Tom Thibodeau announced today that Alec Burks would replace Kemba Walker in the New York Knicks starting lineup.
Tom Thibodeau decided to shock New York Knicks fans and the NBA world by moving Alec Burks to the first unit to replace Kemba Walker as the starting point guard.
For some, this was shocking news because they were not expecting a quick change in the rotation. After keeping Elfrid Payton as the starting point guard throughout all last season, some believed that Thibodeau wouldn’t make a switch until later into the season. But the writing was on the wall that Thibodeau had to update the lineups.
During today’s presser, Thibodeau said he made the change because he liked how Burks worked with the starting lineup against the Atlanta Hawks this past Saturday – the Knicks defeated the Hawks 99-90. He then acknowledged that he had “to do something different” because he didn’t like the inconsistency from his team through the first 20 games of the season. And to establish some consistency for Thibodeau, that means having a bigger starting lineup and a more “intact” defense.
Now, Burks is taller than Kemba. Burks is 6’6″ while Kemba is 6’0″, making him a more switchable defender. But is Burks that much of a better defender than Kemba that he deserves this promotion? The answer is a resounding yes.
By the eye test alone, it’s more than noticeable that Burks can close out on shots, mirror his opponents’ movements, and contest for rebounds much better than Kemba can. And we’ve seen Burks do a decent job guarding Malcolm Brogdon, Russell Westbrook, Trae Young, and others while Kemba has constantly struggled to guard his opponents (being an undersized guard and arthritis in his left knee doesn’t help either).
If you want to go by the stats, Burks has a 101.9 defensive rating, the fifth-best defensive rating on the team. On the other hand, Kemba has a 116.3 defensive rating which is the worst on the team – based on all the players who have played ten or more games for the Knicks.
Even with Burks being a stronger defender, he also fits into the starting unit better. Burks can play off-ball, attack the paint to force defenses to collapse, score in isolation, and hit three-pointers consistently. All of which are elements of the game that Kemba can’t seem to do at this point.
So at this juncture, Burks is just a more efficient and effective player than Kemba, which would explain why Burks has a 5.2 net rating while Kemba’s is a -13.3.
But what will happen between the New York Knicks and Kemba Walker?
Thibodeau said that he spoke to Kemba about his benching and that it was a tough decision, but it’s a decision that he had to make for the betterment of the team. Thibodeau would go on to say, “I view Kemba as a starter. It would be tough to play three small guards together. I gave it consideration. I’ve got great respect for who Kemba is as a person, number one, and all that he’s accomplished in this league. But I have to do what’s best for this team.”
Everyone knew that Walker would be a liability on defense, but the hope was that his offense and playmaking would outweigh his defensive woes. Yet, that has not been the case. Instead, when watching the games, the offense has become more stagnant, and the defense has lacked energy and the cohesion that it had last season. And the numbers back that up.
According to NBA Advanced Stats for last season, the Knicks had a 110.2 offensive rating and 107.8 defensive rating (fourth-best defensive rating). This season, they’re sporting a 107.8 offensive rating and 108 defensive rating. Sure, the numbers aren’t drastically different, and it’s early in the season, but New York is currently in the middle of the pack with these numbers.
Now, Thibodeau didn’t completely rule out Walker not making a return to the rotation. He did state that Walker would be out of the rotation “as of right now.”
Some believe that statement means that the Knicks will trade Kemba. But if you’re asking me, I think that was an honest answer from Thibodeau. The NBA season is very long and injuries occur, so having depth is essential (although I would not be shocked if he is traded).
Benching Kemba was a massive move for Thibodeau. But the change needed to be made if the Knicks wanted to compete in a challenging Eastern Conference. But once again, New York is without a point guard.
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. In case you missed it, catch CP and CK on the Post Game show where they discuss the Knicks win over the Hawks!
