I want to start off by saying that morally, seeing a player who we all love not get rewarded for his hard work and dedication to this franchise is disheartening. I love IQ and hope he’s here for a long time.
That said, I think it was the occurrence of a perfect storm of events that led us to this moment. It’s almost like Quickley’s leverage and bargaining position was too strong. He had so many bargaining chips to throw at the Knicks, which all justified why he should get what he was asking for. On the other side, the Knicks FO had a price point set that they wouldnt go over, and as we all know if the Knicks don’t think a deal is worth it for them at a particular time, they are not going to get bullied into doing it (based off their track record). So regardless of what IQ’s reps said or pointed to, trying to bring the Knicks up to their desired $ range, it was never going to happen. It just feels like this path was already set in stone. Ultimately, I am perfectly fine with what the FO decided to do with this situation. This is a results driven business after all and whatever they think is the right move to get them where they want to be is what they will do.
I am fine with what FO did here , calculated risk . I agree with your point with making IQ highest paid player on team cannot see that going over well in locker room . Feel that Maxey will have a better year and be more desirable for a team to extend an offer sheet for big dollars . Either way glad it’s done and just focus on season . If IQ wants a big bag just show out better than last year and he will benefit and team will benefit.
Great analysis, great writing. It's all here! ...I'd think some kind of IQ/Fournier/pick for Anunoby would make some sense at the deadline, but with the litigation not sure if they'll be talking.
I am not surprised at that IQ didn’t agree to an extension. He’s always had eyes on a starting PG gig and as much as I believe he loves NY, he knows it won’t be here. I’m certain he and his team was willing to entertain an extension offer that blew him away and paid him as if he was a starting PG, but would otherwise pass and hope for an offer from a team next year that had real intention to make him a starter and cornerstone (an offer the Knicks likely wouldn’t match or match and he’s in NY and wealthier than he would’ve been with a signed extension). This is a good bet for both sides. Thanks KFS for helping us all see beyond the obvious fan view (built on a ton of previous regime trauma) that this was a miss or contentious.
Oct 24, 2023·edited Oct 24, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri
iQ views himself as a starter and wants to be paid like one. Can’t say I blame him with the money being thrown around the league these days. Enjoy him this season and see what happens.
I can understand and respect the front office’s position on Quickley but I do think sometimes there’s too much group think with Leon and company. It’s like they’re collaboratively deliberating towards the perfect trade scenario which is probably never happening. Other front offices have smart people also, including guys who are every bit as asset savvy as Brock Aller.
But on Quickley you really have to know what he wants before you can criticize the Knicks too much. Judging by his agent’s social media posts though, it doesn’t sound like the two sides were all that close yesterday.
The point you made in the second footnote is a great one. I never considered that angle - I’d imagine plenty of guys would have a problem with the 6th man making more than the best player.
The only way a deal was getting done was if the number was good for the Knicks. Randle took less, Brunson’s on a bargain - no way IQ was gonna get Vassell / Jaden money (both those contracts seem absurd btw).
Your point about his trade eligibility had he extended is also very relevant. I’d bet a meaningful amount of money that keeping him eligible for a star trade this year played a part in this. You said it yourself - the parity right now is insane, which means teams expecting to be good may very well suck this year. You never know who will become available, and IQ strengthens any potential offer.
I’m surprised there wouldn’t be more needle-moving pieces potentially on the table by the deadline. Last year saw KD and Kyrie move along with smoke about Lavine to the Knicks. Each conference has more teams with attractive vets than playoff spots -- would it just be a function of (i) no obvious star to tank for, (ii) teams with vets already trading away their picks, and (iii) players not agitating for moves that’d discourage selling?
Looking at the West it is striking how old a lot of the dominant players from the last decade have gotten. The 2015 playoffs will be nine years ago by the time this year’s playoffs arrive. Call me crazy, I don’t think Lebron, Steph, Kawhi, PG, CP3, or KD will even sniff a championship. They can still look the part if you squint enough, the numbers are still more or less there in our largely defense averse league... but I submit they have all lost the stamina to dominate for the three month gauntlet it takes to win the playoffs. Jokic is young, unstoppable, and in his prime. Nuggets may have a little championship hangover to start the season, but I see them steamrolling through the playoffs and only being challenged by the Bucks or Celtics. I think there is parity in the West, because there’s a lot of teams relying on OAS (Old Ass Superstars) - but there is very little true power there, at least not in the way there used to be.
RIP IQ. I was worried about it all summer. I think fans and IQ overrate IQ, though I think the front office underrates him. The playoffs worried me a bit. Not sure he’s a cornerstone trade piece, but he’s too good to be a career sixth man at 24 yrs old. Tough situation.
I’m curious if you thought the FO viewed this as “IQ or Grimes” (or RJ) based on the second apron -- would’ve been tough to keep all 3, so could that have factored in?
Not really. I suppose you could make the case that the player who was willing to take the most reasonable contract is the one most likely to get said contract, but that's not saying much. Long term, I think they view Grimes as far more important to keep around than either of the other 2
Let me come at the IQ thing from a different angle which is that last night showcased the ugly side of current NBA fandom, even in a group that is as great as the Knicks Twitter verse. By and large, if you are reading this newsletter or commenting you are a pretty big NBA head and have, at worst, a cursory knowledge of how the league works. Which makes it infuriating when you express anger and/or sadness that IQ is probably gone and you get a mob of Brock Aller-wannabes being like "durrr,, sounds like someone doesn't know how being an RFA works." Just the worst people, infected with full-time GM brain. It's okay to be a fan and be emotionally invested in a team and players while also understanding how the league works (FTR, yes as an RFA the Knicks can match any offer but if someone throws a monster bag at IQ they won't and he walks for nothing). My point is that last night and even today it feels like the whole balance of being a fan (emotional + analytical) has gone out the window and anyone who expresses a little bit of feelings as a fan gets drowned out by a mob of people cosplaying as GM. Sorry for the rant but after 40+ years rooting for this team and having a player like IQ come along who does so much to impact the game that doesn't show in traditional stats (on/off metrics, defensive rating, etc), and who lights up the Garden and connects with the fans like few players in the history of the freaking franchise it's a little dispiriting to have everyone just blow it off that he is probably off the team in less than a year.
I hear you Steve. It's why I opened my livestream last night by saying my job wasn't to make anyone feel differently about this, because as you say, IQ is one of the more beloved Knicks of my lifetime. But I think you also need to understand that people cope in different ways. I trust that many of the folks you're frustrated with love IQ just as much as you do, and them leaning into the justifications for the lack of an extension is their way to put a silver lining on something that is otherwise (as you say) maddening. Part of why I love getting to write this newsletter is because it forces me to understand things that used to just make me mad. Has it taken away a large part of the emotion for me? Absolutely. Do I miss it sometimes? Yes. But I have to say, yesterday wasn't one of those days. Regardless, no one should be shaming you for feeling how you feel and reacting how you react. It's totally valid and I don't blame you.
Thanks John, it's a tough thing to balance out and always appreciate what you and the whole KFS crew brings to the table. The fact you can thread that needle with understanding why people would be upset but also come at it from the business/team approach side of things is to be commended as opposed to assuming that the details of being a RFA are so complex (they are not) that normal people can't understand them - which is something way too many dudes did last night on Twitter.
Well, needless to say, any sentence that starts with "dudes on Twitter" is one we can agree is probably not worth finishing. I appreciate your kind words here. I struggle with the slow but steady dissipation of the emotional component of my fandom, and wonder if someday it will make it such that I'm no longer the best person to do whatever it is I'm attempting to do here. But I tell myself that it just makes those moments when I DO get emotional over something (rarer, but definitely still happens) all the more meaningful.
Steve, your response was very well said and I could not agree more. I've heard and read so much about RJ's potential and yet he continues to be one of the least effective guys in the league (statistically as well as to the naked eye) and I've also read a ton about Grimes great potential. We haven't seen that, at least not yet.
Quick on the other hand, is a great defender, an improving shooter, a very good passer, and a good teammate. And to top it off, he is home grown.
Now, I understand all the issues that have been discussed and debated on this board. And there are many I agree with. But overpaying RJ was a mistake that could cost the Knicks Quick; signing Donte could cost the Knicks Quick and neither player is as good as Quickley.
Finally, as a fan of 50+ years, and 20+ years of insanity, I'm enjoying the Knicks again. However, it gets pretty tiring to keep reading about waiting for that superstar, not using draft picks waiting for that superstar, possibly losing homegrown talent due to that superstar, etc.
Who is this mythical being? Embiid is not going to be traded within the division. There just is no way Morey does that. Who does that leave us who will make the team championship contenders. I've gone through the rosters and unless you consider LaVine a superstar, I can't figure out who we are waiting for.
I think what Jon is saying is that you can't pay a backup as much as your starters unless you are already contending for a championship. I think that's fair. If you want to look for comparisons of young players that might warrant such a contract, look at Rod Strickland. He was so good he made the Knicks have to make a choice at starting pg. IQ is good but he's not going to force the Knicks to make a choice. So as a bench player you can't expect to pay 20-25/yr. He's more like 12-14. Knicks have hired some guys to work the cap side of things to build a team out of an organization that had no draft picks, no manuverability, no reliable all-star type players and did it all without tanking and never went over the cap. This is a rediculous accomplishment. No #1 picks. The one draft we get top three, it's a top two heavy draft and even those top two have issues. The fact we are in the position we are in with Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson leading us along with a 2nd round pick, a late first round pick and a fairly unspectacular 3rd pick is frankly outrageous. To think that we sacrifice our chances at winning it all because we 'owe' someone or it is the 'right thing to do' to pay someone who's been 'loyal' is not what sports is about. You pay those guys AFTER you win a championship and even then it's only the Dwayne Wade types that get that kind of loyalty contract. I love our team. I have been following them since I was seven years old, and I want to compete for a championship. I've been loyal. Where's my contract?
Strickland wasn't dealt to make it easier for Mark Jackson to start at PG. He was traded for a much older PG who took over the starting job. And thanks to Mo Cheeks, we won a memorable series against the Celtics, and... that was basically it. Whereas Strickland went on to play for TWENTY seasons after the trade. Not the worst trade the Knicks ever made, but still terrible.
What I meant was that Strickland made the decision hard because him and Jackson were both very good. Whereas IQ isn't in any way a challenger for a starting position on our team.
I don't remember that. Very interesting. This says that Strickland wasn't happy with his playing time and requested a trade: https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/22/sports/knicks-trade-strickland-to-spurs-for-cheeks.html. I think IQ may also want more playing time and he's not going to get it unless, god forbid, JB misses time. Then I think we'll see if he's worth a contract that's 20mil v. one that's 8-12.
Quickly has done everything this team has asked of him. Treating loyal players like assets instead of people is how you break teams. Everyone in the locker room is going to know who gets and who doesn’t. Leon wanted to create a “family”? Sure doesn’t look like it this morning.
My only pushback is that every team treats players as assets to some degree. As others have said, it's a business, and the players know that and speak openly about it. Not saying that there wouldn't have been benefits to going above and beyond here, but asking Leon Rose to take off his POBO hat in favor of a warm embrace is asking him to not do his job. Situations like this are precisely why his job is so hard, and sometimes hard decisions need to be made.
Oct 24, 2023·edited Oct 24, 2023Liked by Jonathan Macri
I understand. I'm just really pissed and part of me thinks if they treated him like RJ in the summer (or frankly, any time in his career), they would have gotten a deal done. I just love IQ's game (irrationally so) and it is obvious at this point (as you have told me for two years) that he won't be a Knick much longer. When that happens, I'm not sure where my loyalties will lay.
I have rooted for the Knicks for over 60 years, and given their futility, the only way to survive as a fan has been to focus on players who model a way of playing and behaving that I want to watch. And there have been an army of Knicks who haven't begun to approach that standard. Just so much frustration over a lot of years coming to a head for me.
More than understandable Peter. FWIW, I don't think the lack of an extension had anything to do with RJ. He's just the only big wing on the roster, and while he doesn't do many of the things you'd ideally like a big wing to do, I do think they place value in him in that sense.
The "family" part of it is highly overrated. IQ has done everything asked of him for a team he was drafted by and had no leverage against until now. It's business and I'm sure everyone understands it.
Per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Knicks are willing to offer a package of three players among Julius Randle, R.J. Barrett, Evan Fournier and Mitchell Robinson plus two or three future first-round draft picks to the Sixers for Embiid.
I want to start off by saying that morally, seeing a player who we all love not get rewarded for his hard work and dedication to this franchise is disheartening. I love IQ and hope he’s here for a long time.
That said, I think it was the occurrence of a perfect storm of events that led us to this moment. It’s almost like Quickley’s leverage and bargaining position was too strong. He had so many bargaining chips to throw at the Knicks, which all justified why he should get what he was asking for. On the other side, the Knicks FO had a price point set that they wouldnt go over, and as we all know if the Knicks don’t think a deal is worth it for them at a particular time, they are not going to get bullied into doing it (based off their track record). So regardless of what IQ’s reps said or pointed to, trying to bring the Knicks up to their desired $ range, it was never going to happen. It just feels like this path was already set in stone. Ultimately, I am perfectly fine with what the FO decided to do with this situation. This is a results driven business after all and whatever they think is the right move to get them where they want to be is what they will do.
I am fine with what FO did here , calculated risk . I agree with your point with making IQ highest paid player on team cannot see that going over well in locker room . Feel that Maxey will have a better year and be more desirable for a team to extend an offer sheet for big dollars . Either way glad it’s done and just focus on season . If IQ wants a big bag just show out better than last year and he will benefit and team will benefit.
Great analysis, great writing. It's all here! ...I'd think some kind of IQ/Fournier/pick for Anunoby would make some sense at the deadline, but with the litigation not sure if they'll be talking.
You're always too kind, my friend.
And I'm keeping my eye on the same deal as you are.
I am not surprised at that IQ didn’t agree to an extension. He’s always had eyes on a starting PG gig and as much as I believe he loves NY, he knows it won’t be here. I’m certain he and his team was willing to entertain an extension offer that blew him away and paid him as if he was a starting PG, but would otherwise pass and hope for an offer from a team next year that had real intention to make him a starter and cornerstone (an offer the Knicks likely wouldn’t match or match and he’s in NY and wealthier than he would’ve been with a signed extension). This is a good bet for both sides. Thanks KFS for helping us all see beyond the obvious fan view (built on a ton of previous regime trauma) that this was a miss or contentious.
Thanks for the kind words!
iQ views himself as a starter and wants to be paid like one. Can’t say I blame him with the money being thrown around the league these days. Enjoy him this season and see what happens.
I can understand and respect the front office’s position on Quickley but I do think sometimes there’s too much group think with Leon and company. It’s like they’re collaboratively deliberating towards the perfect trade scenario which is probably never happening. Other front offices have smart people also, including guys who are every bit as asset savvy as Brock Aller.
But on Quickley you really have to know what he wants before you can criticize the Knicks too much. Judging by his agent’s social media posts though, it doesn’t sound like the two sides were all that close yesterday.
My understanding is that they were not all that close.
The point you made in the second footnote is a great one. I never considered that angle - I’d imagine plenty of guys would have a problem with the 6th man making more than the best player.
The only way a deal was getting done was if the number was good for the Knicks. Randle took less, Brunson’s on a bargain - no way IQ was gonna get Vassell / Jaden money (both those contracts seem absurd btw).
Your point about his trade eligibility had he extended is also very relevant. I’d bet a meaningful amount of money that keeping him eligible for a star trade this year played a part in this. You said it yourself - the parity right now is insane, which means teams expecting to be good may very well suck this year. You never know who will become available, and IQ strengthens any potential offer.
You might be right Mike, but count me as surprised if a true star gets traded during the season. OG Anunoby, on the other hand...
OG will probably be traded by the deadline however, I can't imagine the Raptors trading with the team that accused them of stealing and cheating.
I’m surprised there wouldn’t be more needle-moving pieces potentially on the table by the deadline. Last year saw KD and Kyrie move along with smoke about Lavine to the Knicks. Each conference has more teams with attractive vets than playoff spots -- would it just be a function of (i) no obvious star to tank for, (ii) teams with vets already trading away their picks, and (iii) players not agitating for moves that’d discourage selling?
I don't think this FO will do anything to jeopardize an Embiid package.
Looking at the West it is striking how old a lot of the dominant players from the last decade have gotten. The 2015 playoffs will be nine years ago by the time this year’s playoffs arrive. Call me crazy, I don’t think Lebron, Steph, Kawhi, PG, CP3, or KD will even sniff a championship. They can still look the part if you squint enough, the numbers are still more or less there in our largely defense averse league... but I submit they have all lost the stamina to dominate for the three month gauntlet it takes to win the playoffs. Jokic is young, unstoppable, and in his prime. Nuggets may have a little championship hangover to start the season, but I see them steamrolling through the playoffs and only being challenged by the Bucks or Celtics. I think there is parity in the West, because there’s a lot of teams relying on OAS (Old Ass Superstars) - but there is very little true power there, at least not in the way there used to be.
RIP IQ. I was worried about it all summer. I think fans and IQ overrate IQ, though I think the front office underrates him. The playoffs worried me a bit. Not sure he’s a cornerstone trade piece, but he’s too good to be a career sixth man at 24 yrs old. Tough situation.
My official predictions are coming tomorrow, but spoiler: I have Denver over Milwaukee in the Finals.
Also, very well said in the last graph.
I’m curious if you thought the FO viewed this as “IQ or Grimes” (or RJ) based on the second apron -- would’ve been tough to keep all 3, so could that have factored in?
Not really. I suppose you could make the case that the player who was willing to take the most reasonable contract is the one most likely to get said contract, but that's not saying much. Long term, I think they view Grimes as far more important to keep around than either of the other 2
Let me come at the IQ thing from a different angle which is that last night showcased the ugly side of current NBA fandom, even in a group that is as great as the Knicks Twitter verse. By and large, if you are reading this newsletter or commenting you are a pretty big NBA head and have, at worst, a cursory knowledge of how the league works. Which makes it infuriating when you express anger and/or sadness that IQ is probably gone and you get a mob of Brock Aller-wannabes being like "durrr,, sounds like someone doesn't know how being an RFA works." Just the worst people, infected with full-time GM brain. It's okay to be a fan and be emotionally invested in a team and players while also understanding how the league works (FTR, yes as an RFA the Knicks can match any offer but if someone throws a monster bag at IQ they won't and he walks for nothing). My point is that last night and even today it feels like the whole balance of being a fan (emotional + analytical) has gone out the window and anyone who expresses a little bit of feelings as a fan gets drowned out by a mob of people cosplaying as GM. Sorry for the rant but after 40+ years rooting for this team and having a player like IQ come along who does so much to impact the game that doesn't show in traditional stats (on/off metrics, defensive rating, etc), and who lights up the Garden and connects with the fans like few players in the history of the freaking franchise it's a little dispiriting to have everyone just blow it off that he is probably off the team in less than a year.
I hear you Steve. It's why I opened my livestream last night by saying my job wasn't to make anyone feel differently about this, because as you say, IQ is one of the more beloved Knicks of my lifetime. But I think you also need to understand that people cope in different ways. I trust that many of the folks you're frustrated with love IQ just as much as you do, and them leaning into the justifications for the lack of an extension is their way to put a silver lining on something that is otherwise (as you say) maddening. Part of why I love getting to write this newsletter is because it forces me to understand things that used to just make me mad. Has it taken away a large part of the emotion for me? Absolutely. Do I miss it sometimes? Yes. But I have to say, yesterday wasn't one of those days. Regardless, no one should be shaming you for feeling how you feel and reacting how you react. It's totally valid and I don't blame you.
Thanks John, it's a tough thing to balance out and always appreciate what you and the whole KFS crew brings to the table. The fact you can thread that needle with understanding why people would be upset but also come at it from the business/team approach side of things is to be commended as opposed to assuming that the details of being a RFA are so complex (they are not) that normal people can't understand them - which is something way too many dudes did last night on Twitter.
Well, needless to say, any sentence that starts with "dudes on Twitter" is one we can agree is probably not worth finishing. I appreciate your kind words here. I struggle with the slow but steady dissipation of the emotional component of my fandom, and wonder if someday it will make it such that I'm no longer the best person to do whatever it is I'm attempting to do here. But I tell myself that it just makes those moments when I DO get emotional over something (rarer, but definitely still happens) all the more meaningful.
Jonathan, I think you perfectly mix the professional with the emotional. In fact, that's the secret to this truly excellent newsletter.
You're always too kind my friend. Thank you!
Steve, your response was very well said and I could not agree more. I've heard and read so much about RJ's potential and yet he continues to be one of the least effective guys in the league (statistically as well as to the naked eye) and I've also read a ton about Grimes great potential. We haven't seen that, at least not yet.
Quick on the other hand, is a great defender, an improving shooter, a very good passer, and a good teammate. And to top it off, he is home grown.
Now, I understand all the issues that have been discussed and debated on this board. And there are many I agree with. But overpaying RJ was a mistake that could cost the Knicks Quick; signing Donte could cost the Knicks Quick and neither player is as good as Quickley.
Finally, as a fan of 50+ years, and 20+ years of insanity, I'm enjoying the Knicks again. However, it gets pretty tiring to keep reading about waiting for that superstar, not using draft picks waiting for that superstar, possibly losing homegrown talent due to that superstar, etc.
Who is this mythical being? Embiid is not going to be traded within the division. There just is no way Morey does that. Who does that leave us who will make the team championship contenders. I've gone through the rosters and unless you consider LaVine a superstar, I can't figure out who we are waiting for.
I think what Jon is saying is that you can't pay a backup as much as your starters unless you are already contending for a championship. I think that's fair. If you want to look for comparisons of young players that might warrant such a contract, look at Rod Strickland. He was so good he made the Knicks have to make a choice at starting pg. IQ is good but he's not going to force the Knicks to make a choice. So as a bench player you can't expect to pay 20-25/yr. He's more like 12-14. Knicks have hired some guys to work the cap side of things to build a team out of an organization that had no draft picks, no manuverability, no reliable all-star type players and did it all without tanking and never went over the cap. This is a rediculous accomplishment. No #1 picks. The one draft we get top three, it's a top two heavy draft and even those top two have issues. The fact we are in the position we are in with Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson leading us along with a 2nd round pick, a late first round pick and a fairly unspectacular 3rd pick is frankly outrageous. To think that we sacrifice our chances at winning it all because we 'owe' someone or it is the 'right thing to do' to pay someone who's been 'loyal' is not what sports is about. You pay those guys AFTER you win a championship and even then it's only the Dwayne Wade types that get that kind of loyalty contract. I love our team. I have been following them since I was seven years old, and I want to compete for a championship. I've been loyal. Where's my contract?
Strickland wasn't dealt to make it easier for Mark Jackson to start at PG. He was traded for a much older PG who took over the starting job. And thanks to Mo Cheeks, we won a memorable series against the Celtics, and... that was basically it. Whereas Strickland went on to play for TWENTY seasons after the trade. Not the worst trade the Knicks ever made, but still terrible.
What I meant was that Strickland made the decision hard because him and Jackson were both very good. Whereas IQ isn't in any way a challenger for a starting position on our team.
Sure. But the deal wasn't motivated by the team trying to clear up the position. It was "we need a vet, now, no matter the cost." That's all I mean.
I don't remember that. Very interesting. This says that Strickland wasn't happy with his playing time and requested a trade: https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/22/sports/knicks-trade-strickland-to-spurs-for-cheeks.html. I think IQ may also want more playing time and he's not going to get it unless, god forbid, JB misses time. Then I think we'll see if he's worth a contract that's 20mil v. one that's 8-12.
Quickly has done everything this team has asked of him. Treating loyal players like assets instead of people is how you break teams. Everyone in the locker room is going to know who gets and who doesn’t. Leon wanted to create a “family”? Sure doesn’t look like it this morning.
My only pushback is that every team treats players as assets to some degree. As others have said, it's a business, and the players know that and speak openly about it. Not saying that there wouldn't have been benefits to going above and beyond here, but asking Leon Rose to take off his POBO hat in favor of a warm embrace is asking him to not do his job. Situations like this are precisely why his job is so hard, and sometimes hard decisions need to be made.
I understand. I'm just really pissed and part of me thinks if they treated him like RJ in the summer (or frankly, any time in his career), they would have gotten a deal done. I just love IQ's game (irrationally so) and it is obvious at this point (as you have told me for two years) that he won't be a Knick much longer. When that happens, I'm not sure where my loyalties will lay.
I have rooted for the Knicks for over 60 years, and given their futility, the only way to survive as a fan has been to focus on players who model a way of playing and behaving that I want to watch. And there have been an army of Knicks who haven't begun to approach that standard. Just so much frustration over a lot of years coming to a head for me.
More than understandable Peter. FWIW, I don't think the lack of an extension had anything to do with RJ. He's just the only big wing on the roster, and while he doesn't do many of the things you'd ideally like a big wing to do, I do think they place value in him in that sense.
The "family" part of it is highly overrated. IQ has done everything asked of him for a team he was drafted by and had no leverage against until now. It's business and I'm sure everyone understands it.
The rumor mill is churning:
Per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Knicks are willing to offer a package of three players among Julius Randle, R.J. Barrett, Evan Fournier and Mitchell Robinson plus two or three future first-round draft picks to the Sixers for Embiid.
The Knicks are willing to part with Fournier in a deal for Embid? Stop the presses!
I think the Knicks would part with EF for a bag of basketballs and a good pick.
Hard to imagine that the Sixers would deal Embiid to a team in their division or conference
Apparently this came from the Philly Enquirer -
Now being picked up by lots of other places.