The New York Knicks’ season is finally over, and what better way to review the season than a Knicks Fan TV writers’ roundtable.
The New York Knicks had a frustrating season, to say the least. But with a down year behind us, it is time to look back at the season and look ahead to a pivotal offseason. We, the writers at KFTV, have answered six questions that share our perspectives on various issues surrounding the New York Knicks.
1. Should the Knicks keep or trade Julius Randle this offseason? Select one of the following options and explain why in a couple of sentences.
a. Keep Julius Randle
b. Trade Julius Randle for requisite value
c. Trade Julius Randle regardless of value
Remi: I’m going to trade Julius Randle regardless of value. It’s time for the front office to find out what it really has. That means letting RJ Barrett lead the team for a season and making room for Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin to play critical roles. Moving Randle kills two birds with one stone and hopefully generates some cap space.
Paul: I think we should trade Julius Randle, whatever it takes. He has seemingly cut ties with the rest of the team and coaches, and that type of toxic behavior could cause more dysfunction next season. We missed the play-in tournament this season with Randle, but the rest of the core showed signs of improvement. So we can hope things can’t get much worse no matter what we get for Randle.
Alex: The Knicks should trade Julius Randle this offseason requisite for value. I’ve been banging the “addition by subtraction” drum with regards to trading Randle. And while I do believe in that philosophy, I don’t think Randle should be traded for anything. He is still a productive player, and in the right situation, he can flourish. Yet we saw how better the ball movement and decision-making were on offense once Julius was removed from the lineup. And on top of that, we saw the defense stay more engaged with better rotations.
That being said, that doesn’t mean this team will be a juggernaut entering next season. But solid team basketball is a crucial foundation for good basketball. Lastly, keeping Randle on this team after this season may be a tough sell to the entire team after how disengaged Randle looked. However, it will be a tougher sell to Knicks fans when they appreciate players who give 100 percent effort on a nightly basis.
Chip: B. The Knicks can’t run it back with Julius Randle and Tom Thibodeau next season. It’s clear that Thibs isn’t going anywhere, so Julius has to go. But you can’t just dump Julius off for a second round pick. The guy was still All-NBA last season, after all. You need to get at least one rotation player who can contribute or be used in a deal for a star down the line.
Geoffrey: Hold on to Julius (for now). Much like with Thibs, I’ve been cautious about embracing the prevailing narratives surrounding critical members of the Knicks following a disappointing 2021-22 season. There is no reason to believe that Julius Randle will be this bad next season. Like his All-NBA campaign, if that is considered an outlier, I’m throwing this season in the same category. Furthermore, I believe that Randle, who never previously engaged in public back-and-forths with the fans, will be more professional next season. 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assist guys don’t appear on your roster magically. Keep him.
Mike: While I understand the perspective of not selling too low on Randle, I believe that a deal has to get done regardless, for multiple reasons. Primarily, it is equally poor asset management (or worse) to trade away or bury the potential of Obi Toppin at this juncture. If the Knicks keep Randle, Obi is back to playing 12 minutes a night with Thibs at the helm, which is likely to happen. We saw Obi take off down the stretch. Going back to an iso-heavy offense built around an inefficient Randle is detrimental to the whole team, therefore increasing the need to move on from him.
2. Who should start at point guard next season? Select one of the following options and explain your choice in a couple of sentences.
a. Immanuel Quickley
b. Miles “Deuce” McBride
d. Draft (Name Player)
e. Alec Burks
f. Other
Remi: I alluded to this above, but Immanuel Quickley is my choice. The Knicks need to give their draft picks a chance to take the reins and cement their roles. If it doesn’t work out with IQ, they’ve still got Derrick Rose around, plus two developmental prospects in Deuce McBride and Rokas Jokubaitis that might be ready after another year.
Paul: I’m going to have to go with Quickley. He has shown a significant improvement in his playmaking skills this year, and his strong end to the season has left me some hope for his future at the point. Unless a star point guard becomes available in the offseason, we should give him until the trade deadline to prove his worth in the position.
Alex: For the last KFTV postgame of the season, I made my point on why Immanuel Quickley should be the starting point guard for next season. Coming from a guy who is big on Jalen Brunson out of all the available point guard options, it makes sense to move with Quickley for a few reasons. At the end of this season, IQ demonstrated that he is a capable playmaker who can get downhill and create space for his teammates with his shot. And we saw how effective he was in the last 15 games of the season — he averaged 16.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 42.1 field goal percentage, 36.3 three-point percentage, and 81.9 free throw percentage in 28.1 minutes per game.
He is also entering the third year of his contract. For a guy who was averaging close to 30 minutes the last 15 games of the season, it doesn’t make sense to spend money or trade assets when Quickley was productive in close to starters minutes. And since this is the third year of his contract, this is a good year for the team to evaluate what they have in IQ, and then the front office can determine if they need another point guard for the following season.
Chip: A. Immanuel Quickley proved himself last season in the limited time he got. His shooting was down, but it’s hard to worry about it, given his efficiency as a rookie and in college. The numbers and the eye test both show that the team is flat out better when he’s on the floor. Quickley just needs more opportunities. The only thing holding him back is the head coach.
Geoffrey: (F and a little bit of A) I love Immanuel Quickley, and I want him to be with the Knicks for a long time. But I find it interesting that most fans wanted him inserted into the starting lineup in the midst of one of his worst shooting slumps, albeit short career. We know that IQ, similar to RJ, is a good player, but the semi-extended stretches of poor play/shooting cause concern. I actually like how Thibs has brought IQ along in a more gradual approach towards increased responsibilities in play-making and crunch time minutes. I’m not a big Jalen Brunson guy, and honestly, I’d rather sign a stop-gap vet on a short deal to start but give IQ the majority of the minutes and start him towards the middle/end of the season.
Mike: Immanuel Quickley. Thibs told us all year that the team was doing the best it could at the PG position this year. Simply put, that was a lie. While his shot struggled early in the season, IQ was quietly learning the ropes of becoming an NBA point guard. That was evidenced by his complete command of the game over the final 20 games of the season, adding additional scrutiny to the Burks at PG fiasco. Rather than paying Jalen Brunson or drafting a young player to learn the ropes, why not hand the keys to the gym rat who earned the coach’s trust and impacts winning every second he’s on the floor. This answer seems almost too obvious for chemistry, financial, and basketball purposes that it won’t happen.
3. As of now, what realistic draft prospect would fit best with the Knicks? Explain why in a couple of sentences.
Remi: I feel like TyTy Washington is the easy choice, but we already have three young point guard prospects on the roster. My favorite prospects are Jalen Duren and Benedict Mathurin, but Jeremy Sochan feels more likely to make it to our draft slot. He should be around the mid-late lottery with multi-positional defensive upside and good form on his jumper for a power forward. With Randle gone, he could back up Obi and give Thibs a defensive option.
Paul: I have not researched any of this year’s prospects, so I can’t answer.
Alex: Johnny Davis has been my guy since watching March Madness. I like Jaden Ivey. And seeing IQ developing his point guard skills, I think that would be a dynamic backcourt. Although to draft Ivey, the Knicks would need to be in the top four of the draft, which is not happening. However, seeing as the Knicks are currently slated for the 11th overall draft pick, I think Davis could be around that range for the Knicks to pick him. He can create his own shot, has good length to guard multiple positions, and carried Wisconsin, which tells me he is used to the pressure.
Chip: I love Mark Williams. The former Duke center is the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year and has a 7-foot-7 wingspan. Williams can be everything we thought Mitch would be by now. It’s true that Williams still has a lot to learn, but so does Mitch, and he’s 24. Williams is 20, and he’d be a lot cheaper.
Geoffrey: This is a tricky question without knowing who will be on the board and where the Knicks will pick. A part of me wants them to move up, but I don’t think Leon will do that. So instead, I believe G-league Ignite’s Dyson Daniels will be available if the Knicks stay at 11. I absolutely love him. He’s not a standout athlete, but he’s a 6’8″ guard with above-average court vision, solid defensive skills, an improving shot, and a knack for making the right plays. You only need to watch all of 5 minutes of him on the court to see why people like playing with him.
Mike: Ochai Agbaji would be a solid fit with the Knicks if they stay at 11, and he is likely to be available at that point in the draft. He is a top-notch shooter, a solid defender, and is coming off a championship run with Kansas that will pay dividends as his NBA career kicks off. Adding elite shooting to Fournier (if here), Grimes and IQ would give the Knicks a plethora of high-level, versatile shooters to pair with the slashing of RJ Barrett. At the same time, Agbaji is a four-year player, meaning that the Knicks may be interested in going in a different direction that could hold more upside.
4. Rank the following options from greatest to least in terms of responsibility for the Knicks’ struggles this season. Explain your rankings in a couple of sentences.
a. Front Office
b. Julius Randle
c. Thibs
d. Other (Writer’s Choice)
Remi:1,3,2,4 (injuries)
The problems start at the top. The front office brought the pieces back, and they stood by while everything fell apart. I could say the same for Thibodeau, who failed to address Julius Randle’s behavior or change his rotation.
If Randle’s problems were just shooting, I’d give him a pass. But his poor effort and misbehavior at times hurt this team. One last significant factor was the Derrick Rose injury and, to a lesser extent, the poor timing on some health and safety suspensions.
Paul: Thibs, Randle, and the Front Office are all equally to blame, in my opinion. It all comes down to stubbornness and inaction. The front office not making any substantial moves, Thibs refusing to change, and Randle’s regression all led to this disappointing season. It’s hard to say which was the most influential because fixing one would not have changed the season massively.
Alex: I said this on the KFTV Post Game after the Knicks lost to the Brooklyn Nets, but it goes Julius Randle, Front Office, and then Tom Thibodeau. Randle gets the blame because the team is only as good as their best player, and Randle underperformed and didn’t give enough effort this season. I can tolerate his shooting splits taking a dip. Still, there has to be a better understanding of taking advantage of mismatches, better decision-making when scoring and passing, and giving effort on defense.
The front office gets blame because they know who Tom Thibodeau is, and the front office didn’t give him the right players to have a defensive-minded team. Also, their offseason signings turned out to be a bust.
Tom Thibodeau is last because he helped develop the youth but failed to make coaching adjustments as the season went along. Not utilizing the depth of this team, relying on players that were ice cold, benching Kemba Walker, and his inability to hold Randle accountable is inexcusable. But we saw that he can coach based on last season, how the young players play the brand of basketball that he preaches (moving out in transition, shooting threes, playing tough defense, and sharing the rock), and finishing the season 12-9 between March to April.
Chip: I would rank Thibs first, Randle second, and the front office third. This was a hard choice. On the one hand, the front office knew what kind of coach Thibs was when they hired him. But, on the other hand, the way Thibs coached this season is what prevents him from being a great coach. It’s the coach’s job to adjust your system to your current roster. That’s what great coaches do. Instead, Thibs forces the roster — no matter the player — to fit into his system.
Geoffrey: a) Front office – Initially, I was not too fond of the Knicks offseason. I thought we overpaid for Nerlens Noel and Evan Fournier. But, on the other hand, I loved the Burks deal and didn’t mind the slight overpay for Rose because he’s so valuable to the team. So I was sold on the offseason because at least the contracts were tradeable, and they didn’t hurt us long-term.
Fournier’s improvement salvaged this season and made the front office look better. But with that being said, I really wanted the Knicks to sign Lonzo Ball this past offseason. Of course, his injury makes this argument difficult to make, but I’d still rather have him for three more years than Fournier. Additionally, the front office clearly prioritized self-creation and shooting and sacrificed defense.
b) Julius Randle – If Randle wrote an entire article in the player’s tribune about his poor body language, he could probably write a dissertation about this past season. He’s a pro and has been in this league long enough to justify the antics this past season. It clearly hurt the team.
c) Thibs – For all the hand wringing and Thibs bashing that fans have done on social media, does anyone realize that we lost only four more games compared with last season? Remember that “magical” season. He absolutely messed up with late-game rotations and should’ve tried something different than point Burks for more than two quarters of the season. But I’m still rocking with Thomas Joseph Thibodeau Jr. FIRE YASELVES!!!
Mike: Thibs, Randle, Front Office. Thibs is the clear culprit in this situation from my perspective. A majority of Randle’s issues stemmed from a lack of accountability from Thibs, which impacted the Kemba situation and, therefore, the entire team dynamic by a certain point. However, Randle is an adult. This year, his behavior, effort, and mentality were utterly unacceptable, and obviously, the team became soured by his antics. That boiled over into tension with the fans, further escalating an already forming powder keg. For these reasons, Thibs and Randle receive almost equal blame from me. Rose and Co. deserve criticism for putting the roster together, but it was clear that the team had the talent to be significantly better than they were, which falls on the coach and the star player.
5. Rank the following options from greatest to least in terms of priorities this offseason. Explain your ranking in a couple of sentences.
a. Extending RJ Barrett
b. Potentially trading Julius Randle
c. Extending Mitchell Robinson
d. Finding a PG solution
e. Other(Writer’s Choice/ Optional)
Remi: 3, 2, 5 (trading other vets), 4, 1.
Leon Rose has to figure out the starting center situation first, whether that means extending Mitch or finding another option. Trading Randle and some other vets will allow the young guys to take on more prominent roles and hopefully create cap space.
Finding the solution at point guard and extending RJ Barrett are more minor priorities. Immanuel Quickley has earned a chance to try and become the point guard. The Knicks have another season before they have to extend RJ Barrett, so it’s essential, but everything else is more impending.
Paul: We need to focus on extending RJ and figuring out the point guard problem more than extending Mitch. RJ is vital to the team’s future because he’s the face of the franchise and will hopefully be here for many years. Figuring out the point guard problem would also help RJ and the rest of the team. Mitch isn’t a priority to me. If he holds the team ransom for too much money, there will be cheaper options to replace him, and whatever happens with Randle happens.
Alex: From most important to least important, it goes: trading Julius Randle, extending Mitchell Robinson, extending RJ Barrett, finding a point guard solution. Trading Randle is a priority because the fear of him entering next season and playing poorly will only crater his trade value. Extending Mitchell Robinson is next because the Knicks need to either keep their rim running and shot-blocking big or trade him so that they don’t lose value on him. RJ extension would be next because you want to lock in a player who has shown that he is committed to the team and getting better every season. Finally, finding a point guard is low on my list based on my explanation of letting Immanuel Quickley start next season.
Chip: Trading Julius Randle is first. Randle being there is a detriment to the team. Moving on would be best for both sides. Extending RJ is second. He’s shown enough to deserve a max extension, but I’m very high on RJ. I’ll put “find a PG solution” third, but I think the solution, Quickley, is already on the roster. Extending Mitch is last because I wouldn’t give him one.
Geoffrey: Extend RJ – Finding a solution at PG – Potentially trading Julius Randle – Extending Mitchell Robinson: I still worry about RJ. He doesn’t finish well at the rim, and shooting slumps gives me agita in a way that no other Knick in recent memory has, but I love the kid. His work ethic and natural development will make him a star or something very close. After that, finding another lead guard who can create his own shot or distribute at a high level will return this team to the 2020-21 form. As previously mentioned, I’m in no rush to trade Julius, and while I don’t think Mitch is expendable, I don’t think 48 minutes from a healthy Noel and Jericho Sims is that much of a dropoff.
Mike: Fire Thibs, Trade Randle, Pay RJ, Pay Mitch, PG. You already know why Thibs can no longer be the head coach of the New York Knicks. For the sake of the kids, fan’s sanity, and a functional offense, Thibs has to go as the evidence has mounted against him in an alarming factor. Randle is equally complicit with his lack of effort, leadership, poor efficiency, and blocking Obi Toppin on the depth chart, making him a likely trade candidate. Star-J deserves his money. He is the face of this franchise, built for this city, and won’t cut any corners on his path to his ceiling. Mitch was dominant on the glass this year while finishing 4th in the NBA in blocks, earning his money while remaining healthy for the most part. IQ has earned the chance to start regarding the point guard position, making it a less pressing issue and the most sensical decision.
6. If Donovan Mitchell becomes available, what would you be willing to part with (including draft picks) to make a deal happen? Explain your offer in a couple of sentences.
a. Everything is on the table
b. Everything but RJ
c. Everything but RJ and Obi
d. Everything but RJ and IQ
e. Everything but RJ, IQ, and Obi
f. Other (Clarify)
Remi: Everything is on the table, but not all in one offer.
Utah can have one of RJ, IQ, and Obi. I’d be willing to add another promising young player or two from the group of Grimes, Sims, McBride, Reddish, and Jokubaitis. Then we can talk picks.
Paul: I don’t know if anyone is untouchable in that scenario other than RJ. I would be very cautious with a trade for Donovan Mitchell if we give up all of our promising young core for him because we could be in a very similar position to where we were after trading for Carmelo Anthony. There is no point throwing everything at the Jazz for him if we won’t be able to surround him with a competitive team.
Alex: Everything but RJ. RJ’s improvements have been too encouraging to trade him at this stage of his career (he’s only 21). Second, I think a backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Barrett would be dynamic based on their ability to get downhill. And if RJ continues to improve his shot, having both of those guys will be tough to guard because defenses will not know what they’re planning to do. Lastly, with Mitchell’s playmaking (and RJ’s improved playmaking), they will open up the offense for their teammates. But everyone else is on the table because as much as I like the youth on this team, it’s tough to think that they will be All-Stars or All-NBA players.
Chip: I’d give up everything but RJ in a Donovan Mitchell trade. There are only a handful of players I’d trade RJ for – Luka, Giannis, etc. But other than RJ, I don’t think anyone on this roster is untouchable for an All-Star player. That’s why we brought this front office in – to acquire stars. So let them go get one.
Geoffrey: I don’t love trading the house for Mitchell. His defense has been abysmal in the playoffs, but it would have to be everything but RJ if I were going to. No way you get a deal done otherwise.
Mike: Everything but RJ and Obi. It is hard to turn down the possibility of RJ, Spida, and Obi taking the floor together. At some point, assets have to be consolidated, and if Mitchell somehow became available, it would be the perfect opportunity to upgrade the team while leaving an exciting young core. While it would be frustrating to see Quickley, Grimes, and maybe Cam go, fans would get over it quickly the moment Donovan takes the floor. That scenario is not the Carmelo trade this time. Instead, it would be the beginning of the most exciting stretch of Knicks basketball in 20+ years.
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, check out Knicks Weekly, where CP and Alex give their takes on Jalen Brunson.
