Time to wrap up the New York Knicks season by ranking the importance of each player with another KFTV Stock Exchange!
After an exhilarating season, James Dolan’s Wild Ride is paused for a brief respite. But before moving on to more turbulent tracks, let’s rank the most valuable Knickerbockers of the 2022-23 season.
1. Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson just isn’t that guy. I mean, he’s a solid player, but how good is he really? He’s not a championship-level starting point guard. All Brunson is, is an above-average 15 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds kinda guy. Is he worth more than $55 million?
Just one year ago, that was the prevalent idea of Jalen Brunson. Many doubted him. Mark Cuban didn’t even think he was worth a four-year $55 million contract extension—an agreement that gets handed out like peanuts these days.
Against Donavan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz in the 2022 playoffs, Jalen Brunson announced to the world: He is here, and he is him.
He’s Jalen Brunson—a hard-nosed, savvy, swirling dervish who wins basketball games. With impeccable footwork, lethal midrange shooting, x-ray vision, and a steely, unflappable demeanor, Jalen Brunson is so good he makes excellence look easy.
As the starting point guard for the 2022-23 New York Knicks, Brunson not only continued his high level of play, he far surpassed it. His presence relieved a huge load from Julius Randle’s shoulders, allowing the offense to flow smoothly. Further, he revealed his alter-ego: Captain Clutch. When you need a bucket, give the ball to Jalen Brunson. NBA.com ranked him the fourth most clutch player in the league, as he scored the third most points in the clutch with ridiculous shooting percentages of 51.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three.
From January 1st, 2023, until his unfortunate injury on March 3rd, Jalen scored more clutch points than entire teams. He tore up defensive schemes like a bullet through a piece of wet toilet paper, with averages of 28.4 and 5.7 assists (with 2 turnovers) on ridiculous shooting splits of .514/.455/.803.
He embarrassed his all-defensive Villanova frenemy Mikal Bridges multiple times. He dropped 44 points on Jrue Holiday and the Milwaukee Bucks and handed out thirty-pieces like Judas Iscariot. He showed a John Wayne level of grit, regularly playing through injury and sacrificing his body to draw charges. In charges drawn per game, Jalen ranked 2nd in the league.
Jalen isn’t hard to outmatch on the defensive end, and sometimes his altruism gives way to selfishness, but he’s still the most critical player. Without him, we know how poor this team looks.
Jalen Brunson’s stock is shooting upward like a beam of light from the Golden 1 arena. But don’t buy in too late; there’s still time. Money Time is coming, and Jalen Brunson knows full well why Money Time is called Money Time.
Only a handful of players can lead a team to a championship. Players like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokoumpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Steph Curry. I know this is crazy, but there are times when I can see Jalen Brunson as the first option on a championship team (more accurately, a 1B option).
Yet, with this small addendum, I fall into a trap that many people stumble into—doubting Jalen Brunson. Jalen Brunson has continually proved that he is getting better and better. So who is to say where his ceiling is? Many will accuse me of delusion. Brunson is undoubtedly a star, they will say. But as the 1A option on a championship team? I mean, he’s a solid player, but Jalen Brunson just isn’t that guy.
2. Julius Randle
“Julius Randle is a fluke and a choker. He only played well because there were no crowds in the arena. He is selfish, can’t shoot, and isn’t the leader this team needs. He will never return to his All-NBA status. Trade him for five second-rounders and a new printing machine.”
Many doubted him, wanted him gone, and turned their backs on him. Nevertheless, Julius silenced all his haters and redeemed himself from the previous year. Redemption Season confirmed!
Randle played like a savage all year. He eclipsed his first All-NBA season between his bully ball, mid-range and three-point shooting, and excellent passing. And even though many jeered Randle for his participation in the three-point contest, he ranked 8th in three-pointers made among the entire league.
Unfortunately, all wasn’t sunshine and roses for Randle this season. For instance, despite his use of meditation, Randle’s Tasmanian Devil alter-ego reared its snarling head multiple times. In crunch time, he operated a step too fast and lost faith in his jump shot. We all loved his Hail Mary three against the Miami Heat, but that shot was fluky, as it came at the end of a broken play. Regardless, to his credit, he adapted to the crunch time pressure throughout the season.
Yet no matter what, a Tasmanian Devil hates nothing more than zebras. Though not as blatantly dubious as the NFL ones, the NBA refs regularly delude themselves into thinking they are the stars and need to take over the game. Their lack of consistency and eyesight caused an eruption from Julius Randle multiple times, which led to aftershocks in the locker room.
Speaking of locker rooms, one idea resonating with me from the show’s callers is that the team needs a vocal leader. New York needs someone like Draymond Green or Marcus Smart to fire up his teammates with energy and passion. Julius Randle is that guy. Just maybe not in the way we envisioned.
So with all that said and the pressure and emotion ramped up exponentially in the playoffs, will Randle fold? Will he give in to his anxiety as he did in 2021?
Even if he does, the fanbase shouldn’t turn their backs on him for a third time. No matter how great the adversity, Randle persevered. In the most passionate, critical, and nit-picky fanbase in the league, Randle has endured a level of pressure and scrutiny that can break players.
Randle’s stock has seen wild returns throughout the year, but this upside is liable to crash down during Money Time. Against Donavan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers, we will find out what Julius Rande is genuinely made of.
3. Immanuel Quickley
Like Jalen Brunson, Immanuel Quickley’s ceiling keeps getting higher and higher. Quickley has legit star potential. Fans caught a whiff of this possibility in his rookie season, where he displayed knock-down shooting and an automatic floater. But due to the limitations in his game, he hit significant walls and struggled for long stretches.
In year three, Quickley developed into a full-fledged three-level scorer. He expanded his vision, finishing package, and defensive abilities. Granted, he struggled offensively at the beginning of the season, but his defensive effort and IQ were readily apparent. With each game, Quickley got more and more comfortable on offense and ended the season on a tear.
Quickley’s versatility to be impactful as a starter or bench player is why he should win Sixth Man of the Year. Yet, NBA media voters claimed that “Quickley started too many games.”
Forget that as a starter Quickley averaged 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists on .469/.401/.846 splits (per BBall Reference). The whole point of his role (being a Sixth Man) is to provide a spark off the bench or fill in when a starter is down, both of which he has done. His best games came as a starter. But he was just as productive off the bench, he simply played fewer minutes.
Quickley deserves the award, and he should win it. Unfortunately, this team is used to egregious snubs that age like milk.
4. Josh Hart
Josh Hart has the magical ability to turn fifty-fifty balls into sixty-forty balls. In transition, his hard drives and strong finishes make him look like a small Giannis Antetokounmpo. Among guards, Hart ranked third in rebounds per game. In addition, he shot 51.9 percent from three as a Knick, albeit on low volume.
With a 17-8 record in his tenure, considering the value he was traded for, there wasn’t a better player to acquire than Josh Hart. This trade was a home run for the front office.
From the moment Josh Hart stepped on the floor of Madison Square Garden, we all knew he belonged in the Orange and Blue.
5. Quentin Grimes
Contrary to what Scottie Barnes may think, Quentin Grimes is him. Regarding matchup difficulty, no one else defended an endless gauntlet of superstars as Grimes did night after night. On offense, Grimes averaged 11.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on splits of .468/.386/.796. Grimes also had a knack for timely buckets.
While Grimes was able to flex his defensive muscles, his status as the fourth option behind three ball-dominant players meant his offense stagnated. He averaged only 31.4 touches per game compared to Brunson’s 84.3, Randle’s 69.4, and Barrett’s 50.7. Of the starting line-up, he barely touched the ball more than the last place Mitchell Robinson, who felt leather 27.2 times per game (and we all know what Mitch thinks about his role in the offense).
Grimes did have time to shine, including a season-high 36 points against the Indiana Pacers and 33 points against the Dallas Mavericks, which would have been an excellent win if not for that pesky, magical Slovenian.
With such strides in development, we couldn’t have asked for a better season from Quentin Grimes.
6. RJ Barrett
I had high hopes for RJ Barrett coming into this season. Since his rookie year, his averages have grown slow and steady. In year four, with a sparkling nine-figure contract, it seemed the time was nigh for him to ascend to all-star status.
As a card-carrying member of the RJ Hive, I’ll be the first to admit he struggled a lot this year. To begin, he’s only shot 31 percent from three. RJ doesn’t miss close. When he missed, I sometimes thought there was construction outside my window.
He showed an interesting mid-range game in his first few seasons, but this year he only shot 97 shots from that range and converted on 28 of them, with most coming later in the season.
Of all the Knicks that have played more than 1,500 minutes, RJ ranked last in effective field goal percentage, true shooting percentage, steals percentage, box plus-minus, and plus-minus. RJ also only logged 2.8 assists (201 total) per game, next to 2.2 turnovers (164 total). His 19.8 points per game would’ve been a bright spot. But RJ’s splits of .434/.310/.740 reveals that his inefficiency is still a problem.
On top of all that, RJ struggled defensively. His slow foot speed, poor screen navigation, and a general lack of effort quieted all the talks of him being a two-way player. The numbers even back this up since opposing teams had an offensive rating of 118.6; off the floor, their offensive rating was 109.9.
Despite his poor play, RJ logged the third most minutes per game. Although, Tom Thibodeau wasn’t shy in revoking RJ’s ability to close out games in favor of Quentin Grimes, Josh Hart, or Immanuel Quickley.
“Trade RJ!” many fickle-hearted, paper-handed fans called out. The same fans that clamored “play the young guys!” now suddenly don’t want a young guy to play because… he… struggled?!
A young guy struggling? We can’t have that! Only busts struggle! We want our young guys to play, but if they face challenges, boot them the heck out! Trade them for draft picks that we can use to draft more young guys who won’t struggle. (Repeat this cycle and then parlay it into a narrative that the front office isn’t building organically enough for maximum clout points.)
Many criticisms were levied against RJ, but one of the most prevalent was that there was no aspect of the game RJ excelled in. This is kind of true. RJ is average or below average in shooting, defense, rebounding, etc. RJ does excel in two specific areas, but these areas are more unorthodox than where most players find their specialty. RJ excels in driving and transition.
When RJ’s shot wasn’t falling, he drove to the rim with brute force. In transition, Barrett will utilize his euro-step, a predictable but effective move. RJ also tended to lead the second unit while Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson got their rest.
Despite all these struggles, there were fleeting moments when RJ put together all his tools. There were even times he took over games to swing the momentum in his team’s favor.
RJ’s time is coming. Although this was a down year, he learned his lessons and worked to improve. I expect him to show out for the playoffs and be the x-factor that helps win us a series.
7. Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein
Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein operate in a unique tandem. Mitch uses his intimidating stature to lock down the paint, gobble offensive rebounds, and throw down monstrous dunks. Hartenstein, meanwhile, is more perimeter-oriented and fundamental. His soft touch, quick passing, and hard screens added a different element to the offense while remaining a stout defender.
Mitch started and made an impact early in the season. However, he trailed off at the end of the year due to injury and frustration in his role. Hartenstein grew into his role halfway through the season, playing all 82 games.
Between Mitch and Hartenstein, opposing teams will never have a moment to enter the paint unwary. They do a lot of the dirty work this team needs.
8. Miles McBride
From the beginning of the season, Miles McBride was always on the outside looking in. But, time and time again, his dogged defensive effort and offensive aggressiveness earned him extended minutes from Tom Thibodeau.
At first, he was stuck behind, but earned minutes over, the “next Paul George.” Then, when Josh Hart arrived, he fell out of the nine-man rotation. But, due to injuries, he showed up and showed out. Known as a defensive specialist, McBride sprouted into a more effective offensive player, dropping a career-high 18 points against the Portland Trail Blazers.
As the tenth man, there aren’t many players as productive as Miles McBride. He is still out of the rotation, but his consistent effort means that Tom Thibodeau won’t be shy at slotting in McBride in certain situations for the playoffs. Deuce may not play at all, but we saw significant improvement from the unheralded second-round pick this year. He is another testament to the quality of drafting and development from the front office and coaching staff.
9. Obi Toppin
Time rolls forward, and just as sure as the passing light of day, Obi Toppin sits on the bench with feverish excitement for his meager 15.7 minutes per game. Sadly, he had an underwhelming year. His three-point shot waxed and waned with the lunar cycle. He still had his high-flying alley-oops and leak-out dunks, but from beyond three feet of the basket, Toppin shot only 34.6 percent.
The Obi-hive lacked buzz all year, with his stock seemingly hard-capped by the stubborn Tom Thibodeau. On this team, Obi Toppin stuck out like a sore thumb.
That is, when Julius Randle played.
When Randle didn’t play, Obi soared like a caged hawk finally set free.
As a starter, Obi averaged 21.8 points as a (brief) member of the 50/40/90 club. Powered by Obi energy, the Knicks looked like a different team in transition and ball movement. But most importantly, it’s good to know that despite the adversity throughout his career, Obi still manages to come out with a smile and a spring in his step.
If Obi starts in the playoffs and the team wins, his stock will soar to heights unbound, and the Obi Hive will cry, “Hallelujah!” Even if Tom Thibodeau shoves him back in the bird cage, he will fly a bit freer than before when he gets his playtime.
10. Jericho Sims
Jericho Sims is a big man. He is reliable and consistent. He hustles, plays defense, grabs rebounds, and he might even dunk the ball once or twice a game. But that’s about it.
The furtive and soft-spoken inhabitants of Sim City maintained the status quo of their humble, unambitious society all season long.
When the dunk contest came around, they stepped out of their comfort zone, hoping for a modicum of prestige and respect. But their hopes were ripped apart like the piece of notebook paper that Jericho wrote “50” on.
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 Game of the Week, Alex and Chris Fedor, Cavs/NBA Reporter for Cleveland Dot Com, preview the Knicks-Cavaliers playoff series!
