It genuinely means a lot to me that there doesn't seem to be any hard feelings. New York still loves RJ and IQ. RJ and IQ still love New York. That's really cool. Other than that ridiculous anonymous "softies" quote, I haven't seen anything negative. IQ's Players Tribune piece was perfect. Julius referring to them as his little bros warms my heart.
It was an amicable breakup. We can look back fondly at all the good times we shared and stay friends (I'll still root for RJ and IQ, except when they play the Knicks). But we had to take different paths to become our best selves.
Well said Chris. However, I will always think about "what might have been?" IQ in particular brought an energy, a love of the game, a passion that you just see from many of today's athletes.
The Bruce Brown and Alec Burks stuff really feels like a “plan c” situation. They traded for OG on 12/30, and it was obvious to literally everyone that another move was necessary to address ball handling and bench creation. They had to have had a plan A, right? I doubt it was Burks (who the Knicks salary dumped 18 months ago), and it seems like Brown only recently came onto the market after being traded to Toronto. We have one playable point guard on the roster, and his name is Jalen Brunson. That needs to be addressed. Let’s not get cute here.
I like Bruce Brown, he is a guy who just does whatever is needed to win. However, I understand those who think he is a bad fit on the Knicks. I like Alec Burks too but he is a bit long in the tooth, does not have great "retradeablity" and I worry that Thibs will fall in love again. That is, play Burks more than he should.
Mainly though it seems every Knick deal has appeared out of thin air and almost never was a player rumored to be heading to the Knicks. So my guess is they will be acquiring someone no one is talking about currently.
I don’t get the Bruce Brown fascination at all. In a vacuum, yes, he’s a terrific role player. But he’s too duplicative of Josh Hart without solving our lack of a bench player who can break down the defense and prevent those long scoring droughts. Just not the guy worth presumably burning Grimes and a pick or two for.
I get the hesitation. I'm going to do a deeper dive on him at some point, and in particular the minutes when he was essentially Denver's backup point guard. I'm also going to ponder how they'd be able to stagger the minutes to ensure their spacing isn't destroyed if they get him.
Can Bruce Brown get into the paint? Can Alec Burks get into the paint? These are the only two relevant questions. If the answer is no, then they’re of no benefit to our current situation.
In 29 minutes against the Bucks Saturday Burks had 33: 9/20, 7/14 from deep, and 8/8 from the charity stripe. He can play extended minutes and spread the floor. I doubt he can get much penetration these days though. But he's always a heady player whom you can depend on for smart defense and good ball handling.
You know where they are at.? You're in the kitchen. Something's cooking. A new dish. It smells good. It tastes amazing.It looks wonderful. But, there's just something missing. The missing spice to make it great. Find it. Add it, You have created a culinary masterpiece. But, make a mistake and you might ruin what you have made. Stick with the good? Go for the great? Turn down the fire and let things marinate?
This is a championship project, not a make splash project. Can Rose's Garden be like Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come." After all these years of waiting, I can wait some more for the RIGHT MOVE, not just a nice move. Time for all that CAA intel and cap expertise to show up and show out.
Today’s newsletter is another example of Macri at his stat-wielding best. Some of those numbers, good and bad, are stunning.
The rise in turnovers has multiple causes. First, the starting and second units are new. Unfamiliarity breeds confusion. Over the years, it has often taken at least a month for the team to adjust fully to a single change. I have no stats to back up that impression, but if long-term memory serves, Hart’s arrival last year was as an extreme outlier. Second, our bench as now constituted lacks a point guard. The guards and wings don’t penetrate, so they don’t kick. Their assists need to thread the needle. When Julius plays with them, he either dominates his matchup or gets swamped. Third, three current starters (Julius, Jalen, and IHart) are willing passers with a penchant for needle threading. Two of them see a lot of the ball. Because risky passes tend to be either awesome or horrendous, assists and turnovers can rise together. Jalen’s assists are rising in part because added movement opens passing lanes that he can exploit without seeing over his defender.
The first problem should take care of itself now that the starters are set. The second is why we need a trade. Thibs has raised the third repeatedly in his press conferences. “Make the simple play.” That’s hard advice to follow, of course, when you aren’t sure where your teammates will be or when you don’t even know the plays. More movement off the ball confuses the other team’s defenders, but until the patterns become second nature, the attackers are liable to be confused as well.
As for improving the second unit, it’s easier to rank the rumored trade targets relative to our needs than it is for outsiders like us to know how expensive the options would be. We might not even know that after a trade goes down. Clarkson seems ideal to me in basketball terms, while Brown’s strengths seem too close to Hart’s. And Burks is aging. But if Clarkson, Murray, Brogdon, and several others all seem too expensive (as compared to team needs), either Brown or Burks might be our best option. Either would improve our playmaking a bit. Burks would add shooting and spacing to a group in need of those things. There will be a lot of griping if one of those guys becomes a Knick. But the complainers won’t know why the fallback options seemed necessary.
You nailed a lot of good stuff here Jeffrey. In particular, I also thing the Hart inclusion was an outlier, in part because of the type of player he is, and also because he'd had so much experience with Brunson (and because I-Hart and him were a beautiful match in so many ways).
One thing about the turnovers is that a hefty number of them, at least based on the eye test, are due to overpassing. Main culprits are DVD, Josh (often immediately following a passed up open shot), IHart and Julius ( often after getting into the lane where he could hit his turn around but he is seeking a three. I find these kinds of turnovers somewhat less reprehensible. I am also willing to deal with a certain number of Julius getting stripped in the lane turnovers as that is part of what goes with living in the lane and his gravity there is what
Is it really true that the Knicks offensive rating has actually gone up post-trade from 117 to 117.2, but they’ve fallen three spots in the rankings?? Not doubting the numbers, but that is wild.
One thing that the data to date seems to underscore is that our biggest potential red flag is also one of the most important traits of championship-level teams: efficient playmaking. As noted in the playoff postmortem last year, not only are assists important, but it’s also critical to limit turnovers due to the efficiency of elite offenses. In this context, “defense wins championships,” has become an outdated notion as offenses have reached all-time efficiency levels.
While this isn’t the final group, OG is not on the same level as a passer as Aaron Gordon or Andre Iguodala. @Jonathan, I wonder whether you think the Knicks are (i) prioritizing this as an area for OG to improve, (ii) not overly concerned about it, or (iii) accounting for this when formulating their Plan A/B/C to chase the final star (e.g., OG would be a corner 3 specialist and little more).
A little of all 3. I think he's a better passer than you're giving him credit for, and will only get more comfortable in an offense that is still unfamiliar. But yes, I do thing there's a decent chance that OG might need to be the "worst" passer in the starting five when all is said and done.
I rewatched the 2nd Nuggets vs Knicks match-up from last year and just watched Brown. He looked good, but not a creative offensive player. Sorta a smaller Josh Hart with a better shot and no crazy passes. Nice player on anybody's roster, but I don't think he fits our need of a backup 2.
Knicks could be thinking he's easy to move next year,but IMO he might be a bit overpaid for what he does. I don't think he's as good as DD, who makes considerably less.
I really think if they trade for Brown it’ll be because they know he fits what this team wants to do, even if he does replicate Hart... but he’s also a better trade piece for the summer. He has a $23M team option for next season. They pick that up and he’s a much more tradeable trade asset than Fournier’s $19M. Allows them to take back more money. It’s sort of a compromise, but it does definitely give them another rotation player for the playoffs this season. And some Hart insurance if his knee needs a longer break.
Just a final thought on the game and the trade.
It genuinely means a lot to me that there doesn't seem to be any hard feelings. New York still loves RJ and IQ. RJ and IQ still love New York. That's really cool. Other than that ridiculous anonymous "softies" quote, I haven't seen anything negative. IQ's Players Tribune piece was perfect. Julius referring to them as his little bros warms my heart.
It was an amicable breakup. We can look back fondly at all the good times we shared and stay friends (I'll still root for RJ and IQ, except when they play the Knicks). But we had to take different paths to become our best selves.
Well said Chris. However, I will always think about "what might have been?" IQ in particular brought an energy, a love of the game, a passion that you just see from many of today's athletes.
The Bruce Brown and Alec Burks stuff really feels like a “plan c” situation. They traded for OG on 12/30, and it was obvious to literally everyone that another move was necessary to address ball handling and bench creation. They had to have had a plan A, right? I doubt it was Burks (who the Knicks salary dumped 18 months ago), and it seems like Brown only recently came onto the market after being traded to Toronto. We have one playable point guard on the roster, and his name is Jalen Brunson. That needs to be addressed. Let’s not get cute here.
I like Bruce Brown, he is a guy who just does whatever is needed to win. However, I understand those who think he is a bad fit on the Knicks. I like Alec Burks too but he is a bit long in the tooth, does not have great "retradeablity" and I worry that Thibs will fall in love again. That is, play Burks more than he should.
Mainly though it seems every Knick deal has appeared out of thin air and almost never was a player rumored to be heading to the Knicks. So my guess is they will be acquiring someone no one is talking about currently.
I don’t get the Bruce Brown fascination at all. In a vacuum, yes, he’s a terrific role player. But he’s too duplicative of Josh Hart without solving our lack of a bench player who can break down the defense and prevent those long scoring droughts. Just not the guy worth presumably burning Grimes and a pick or two for.
I get the hesitation. I'm going to do a deeper dive on him at some point, and in particular the minutes when he was essentially Denver's backup point guard. I'm also going to ponder how they'd be able to stagger the minutes to ensure their spacing isn't destroyed if they get him.
Can Bruce Brown get into the paint? Can Alec Burks get into the paint? These are the only two relevant questions. If the answer is no, then they’re of no benefit to our current situation.
In 29 minutes against the Bucks Saturday Burks had 33: 9/20, 7/14 from deep, and 8/8 from the charity stripe. He can play extended minutes and spread the floor. I doubt he can get much penetration these days though. But he's always a heady player whom you can depend on for smart defense and good ball handling.
You know where they are at.? You're in the kitchen. Something's cooking. A new dish. It smells good. It tastes amazing.It looks wonderful. But, there's just something missing. The missing spice to make it great. Find it. Add it, You have created a culinary masterpiece. But, make a mistake and you might ruin what you have made. Stick with the good? Go for the great? Turn down the fire and let things marinate?
This is a championship project, not a make splash project. Can Rose's Garden be like Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come." After all these years of waiting, I can wait some more for the RIGHT MOVE, not just a nice move. Time for all that CAA intel and cap expertise to show up and show out.
Today’s newsletter is another example of Macri at his stat-wielding best. Some of those numbers, good and bad, are stunning.
The rise in turnovers has multiple causes. First, the starting and second units are new. Unfamiliarity breeds confusion. Over the years, it has often taken at least a month for the team to adjust fully to a single change. I have no stats to back up that impression, but if long-term memory serves, Hart’s arrival last year was as an extreme outlier. Second, our bench as now constituted lacks a point guard. The guards and wings don’t penetrate, so they don’t kick. Their assists need to thread the needle. When Julius plays with them, he either dominates his matchup or gets swamped. Third, three current starters (Julius, Jalen, and IHart) are willing passers with a penchant for needle threading. Two of them see a lot of the ball. Because risky passes tend to be either awesome or horrendous, assists and turnovers can rise together. Jalen’s assists are rising in part because added movement opens passing lanes that he can exploit without seeing over his defender.
The first problem should take care of itself now that the starters are set. The second is why we need a trade. Thibs has raised the third repeatedly in his press conferences. “Make the simple play.” That’s hard advice to follow, of course, when you aren’t sure where your teammates will be or when you don’t even know the plays. More movement off the ball confuses the other team’s defenders, but until the patterns become second nature, the attackers are liable to be confused as well.
As for improving the second unit, it’s easier to rank the rumored trade targets relative to our needs than it is for outsiders like us to know how expensive the options would be. We might not even know that after a trade goes down. Clarkson seems ideal to me in basketball terms, while Brown’s strengths seem too close to Hart’s. And Burks is aging. But if Clarkson, Murray, Brogdon, and several others all seem too expensive (as compared to team needs), either Brown or Burks might be our best option. Either would improve our playmaking a bit. Burks would add shooting and spacing to a group in need of those things. There will be a lot of griping if one of those guys becomes a Knick. But the complainers won’t know why the fallback options seemed necessary.
You nailed a lot of good stuff here Jeffrey. In particular, I also thing the Hart inclusion was an outlier, in part because of the type of player he is, and also because he'd had so much experience with Brunson (and because I-Hart and him were a beautiful match in so many ways).
The other outliers who come to mind are Rose and Gibson, who are not only the type of player Hart is but also formerly coached by Thibs himself.
One thing about the turnovers is that a hefty number of them, at least based on the eye test, are due to overpassing. Main culprits are DVD, Josh (often immediately following a passed up open shot), IHart and Julius ( often after getting into the lane where he could hit his turn around but he is seeking a three. I find these kinds of turnovers somewhat less reprehensible. I am also willing to deal with a certain number of Julius getting stripped in the lane turnovers as that is part of what goes with living in the lane and his gravity there is what
Is it really true that the Knicks offensive rating has actually gone up post-trade from 117 to 117.2, but they’ve fallen three spots in the rankings?? Not doubting the numbers, but that is wild.
result of the small sample size. numbers and rankings can get out of whack over 3 weeks compared to 2+ months
One thing that the data to date seems to underscore is that our biggest potential red flag is also one of the most important traits of championship-level teams: efficient playmaking. As noted in the playoff postmortem last year, not only are assists important, but it’s also critical to limit turnovers due to the efficiency of elite offenses. In this context, “defense wins championships,” has become an outdated notion as offenses have reached all-time efficiency levels.
While this isn’t the final group, OG is not on the same level as a passer as Aaron Gordon or Andre Iguodala. @Jonathan, I wonder whether you think the Knicks are (i) prioritizing this as an area for OG to improve, (ii) not overly concerned about it, or (iii) accounting for this when formulating their Plan A/B/C to chase the final star (e.g., OG would be a corner 3 specialist and little more).
A little of all 3. I think he's a better passer than you're giving him credit for, and will only get more comfortable in an offense that is still unfamiliar. But yes, I do thing there's a decent chance that OG might need to be the "worst" passer in the starting five when all is said and done.
I rewatched the 2nd Nuggets vs Knicks match-up from last year and just watched Brown. He looked good, but not a creative offensive player. Sorta a smaller Josh Hart with a better shot and no crazy passes. Nice player on anybody's roster, but I don't think he fits our need of a backup 2.
Knicks could be thinking he's easy to move next year,but IMO he might be a bit overpaid for what he does. I don't think he's as good as DD, who makes considerably less.
I really think if they trade for Brown it’ll be because they know he fits what this team wants to do, even if he does replicate Hart... but he’s also a better trade piece for the summer. He has a $23M team option for next season. They pick that up and he’s a much more tradeable trade asset than Fournier’s $19M. Allows them to take back more money. It’s sort of a compromise, but it does definitely give them another rotation player for the playoffs this season. And some Hart insurance if his knee needs a longer break.