA Thread 2022-23 Season

[shandeezy7]

Made the mistake of tuning into the Knicks/Sixers summer league play… brutal. Punting on two drafts in a row has really caught up to Knicks summer league squad.

Really curious to see what they do next. I’m not convinced they have gotten better while the rest of the east has. This means they are getting worse if they stand pat.

They definitely haven’t gotten better. At best, they’ve stayed the same, which as you said means they’ve gotten worse as others have improved around them.

 

[Melancer46]

They definitely haven’t gotten better. At best, they’ve stayed the same, which as you said means they’ve gotten worse as others have improved around them.

There’s at least hope that a guy like RJ takes another step forward and helps the Knicks improve but yeah, they feel like a team in no man’s land to me.

 

[OrangeFoo]

There’s at least hope that a guy like RJ takes another step forward and helps the Knicks improve but yeah, they feel like a team in no man’s land to me.

There doesn’t seem to be a plan besides “hope a tier 1 (all nba) or tier 2 (all star) player becomes available”. They lucked into Brunson, we’ll see if he makes it into tier 1/tier 2 category. Other than RJ they have missed on almost all their lottery picks the last 5 years or so. I still have no idea why they traded out of the lottery last year. It really feels like they are letting Thibs drive the player acquisition strategy which is bad because his style of play seems capped at 2nd/3rd round of playoffs even with players like Rose and Butler at their peak.

As constructed this team just can’t shoot well enough to go far in the playoffs. I also think the Knicks and their fans overvalue Quickly and Grimes… neither of them are consistently good shooters. Quickly also needs to get much stronger so he can actually finish his drives into the paint. Fwiw I’m losing zero sleep over losing Toppin… he had a few dunks here and there but he is pretty weak offensively. Another interesting subplot seems to be players who aren’t repped by CAA might be black balling the Knicks because of Leon Rose. I know the Klutch guys are .

Welcome to another 4/5/6 seed and a 2nd round KO because most NBA teams stopped trying in the regular season.

At least they are staying away from the Harden and Lilllard nonsense.

 

[Knicks411]

I'd say the Knicks swapped out DDV for Toppin, which is an upgrade. but it's not a huge one.

They really aren't in much of a different spot than they ended the season, I will agree with that. But the team greatly improved after 1) going to the 9 man rotation in December, and then 2) trading for Hart.

They won 47 games last year, point differential of a 48 win team. I haven't seen win totals yet, but I'd bet they come in around 49 or so for next season. They aren't going to make a step to serious title contention until they make a consolidation trade for another star. I have no idea if or when that will happen, but it's not like there's an obvious trade out there waiting to be made. Unfortunately you just can't conjure one up out or nowhere

 

[OrangeFoo]

I'd say the Knicks swapped out DDV for Toppin, which is an upgrade. but it's not a huge one.

They really aren't in much of a different spot than they ended the season, I will agree with that. But the team greatly improved after 1) going to the 9 man rotation in December, and then 2) trading for Hart.

They won 47 games last year, point differential of a 48 win team. I haven't seen win totals yet, but I'd bet they come in around 49 or so for next season. They aren't going to make a step to serious title contention until they make a consolidation trade for another star. I have no idea if or when that will happen, but it's not like there's an obvious trade out there waiting to be made. Unfortunately you just can't conjure one up out or nowhere

I don’t see a lot of top end players demanding a trade to the Knicks. For better or worse Mitchell might have been their best shot last year and might be again whenever he hits free agency. Rose has done a decent job of building assets and cleaning up the cap. The hard part is the next step which is how they go from first or second round fodder to a true contender. I think it’s going to require trading out some combo of Barrett and Randle plus filler parts like Quickley and Grimes. Nothing Rose has done so far has convinced me that he’s the architect to pull off an overhaul like that. And I don’t think Thibs is rhe right coach to get these guys to the next level.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

There doesn’t seem to be a plan besides “hope a tier 1 (all nba) or tier 2 (all star) player becomes available”. They lucked into Brunson, we’ll see if he makes it into tier 1/tier 2 category. Other than RJ they have missed on almost all their lottery picks the last 5 years or so. I still have no idea why they traded out of the lottery last year. It really feels like they are letting Thibs drive the player acquisition strategy which is bad because his style of play seems capped at 2nd/3rd round of playoffs even with players like Rose and Butler at their peak.

As constructed this team just can’t shoot well enough to go far in the playoffs. I also think the Knicks and their fans overvalue Quickly and Grimes… neither of them are consistently good shooters. Quickly also needs to get much stronger so he can actually finish his drives into the paint. Fwiw I’m losing zero sleep over losing Toppin… he had a few dunks here and there but he is pretty weak offensively. Another interesting subplot seems to be players who aren’t repped by CAA might be black balling the Knicks because of Leon Rose. I know the Klutch guys are .

Welcome to another 4/5/6 seed and a 2nd round KO because most NBA teams stopped trying in the regular season.

At least they are staying away from the Harden and Lilllard nonsense.

Maybe the Front Office overvalued IQ and Grimes. Not saying the Knicks should have loaded up the truck for Mitchell, but it will interesting to see in five years, not only who Mitchell is playing for, but which of the two franchises are more successful.

 

[Knicks411]

Maybe the Front Office overvalued IQ and Grimes. Not saying the Knicks should have loaded up the truck for Mitchell, but it will interesting to see in five years, not only who Mitchell is playing for, but which of the two franchises are more successful.

I'm not really sweating not getting Mitchell at all right now. Brunson is really good and if you had Mitchell along with him you're dealing with 2 shortish bad defensive guards. Mitchell is obviously a really good player but it's not a great fit

 

[OrangeFoo]

Maybe the Front Office overvalued IQ and Grimes. Not saying the Knicks should have loaded up the truck for Mitchell, but it will interesting to see in five years, not only who Mitchell is playing for, but which of the two franchises are more successful.

I think Mitchell ends up a Knick. I also think Randle will need to leave for that to happen because he’s gonna want a-list money and the Knicks aren’t going to be able to pay him what he wants and sign Mitchell. But… I wonder if Thibs would sign on for that?

 

[Melancer46]

I'm not really sweating not getting Mitchell at all right now. Brunson is really good and if you had Mitchell along with him you're dealing with 2 shortish bad defensive guards. Mitchell is obviously a really good player but it's not a great fit

Agreed. Would definitely be targeting more of a wing-type; Jaylen Brown for example (and obviously guys like Giannis if he actually becomes available.

It's going to be really interesting to see how the Knicks build out from here; I tend to think Quickley is going to get moved at some point. Preferably in a trade for an all-star type, but even if not, just to get ahead of having to give him a large contract.

 

[shandeezy7]

Agreed. Would definitely be targeting more of a wing-type; Jaylen Brown for example (and obviously guys like Giannis if he actually becomes available.

It's going to be really interesting to see how the Knicks build out from here; I tend to think Quickley is going to get moved at some point. Preferably in a trade for an all-star type, but even if not, just to get ahead of having to give him a large contract.

With Brunson in the fold, I'm not sure there's any way the Knicks could justify giving him a big contract anyway, if his ceiling as the team is currently constructed is 6th man. I know he can play off ball some, but I don't think that's his strength at all. I'm also sure he wants to go somewhere where he can start. So yeah, you're right that it probably behooves the Knicks to try to move him before they lose him for nothing.

 

[Knicks411]

Agreed. Would definitely be targeting more of a wing-type; Jaylen Brown for example (and obviously guys like Giannis if he actually becomes available.

It's going to be really interesting to see how the Knicks build out from here; I tend to think Quickley is going to get moved at some point. Preferably in a trade for an all-star type, but even if not, just to get ahead of having to give him a large contract.

If only Paul George were a) a few years younger and b) available he would be perfect.

IQ is a restricted FA next summer, they may trade him before that, they may not. Even if they don't I think you sign him next summer and still look to move him.

 

[CuseTroop]

Swung down to see this in person real quick- Incredible

 

[OrangeFoo]

If only Paul George were a) a few years younger and b) available he would be perfect.

IQ is a restricted FA next summer, they may trade him before that, they may not. Even if they don't I think you sign him next summer and still look to move him.

If only RJ could shoot like Paul George or even a reasonable facsimile of his shooting...

 

[Knicks411]

If only RJ could shoot like Paul George or even a reasonable facsimile of his shooting...

if RJ could shoot like Paul George then I would feel about him the way much of Knicks twitter already does

 

[shandeezy7]

if RJ could shoot like Paul George then I would feel about him the way much of Knicks twitter already does

His shooting really is an enigma. From 40% on 4.3 attempts per game his second season to 31% on 5.3 attempts per game this past season. Just a gigantic decline.