The New York Knicks tipoff their season today against the Memphis Grizzlies. Here are five storylines for the 2022-23 NBA Season.
Can Julius Randle handle the heaviest jersey in the League?
Many have referenced a possible “redemption season” this year, but it would be his second. Lest we forget, Julius Randle’s leadership, defensive tenacity, and anomalous shooting percentages elevated us to the Fourth Seed in the 2020-21 season. He played so well that most people forgot the previous year that Randle was one of the most frustrating, unwatchable players to don the Orange and Blue (which is saying something).
Similarly, all the goodwill he accrued from his all-star, all-NBA season evaporated with every spinning turnover and bricked step-back three. We’re at the point now where seemingly no amount of good play will protect him from Knicks fans’ vehemence.
We know what Julius is capable of. If he plays cool, calm, and collected (big if), he possesses a skill set that is almost unlike any other player in NBA history. He can be an excellent passer, a stout defender, and a beast in the paint (that goes for his mid-range and three-point shot).
We also know he is a tireless worker and possesses a strong mentality, as evidenced by his first bounce-back season.
But even the strongest mentalities can melt under the lights of Madison Square Garden. We saw this in real time after the tipoff of the Atlanta Hawks series. MSG was alive, buzzing with the veracity of a punted hornet’s nest—a crowd full of Knicks faithful released the pent-up energy of a year and a half of lockdown. This was the first capacity crowd all year, and Randle reverted to his less disciplined self with the weight on his shoulders. So much so that even Shaq urged him to “calm down, brother” on national TV.
Randle’s playoff collapse bled into the entirety of the next season, culminating in the “thumbs down” and “hurl expletives into the crowd” game against the Celtics. He even admitted that the fanbase got in his head, but that it is also “part of the job.” Even an admittance this small is the tip of the iceberg since we know how well-prepared and tight-lipped NBA players are toward the media.
His main qualm was when the trash talk was aimed at his family, which is entirely reasonable. Criticism and trash talk is perfectly valid, but don’t forget the person at the end of the day; they aren’t vessels and scapegoats for people to project their pent-up anger onto.
Even if you are of the camp that wants him traded, it is still too early to give up on Randle. So many other players would have tucked their tails and run (the first time). Randle hopefully has learned from his mistakes and can redeem himself (again). As of right now, he had a strong outing against the Memphis Grizzlies for the Knicks’ season opener. Having a legit, competent point guard seems to have helped.
Where is Cam Reddish’s motor?
Every time KFTV goes live, several people always ask about Cam Reddish, and I can’t help but feel that all these conversations are in vain. He is undoubtedly talented, but of the young players on the team, he is the one I am least excited about. He lacks an actual motor. Does he truly love the game? Does he work tirelessly as his teammates Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett? Can he fulfill his potential?
Despite costing a first-round pick only (let’s be real here…), Cam resumed a similar role as he had on the Hawks: keeping the bench warm. Even this year, he may be on the outside looking in since we know Tom Thibodeau likes to keep a tight rotation. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he racked up low-minute games or DNPs, while hungrier players like McBride or Grimes played more.
I already know what some of you are saying: Cam balled out against the Grizzlies on opening night! What are you talking about?!
I hear you. And while Cam played at an incredible level against the Grizzlies, it was only ONE night. Let’s see if he can produce another solid game against the Detroit Pistons tonight.
I am rooting for him. He makes a formidable wing next to Barrett, giving our starting line-up a size and length to contend at the highest level.
Will Tom Thibodeau be fired?
During the stretch where the Knicks lost 17 of 20 games that ruined any hope of a post-season appearance, Tom Thibodeau’s position as head coach hung on by a thin, frayed line. But due to his success of the previous season, where he was almost universally praised (lest we forget), the front office put their faith in him for a make-or-break year.
The fanbase differed in opinion, to say the least. If I were Thibs, I’d have avoided the streets of New York without a triple mask, a large pair of reflector shades, and a slick new beard. Why? Because rabid Knick fans would have forced me under a guillotine and paraded my head around the streets of New York as if I were a tyrannical monarch during the French Revolution. Calls of “Fire Thibs!” perpetually rang like firetruck sirens as fans hoisted the team’s ineptitude solely on his shoulders.
It objectively doesn’t make sense to have fired him last season. One year the team overachieved, and the following year the team underachieved. This year is the tiebreaker. When you play pickup basketball, and your team wins the first game and then loses the second, isn’t it obligatory to run it back again?
Thibs struggled last season. He played veterans with no part in the team’s future foundation over the young kids, and the only reason young guys did get playtime was when injuries forced his hand. Our late-game execution was unreliable, to put it lightly, with end-of-game plays resulting in an ugly forced shot or no shot at all. His rotations were counterintuitive, playing an ice-cold Fournier or Randle for entire quarters, while also pulling young guys just as they started to warm up. His stubbornness, a trademark of his coaching tenure, played a washed Kemba far past when he should have been shut down and played Alec Burkes at point guard while Quickley languished on the bench.
For all these reasons, I can see why he earned such ire.
But let’s at least run it back, yeah?
Will Quentin Grimes start at shooting guard?
I agree that Quentin Grimes makes a better fit in the starting line-up than Evan Fournier due to his defense, low usage, and strong shooting. But he’s only a second-year player. It’s unproven that Grimes can bring starter-level production better than Evan Fournier, a proven vet, and a certified flame-thrower. Like all shooters, Evan can be streaky, volatile even; he is white-hot one day and ice-cold the next. But when he is on, he is precisely the shooter we need: an elite three-point shooter. Hopefully, Mitchell Robinson can make up for Fournier’s defensive deficiencies.
Evan’s streakiness and poor defense are some reasons he sat on the bench last year during crunch time, and I expect Grimes to finish games if he is in strong form. Evan’s status as a starter through the year is not a guarantee. As stubborn as Thibs is, he can be pretty malleable when he feels the time is right.
I highly doubt Grimes was “untouchable,” but he has a wealth of potential value. His ascension could uplift the team into certified playoff contention. He is an ideal 3&D player and has shown enticing flashes of playmaking. The only ability he lacks is availability — he is currently out due to a foot injury. Regardless, he has a deceptively high ceiling. Should Grimes perform to expectations, he will eventually start…it just might take longer than fans would like.
Are the Knicks’ young players part of the future?
The Knicks have a treasure trove of young, hungry talent.
Immanuel Quickley is an ideal Sixth Man. He is a microwave scorer who can make creative passes to open teammates. Not starting him seemed like a bone-headed move from Thibs, but perhaps it would be counterintuitive to take him outside of his future role, especially since we’ve seen Quickley lose himself when he is too far outside of his comfort zone. He hit a brick wall last year and can be shut down quite easily sometimes.
Obi Toppin is a complete energizer. A battery that shoots electricity throughout Madison Square Garden and can even open the jaws of opposing crowds. However, he is an unproven shooter, making his skillset easier to game plan around. I don’t foresee him starting anytime soon, barring a trade, and even then, I’m not convinced he is the starting forward on a championship team. Still, if Obi brings the energy, which he almost always does, then he can shift the momentum in our favor with his high-flying acrobatics and knack for easy buckets.
I’ve mentioned Grimes and Cam Reddish, but what about Miles McBride and Jericho Sims? Miles is a defensive bulldog, and this ability may be enough to justify his lack of size and scoring ability. Jericho Sims is an athletic freak. He isn’t asked to do much, like most Thibs big men on the Knicks, but he plays his role well.
Oh, and let’s not forget RJ Barrett, a blossoming two-way all-star.
All of these players will hopefully see extended minutes, which can finally give us the time to assess their talent. We know they are hard-working and hungry, but can they make a collective ascension and significantly raise the team’s ceiling as a whole?
We should be excited to find out. They all just need to perform better than they did against Memphis (and I believe they will).
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out the latest Knicks Weekly, where CP, Alex, & CK discuss season expectations!
