We are back with another KFTV Stock Exchange, and things are heating up! This will cover January 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.
Mitchell Robinson
Tank advocates questioned the signing of Jalen Brunson. “We should be focusing on the youth!” “We need to lose games!” “We must waste an entire season for a five percent shot at Wembanyama!”
Little did they realize—the Knicks already hold someone greater than Wembanyama. With a lightning-quick between-the-leg dribble, an evolving post-game, and an unstoppable fader that only missed the rim by .3 centimeters(!) Mitchell Robinson poses one question: Wembanyama, who?
The front office is locked in on evaluating their talent, so why won’t they let Mitchy cook? (Editor’s Note: *crying emoji* why are we making Mitchy a thing?) Like the shadows of a flame in a cave, we glimpse the glory of Mitchy for only seconds at a time, yet we have no idea of the endless shining sun that awaits us outside the cave.
Like Atlas, Robinson carries the weight of the defense on his shoulders. If he were to shrug it off, then what? Will he ascend to universal dominance?
We need more Mitch post-ups, top-of-the-key isolations, and pull-up jumpers. Many complain about Obi Toppin being limited, but Robinson is even more restrained. The fans deserve this too.
If Mitch is activated, not only will he lead us to a four-peat (and a statue of his iconic fader outside of Madison Square Garden), but the fans will hang onto every move he makes. A simple crossover from Mitchy is enough to leave the feeble-hearted in tears.
Put all of your money into Mitch. Mortgage your home, pawn your children, and sell all your bitcoin. Who needs bitcoin when you have mitchcoin?
KFTV Stock Status: More Than Literal Gold
Immanuel Quickley
The front office drafted Immanuel Quickley with the 25th overall pick in 2020. As a wiry, undersized guard, Quickley existed in an ambiguous area between point guard and shooting guard. In his first few months in the league, he showed a promising skillset: a smooth three-point shot, a deceptive handle, and an unstoppable floater. But we questioned: could he be the point guard we’ve always needed? Could he be a perpetual sixth man? Will he be a solid bench piece?
Quickley hit significant walls in his rookie, sophomore, and junior seasons. For long stretches, opposing defenses made his offensive game look completely inept. And without offense, what more did he offer? Nevertheless, he always managed to work through his slumps.
To start the 2022-23 season, Quickley played below average on offense. He averaged 9.4 points per game on .387/.302/.870 shooting splits from October to November. However, his pesky defense and strong rebounding, two new wrinkles to his game, never wavered.
In January, Quickley caused havoc for opposing defenses. His offensive game used to be limited to three-pointers and floaters. Instead, he has developed a herky-jerky handle that leaves defenders flat-footed and unsure of his next move, uses his body to create space and find opportunities, and improved his finishing and mid-range game. He averaged 15.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3 assists so far in January, with shooting splits of .507/.290/.842. He seems to have found a consistent rhythm.
Off the bench or in clutch time, Quickley is an essential piece for team success. However, some questions remain: could he command a sizable contract? Will he seek a new home for a more prominent role? Or will he be satisfied as a sixth man that finishes games? Is he greater than a sixth man?
Though we’ve had much time to evaluate his talent, his ceiling is still ambiguous.
KFTV Stock Value: Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Risky Bet Alert! Will Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle Make the All-star Game?
Jalen Bruns-HIM is a cold-blooded killer. He is a certified bucket, but when the fourth quarter comes around, Jalen Brunson exits the building, and Captain Clutch swoops and hoops to save the day.
All in the fourth quarter, Captain Clutch:
- Heel-kicked the Spurs with 11 points.
- Shot an 18-point Buck (that barely managed to escape)
- Killed the Pacer’s momentum with 7; and
- Cast a spell on the Wizards with 8 points.
Captain Clutch also dropped a meteoric 10 points against the Raptors on January 6th, including an and-1 layup that sucked the light out of the eyes of every silly dinosaur in Toronto.
Brunson arrives in the fourth quarter. But in the first quarter, Julius Randle rumbles in like a bulldozer covered in spikes and spewing fire. We even heard some MVP cheers for Randle! (Is Redemption season confirmed?)
Julius’ composure has been strong, but it faltered in clutch time against the Bucks. He lacked faith in his jump shot and played like he was less sure of himself. When the pressure mounted, Randle felt it.
These two players are deserving of All-Star nods. Earlier this month, it is a cosmic tragedy that Julius Randle was below Nic Claxton and Kyle Kuzma in fan all-star votes and that Jalen Brunson hasn’t made it at all! (Shame on you, New York, for making me type that out!)
Will one of them be an All-Star? Will both? Will neither? Will the media perpetuate “LOL Knicks” at every minor mistake yet ignore the team’s achievements? (That is the only question here with a sure answer.)
Fickle Fan Alert!
Kristaps Porzingis, the unicorn, entered and exited New York to a chorus of boos. The events that transpired before his trade were ambiguous. Brotherly birds chirped in his ear, injuries disrupted his season, and Phil Jackson urged him elsewhere with the grace of a burning Erdtree.
His abrupt exit ignited the fanbase with misdirected anger. For three years, boos, bitterness, and hatred assailed Porzingis when he stepped foot in New York. After a brief round of PR, Porzingis complimented the MSG crowd, and now fans want to welcome him back with open arms. You can’t make this up, folks.
Breaking News! Invest! Quentin Grimes, Fastest Man on the Planet! Jericho Sims With the Power of Levitation!
Quentin Grimes might be the fastest man on planet Earth! In a race with Usain Bolt, Q-dot’s lightning-fast first would probably leave Bolt breathing dust and questioning his life decisions. Perhaps Quentin snuck into some adamantium or compound V, but regardless, his first step must be close to the best in the league!
In other news, I heard NASA recently reported an Unidentified Aerial Object above the atmosphere. They conducted an emergency investigation and discovered the UFO to be none other than Jericho Sims. After jumping up for an alley-oop, Jericho breached the atmosphere and floated into the vastness of space.
NASA safely returned Sims to Earth, and they gifted him custom-made basketball shoes filled with lead to keep this mistake from happening again. Unfortunately, Jericho Sims has barely seen the court after this mistake, even though he deserves it.
Stagnant Assets
Isaiah Hartenstein is still struggling. He is a solid player, but the coaching staff doesn’t utilize his skillset correctly. Tom Thibodeau has an archetype when it comes to the center. They are big and long, play drop coverage, protect the paint, gobble boards, and maybe get a play called for them every other game. Hartenstein is pigeonholed into a role he is not suited for, one that won’t let him take advantage of his passing and shooting.
Obi Toppin is back. With only 10 minutes per game, he hasn’t found a groove. His offense can be a game-changer, especially with a consistent three-shot. But, so far, he has lacked impact. Unsurprisingly, his go-to move of “leak out every time” has been nullified.
Overall Team
The Knicks are building steam on the season. They lost one game in the first half of January, and every player contributed to each win. The offense is rolling, and the defense is stout.
The Knicks struggle with maintaining leads. They almost blew three commanding leads against the Raptors, Spurs, and Wizards, and they did blow a 17-point lead against the Bucks, which would have been a statement win. They almost succumbed to old curses but learned from their past mistakes and pulled out the victories.
This is a young team. They need to learn how to win and close out games. They need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
New York will close out better against middling teams for the rest of the season. In higher-level games, they will likely falter and succumb to teams with more experience. And when it comes to playoffs, well, sorry to inform you that a collapse is written in the stars. Keep your blood pressure meds prepared for April.
The Knicks have established themselves as playoff competitors in the east. But can they keep up the energy for the rest of the season? Will Tom Thibodeau burn out his young players? Or will they hang with the big dogs of the east?
KFTV Stock Status: Slightly Above 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 the analysis and fan reactions for the recent matchup between the Knicks and Washington Wizards!
