We are back with another KFTV Stock Exchange, and things are heating up! This will cover February 1st to the 15th.
Welcome to the KFTV Stock Exchange! Young players in today’s NBA market are volatile. Like cryptocurrencies, they can be sky-high one day and crash back into reality the next. In this environment, it’s best not to be swept up by emotion and to remain focused on long-term trends. So read on for advice on wisely investing your time, energy, and money in the current NBA season.
RJ Barrett
RJ Barrett had his worst stretch of the season in the first half of February. Through the first half of this month, his per game average was 17 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists with a slash line of .391/.220/.667.
RJ’s shooting splits were worse in February than in November, another dismal month of play for the former 3rd overall pick. And to make matters worse, his poor shooting was done at a higher usage rate – 26.8 percent in February compared to 25.9 percent in November. But a more damning stat was his defensive rating of 120.
The eye test was even less favorable toward Barrett. We may need to investigate possible connections with the mafia because someone must have stuck his feet in concrete (this is a joke). Barrett’s slow feet had him eating the dust of his matchups and getting stuck on screens. Moreover, Stevie Wonder could time his jumps to block Barrett when he drove to the rim. And when Barrett shoots from three, well, even a master mason would be overwhelmed by all those bricks.
In good news, RJ’s finishing, a deficiency in his game earlier in the season, improved in February, as he shot 64.3 percent at the rim. Also, after “not having anything nice to say” after his benching against the Los Angeles Lakers, he bounced back with a 30-point outing against the Miami Heat. Tyler Herro, who? As always with Barrett, he bounces back from adversity.
In bad news, Barrett is shooting 27.9 percent from everywhere outside of the rim. What is my speculation? Perhaps, like Julius Randle last season, Barrett is struggling mentally. He just signed a lucrative new contract, which may put extra pressure on his shoulders. Another idea is that maybe the Donovan Mitchell trade rumors earlier in the season hurt his confidence.
Beyond that, he’s a young kid; at 22 years old, I didn’t have the confidence to approach a girl at the bar with five Jack and Cokes in my belly, much less play basketball in front of the hardcore MSG faithful.
And I think that is the key here, his lack of confidence. A player who is locked in won’t put up a Tony Snell stat line as Barrett did in the first half against the Brooklyn Nets. In the past, when Barrett struggled shooting, he still impacted winning, but this has not the case in early February.
Last month I called out the paper hands that want Barrett gone. Those who clamored, “play the kids,” are now calling for Barrett’s expulsion. The team is in a groove, Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are maestros, and almost everyone else is filling their roles well. Can’t we just let Barrett work through his slump? Do we have to nitpick and find a scapegoat for every little thing that isn’t perfect? (Editor’s note: Yes. Welcome to Knicks fandom).
Let the guy work, and add to his bag in the meantime. As always with RJ Barrett, I expect him to bounce back.
That said, it is almost time to stop making excuses for Barrett. He has had every opportunity to succeed. Unfortunately, despite a few flashes of excellence, his career has been underwhelming. However, for as much as he gets compared to Zion Williamson (2019 first overall pick), at least Barrett sees the court. And, though he isn’t as prolific as Ja Morant (2019 second overall pick), at least Barrett isn’t a constant factory of cringe and fake toughness.
I still have faith in RJ.
KFTV Stock Status: Bottoming Out
Quentin Grimes
February appears to be a down month for Quentin Grimes, but his shooting splits of .448/.333/.750 are close to his season average. However, he is down in total points per game at 9.6 despite playing slightly fewer minutes per game.
Grimes is playing less fourth-quarter minutes too. His reduction in minutes could have hurt his confidence (or is a result of his lack of self-assurance). But between Barrett, Quickley, and the addition of Josh Hart, Grimes will need to be on top of his game to close since we know Thibodeau will always put his faith in more experienced players. He is the bonafide starter, but as a closer, he is the odd man out.
His three-point attempts per game reflect a lack of confidence. In December, he averaged 6.7 three-point attempts per game, and in January, he averaged 6.1. But in February, he is at 4.5 attempts. Grimes’ decline in three-point shot attempts could be due to the offensive load carried by Randle and Brunson, but the eye test backs up his lack of confidence.
At times, Grimes gets stuck between rushing his shot and driving to the rim even though he is open. We saw him do the latter in one game, and during a stoppage of play, Julius Randle went up to him and urged him to shoot the ball. In the next moment, Randle set Grimes up perfectly, and he didn’t hesitate to shoot and make the shot.
As anyone who plays sports knows, having your teammate’s trust helps, especially when you lack confidence. So kudos to Julius for his leadership and Grimes for making the shot.
Considering Grimes is still playing well overall, this is more of a sophomore slump than a complete wall. He sometimes struggles with his matchups, but when guarding the likes of James Harden, Paul George, and Jimmy Butler, a few off nights are more than permissible.
KFTV Stock Status: Slumping
Brunson the Baller Gets Snubbed from the All-Star Game, then Drops a 40-point Masterpiece on the Swamp Dragons and Daps up Iggy Azalea post-game
What is there to say about Jalen Brunson? Despite not officially making it onto the All-Star team, there is no doubt that Brunson is the MVP of this Knicks team, not to take any credit away from Julius Randle, who is also deserving of his All-Star status.
Brunson is simply a magical maestro with the basketball on a night-by-night basis. His lay-up package is filthy. With surgical precision, he can bank the ball off the backboard and into the hoop. He has a floater with either hand, can easily draw fouls, and his mid-range game is more lethal than the venom of a thousand king cobras.
Brunson’s stats for the first half of February are unfathomable. He averaged 31.9 points per game on .597/.500/.778 shooting splits, along with 4.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.
His averages illuminate a huge wrinkle in his game, his three-point shooting. Over the last fifteen games, Brunson leads the league in catch-and-shoot three-point percentage at 64 percent. Plus, as of February 10th, Brunson has scored 60 points in clutch time, which, between all teams and players, ranks 3rd in the entire league! Only the Bucks and Clippers have scored more points in clutch time.
With Brunson snubbed from the All-Star game, now is the time for the league to amend this mistake and give him the Most Improved Player award. Right now, he stands third in the odds behind Lauri Markkanen and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Markkanen is the favorite because the Jazz had a flash-in-the-pan run to begin the season before any scouting reports were done. Since it is easier for the NBA media to fixate on one player instead of doing that brain thinky thing, I expect Markkanen to win it.
And Shai, well, I couldn’t be angry if Shai got the award. He’s been killing it too.
Brunson’s face on the court is deadpan, showing no hint of emotion. If he were a baseball player, he’d look bored as he rounded the bases of a walk-off home run. But to be honest, he reminds me of Tim Duncan because he makes the game look so easy. I’m not sure how it is possible to make fade-away jumpers and ballerina-like post moves look easy, but Brunson somehow does it.
The lack of an All-Star nod burned investors, but those willing to take a risk can place a bet on him winning Most Improved Player at +2500 (not financial advice). If Brunson can continue this hot streak, I’d imagine those odds will shift quickly.
KFTV Stock Status: MVP
Miles McBride and Evan Fournier Sentenced to “Situational” Status
With the addition of Josh Hart, Miles McBride has lost his place in the rotation. Still, his stock retains its value, as McBride always brings hustle and energy. In the event of an injury or a favorable matchup, we will see McBride again, though his appearances will be sparse. With little upside or downside, investors can feel safe holding stock until the end of the season, but beyond that, it may be worth selling.
Evan Fournier is in the same boat as McBride. Though, his “situational” status is likelier to be lifted than McBride’s due to his veteran rank. Remember, we saw Evan Fournier play the hero for the Knicks against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 17 points and catching fire from three.
In the words of Fournier himself, that game “was like a fun one-night stand.” He then added, “I’m sure I’ll have another chance to play.” Of course, a “chance to play” is a lot different than “consistent chances to play.” Fans can expect to see Evan again, and hopefully, his shooting that night was more than just a “one-time” thing.
Even though it was one game, Evan’s stock saw a short, sharp increase. We can’t deny that he is a true professional. He could have pouted and refused to play (perhaps like a former teammate of his wink-wink, nudge nudge), but when his number was called, he played his heart out.
KFTV Stock Status: Situational Room
Immanuel Quickley
Immanuel Quickley continues his slow ascension; there’s not much more to say. He is still a reliable scorer, a solid passer, a strong rebounder, and an absolute defensive game-changer. He knows when to double-team and can be hard to score on unless a player has significant size over him.
What I want to point out about Quickley is a minor detail. During a short stoppage of play, he handed the ball to two lucky spectators courtside at Madison Square Garden. Then he went down and scored an easy lay-up. This “spontaneity,” as Walt Frazier says, indicates that Quickley feeds off the crowd’s energy and plays loose, free, and comfortable.
Quickly continues to impress, and I expect to see him closing more games alongside the new addition of Josh Hart. Unless Barrett and Grimes are cooking, or if Hart and Quickley are off, I expect a Brunson, Quickley, Hart, Randle, and (insert whatever center here) line-up to be the squad that Thibodeau is most comfortable closing games with.
Right now, he sits at +12500 odds to win the sixth man of the year. However, by this time next year, those odds could be a lot more favorable.
KFTV Stock Status: Slow and Steady Bull Run
Josh Hart
The Knick’s front office made a solid move trading Cam Reddish, others, and a conditional first-round pick for Josh Hart. Hart brings a lot to the line-up: defensive toughness, hustle, and rebounding. He has the right mentality for New York and has endeared himself to the fans in no time. However, since Hart’s stock is so high right now, this is not a good time to buy any, mainly because I foresee a drop in value soon.
It doesn’t take long for Knick’s fans to flip the switch from unconditional love to toxic disdain. And while Hart has played well in his few games, expect him to return to his averages. Already, he has shown hesitance to shoot from three-point land. With the Portland Trail Blazers, Hart only shot 30.4 percent from three. His hesitancy leads me to believe that he still lacks confidence in his shot, and if the MSG crowd turns against him, that could hurt his confidence even more.
Investors should be cautiously optimistic about Hart’s value. Knicks hater Richard Jefferson wrote on Twitter that “Josh Hart is a piece that can get you to the 2nd round.” While this is a backhanded compliment, Josh can be an x-factor, though not as big as Immanuel Quickley.
Hart’s value is high, but this is a small sample size. The honeymoon phase will pass. Remain cautiously optimistic.
KFTV Stock Status: Over-valued
Obi Toppin
This has been a difficult season for the bruised and battered Obi-hive. Trade rumors were swirling about moving Toppin to the Indiana Pacers, but these never went through as the asking price was too high. This shows one thing. Despite his playing time, the front office sees Toppin as a valuable player. Otherwise, why keep him?
February has been a difficult month for him, and you could say it has been horrible. 4 points per game on .323/.182/.500 shooting splits don’t inspire confidence. He’s only scored 4 three-pointers on 22 attempts.
However, it makes sense to keep him. Come playoff time, he can easily be an energizer and an x-factor, just as he was against the Atlanta Hawks. Most Knicks fans were hoping to send Toppin to greener pastures, but before he does that, he can at least get some playoff experience. And credit to Tom Thibodeau because Obi has been getting consistent fourth-quarter minutes.
KFTV Stock Status: Obi Droppin
Overall Team
The first half of February was a solid month for the New York Knicks. They had six wins and two losses, with solid wins over the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Atlanta Pigeons, I mean Atlanta Hawks. And, if it weren’t for a last-second three by Nicolas Batum off of a fifty-fifty ball, they’d only have one loss in February.
They take care of the ball, as they are the third least turnovers per game as a team. They are also third in the league in rebounds per game. Their defensive efficiency has taken a down-turn with Mitchell Robinson gone, but their offense is heating up and flowing well.
We also saw them learn from their mistakes. To end the Orlando Magic game, with the Knicks up three, Thibodeau elected to make it a free throw game. To secure the final rebound, Thibodeau put in all his bigs, and they did what they needed to do. Overall, the end of games has been less of a cardiac affair. The team is learning how to close out games and maintain leads.
To start the season, the Knicks were mid and liable to either be a lottery team or a low-seeded playoff team. They are still mid, but the recent wins against strong opponents showed that their ceiling is closer to the playoffs than to the lottery. With Brooklyn losing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, they could sneak into the fifth seed.
KFTV Stock Status: High Mid
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 Quentin Grimes dominating in the NBA Rising Stars game!
