Accentuating the Positive

The Knicks offense took a step back in Houston. Let's take a look at reasons for optimism and causes for concern. Plus, the front office made some moves.

Good morning! Let’s start with your daily reminder to join us at T2 Social on Friday night for a Knicks / Bucks watch party and a chance to win two free tickets to Knicks / Bulls on November 13, courtesy of Juan, Please.

If you’d like, RSVP here, or just show up and be ready to root.

News & Notes

🏀 Yesterday was the deadline by which New York had to add two additional players to its roster, and the moves they made were more or less as expected.

In converting Ariel Hukporti from a two-way pact to a standard NBA deal and signing Matt Ryan to the vet minimum, the Knicks now have 14 players, which is the minimum allowed for all but 28 days of any NBA season. Huk’s pact is a two-year deal with a team option, although neither year is guaranteed. Similarly, Ryan’s contract for the remainder of the season is also non-guaranteed.

In theory, New York could waive one or both players and go back to a dozen guys for up to 14 additional days. That would save them some more money and keep them a bit further under the second apron, but it doesn’t seem like that level of penny pinching will be necessary. Per the always excellent Keith Smith of Spotrac:

“Knicks will be about $596K under the second apron after these moves. That's enough to add a veteran minimum player in the 15th standard spot in late-February.”

Assuming Landry Shamet progresses with his recovery, he could be an option for that 15th spot.

That being said, no one should assume Ryan (or Hukporti) is a lock to stick around. If, for example, Shamet’s recovery process is going well, maybe they waive Ryan, sign Shamet, and then sign a different vet in late February. As for the two-way spot that Ariel Hukporti vacated, New York signed training camp invitee Boo Buie.

What does all this mean on the court? Maybe something, maybe nothing. Could Matt Ryan leapfrog Pacome Dadiet and give Tom Thibodeau a reason to add a ninth man to his rotation? Might Jericho Sims (or Ariel Hukporti) retain a rotation spot even after Precious Achiuwa returns? Or could Ryan be gone as soon as he arrived, with his place contingent on where Shamet is at in his injury recovery process?

There are still a lot of ways the front office could go here, but as we know from the recent past, the little things they do often have a way of adding up.

🏀 Joel Embiid was suspended for three games as a result of his locker room altercation with a Philly Inquirer reporter over the weekend. Shams is already reporting that he will serve those three games immediately and plans to make his season debut against the Knicks on November 12.

Of course.

🏀 Tonight’s injury report: Cam Payne has been upgraded to questionable, which hopefully means no more 24-minute halves for Jalen Brunson.

For the Hawks, Trae Young is probable with a rib issue, De'Andre Hunter is questionable with a knee, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kobe Bufkin, Vit Krejci and Cody Zeller are out.

Accentuating the Positive

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep this up all year, but I want to continue the early season tradition of starting day-after-loss newsletters with some positives.

On that note, here’s a six-pack of facts that will (hopefully) make you feel a little better about where things stand after Monday’s unpleasant loss to Houston: