The New York Knicks are three-quarters of the way through the season, so the Knicks Fan TV writers decided to give their takes on some topics.
The New York Knicks are 3-6 since the All-Star Break. During that time, New York has looked more cohesive as a team, the youth has revealed some promise, but more importantly, the Knicks have shown fight in the reaming weeks of the season. Yet with all of that said, there are some questions surrounding the Knicks as the season is coming to an end. So the Knicks Fan TV writers thought it’d be a good idea to answer some of those questions. Enjoy.
1. Should the Knicks fire Tom Thibodeau at the end of the season?
Mike: Whenever the Knicks fire Tom Thibodeau, it would be too late from this point forward. Besides the obvious rotational flaws, Thibs is not maximizing his personnel. In fact, his lack of offensive creativity could be stifling the growth of some of the Knicks’ young players. This can’t continue on for much longer.
Paul: I think it would be worth looking into firing Thibs at the end of the season. His trademark defensive style has not taken off this season, and there seems to be a growing disconnect between himself and the front office. He also appears to have lost the support of the players, and once that is gone, it’s hard to get back.
Geoff: No. Thibs has not been great, but he’s far from the core issue with this team. Sadly, the front office did not fully evaluate the team’s true potential after a year where certain players had outlier performances. However, this team is still playing hard. Give Thibs another year to right the ship.
Chip: Yes. Thibodeau’s weaknesses as a coach were covered up last season by a super-human performance from Julius Randle. I was skeptical of Thibs like many fans due to his reputation for being stubborn and more. Unfortunately, he’s proven all of it to be true. Thibodeau learned nothing from his failure in Minnesota. He’s taken this team as far as he’s capable of taking it. It’s time to move on.
Remi: I’m so desperate for continuity that I’d give Thibodeau another season. He was coach of the year last season, and I’m curious how players will look after three years of practice. There’s also the looming threat of James Dolan stepping in. Thibs signed a five-year deal, so dumping him after two might raise red flags. I’ll take my chances with Thibodeau returning to form before I risk a return to owner interference.
Alex: I understand Thibs’ flaws. However, given the roster construction, the lack of cohesion amongst all the players, and the injuries that have riddled this team, the team’s lack of success isn’t solely Thibs’ fault. And because of the fact he won Coach of the Year and New York overachieved and made the playoffs last season, he will probably be around another season.
2. How would you grade the front office for this season?
Mike: I would give them a B-. They deserve credit for the selections of Quentin Grimes, Miles “Deuce” McBride, and Jericho Sims, who have all shown flashes. However, a glaring hole at point guard remains, which must be addressed. The true test for this front office comes this offseason.
Paul: I’d have to give them a C-. They made no stupid moves in the offseason, and before the season started, we all thought the moves they made were going to make us much better. Sadly, it just didn’t turn out that way. But the fact that they didn’t make any moves at the deadline was disappointing, and this passive style cannot continue next offseason. The front office has to make a big move.
Geoff: C+. At first glance, I didn’t love the moves. I thought we overpaid for Nerlens Noel and Evan Fournier but were sold on the moves because they were tradeable contracts. Yet, the beginning of the season demonstrated that the players brought in didn’t necessarily fit, and the team’s defensive identity suffered. Things have improved, but there’s a lot of work to be done.
Chip: I’d give the front office a C on the off-season. The Kemba Walker-Evan Fournier backcourt didn’t work, and the Nerlens Noel contract looks terrible. The best thing you can say about free agency is that all of the contracts are tradable. However, Quentin Grimes has already proven himself as an NBA rotation player. It’d be nice to see more of Jericho Sims and Miles McBride.
Remi: I’m giving them a D+ because I think the Cam Reddish trade can look good in retrospect. However, up until Reddish’s injury, he wasn’t getting enough time to warrant losing a first-round pick. The front office failed to move any veterans to make room for Reddish or any other young player in the rotation. Kemba Walker did more for the youth development by taking the rest of the season off than the front office has. If they lose Mitchell Robinson for nothing this offseason, change the grade to an F.
Alex: The front office gets a C. Their draft selection was solid because it appears that the Knicks may have solid rotational pieces – Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, Jericho Sims, and Rokas Jokubaitis. New York also had a successful trade where they moved a first-round pick and Kevin Knox (a player they were probably not going to resign with an expiring contract) to Atlanta in return for Cam Reddish (a player with higher upside and one more year on his rookie-scale contract) and Solomon Hill. Where the executives deserve blame is for signing Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker because Fournier is an inconsistent player and Kemba still has knee issues. Also, neither player fit Thibodeau’s “defense is a number one priority” playstyle.
3. Do you want to see the Knicks make the play-in?
Mike: It’s pointless, in my opinion. The reason we are in this position is our lack of top-end talent. Getting swept in the first round of the playoffs doesn’t address this issue, but sneaking into the top 5 in the lottery might. The playoffs are especially pointless when it’s done off the backs of the veterans Thibs is running into the ground.
Paul: Of course, I would like the Knicks to make the play-in. The best thing for this team is to win, and winning is the most critical way to attract winning players. The play-in is the best-case scenario at this stage because we will have meaningful basketball for the fans and young players, and if they lose the play-in game and fail to make the playoffs, they’ll end up in the lottery with a potentially high-value asset. Conversely, if the Knicks win the play-in, they make the playoffs, which is a valuable experience to the players.
Geoff: No. The difference between this draft’s 10th and 13th or 14th pick could be huge. Not saying we’ll find a franchise-changing player at 10, but they will definitely be an upgrade talent.
Chip: No. With our luck, we’ll win it, get swept in the first round, and miss a chance at Jaden Ivey.
Remi: I’d rather take my chances with improved odds in the draft lottery. This team has proven that they aren’t close to contention. The play-in game would be a consolation prize for a lost season. I’ll take a high draft pick that can improve the future for New York instead.
Alex: No. The Knicks do not have a roster built for the playoffs if they somehow win the play-in tournament. Instead, this team should focus on adding more talent through the draft. Also, it would give the Knicks a false sense of security moving forward that they can start the season off so slowly and then flip a switch to make the playoffs. Very few teams are capable of that, and this team isn’t one of them (yet).
4. Why should fans stay engaged with this team for the rest of the season?
Mike: Hopefully, we see more of the kids. Otherwise, the engagement factor basically falls on the shoulders of RJ alone. Personally, I’m hoping that he can reach the 20 points per game mark by season’s end.
Paul: The fans should stay engaged because the young players can still show out on any given night. This young team still deserves support every night despite the tough season.
Geoff: RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Deuce McBride, and Jericho Sims. I’m willing to bet there are at least three players from the group that can be with the Knicks long-term. That’s more than enough reason to watch if you spent any time watching Cole Aldrich and Alexey Shved.
Chip: RJ Barrett. He’s the future.
Remi: The youth on this team deserves our attention. RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, and Quentin Grimes are the kind of players that any team would want. IQ and Obi Toppin have had some incredible moments despite sophomore slumps. Throw in the intrigue of prospects we haven’t seen enough of in Miles McBride, Cam Reddish (before his injury), and Jericho Sims. We should stay engaged because the development of these young players will decide the next few years.
Alex: Fans should stay engaged with this team to watch the young players continue their development. We’ve seen RJ Barrett take another leap in his career. On top of that, Mitchell Robinson is starting to show promise as a starting center, Quentin Grimes has shown that he can be a 3&D player at the bare minimum, and we’ve seen some flashes from Miles McBride, Jericho Sims, and Cam Reddish.
5. Outside of RJ Barrett, which player do you want the most to end the season strongly?
Mike: I wish he didn’t get injured before the end of the season, but it was Cam Reddish. His defensive instincts and versatility impressed me, along with how smoothly he flows around the court. I wanted to see the rock in his hands more and more involved in the offense. Deuce cooking would also be cool.
Paul: I hope Obi Toppin has a strong end to the season. If Randle is moved in the offseason, a strong finish from Obi could make the front office think twice about replacing Randle with Toppin. Whatever they get for Randle, some strong performances from Toppin could leave them with security at that position.
Geoff: My pick would’ve been Cam Reddish. But since he is out, I’m going to lean either a backcourt pairing of IQ and Deuce or Deuce and Grimes because I want to the team to have a larger sample size of how productive they are together on the court (I also want to see what their net rating would be as well).
Chip: Obi Toppin. He’s shown improvement this season on both sides of the ball. I’d like to see him get used in a different role than being a spot up shooter because it’s clearly not for him. He needs more possessions in the fast break, but he also needs to learn how to score in the half-court. I think playing with guys like RJ Barrett can help him there.
Remi: I’m rooting for Obi Toppin to find his footing. His athleticism, motor, and finesse around the rim can completely change the pace of games. But he’ll need to add some polish to the other facets of his game.
Alex: I am looking to see how Jericho Sims finishes the season because he’s shown the potential to be a solid defender and good finisher around the rim. Also, with Mitchell Robinson set to hit free agency this offseason – if the Knicks cannot get a deal done by June 30, 2022 – Sims’ development becomes vital for the Knicks to have another rim running and shot-blocking big.
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. And in case you missed it, make sure to check out Chuck D giving his analysis and Deuce McBride his props.
