theknickswall

Julius Randle’s time in the league has been marked by ups and downs. Where does the embattled Knicks star go from here?. Julius Randle caught the ball in the high post and sized up his defender, all but licking his lips at the speed advantage he knew he had. He jabbed left and took two hard dribbles right, drawing the helpside rim protector as he exploded into his man’s body and attempted to dump the ball off to his center. The ball was poked free and both teams were off and running the other way – everyone except for Randle, who remained down, leaning against the stanchion and grimacing in pain. He’d heard the pop; he knew what had happened before the doctors did.

Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes have both seen their names come up in trade talks, but which of the precious neophytes is most coveted?. For what feels like the first time in ages, the New York Knicks are replete with trade assets. Specifically, two forms of them. First, there’s the treasure trove of future draft choices at New York’s disposal. The Knicks have 13 picks over the next three drafts — seven are first-round choices (counting their own).

Obi Toppin has increasingly shown that he can be a solid player for the Knicks. Will he showcase even more development in his third NBA season?. For most players, the third season is a crucial one. Good players are often expected to develop into stars while decent players are supposed to show where they plan to be in the league’s hierarchy — whether it be a bench player, a starter, or even out of the league altogether. For better or for worse, most fans, pundits, and analysts view year three as an important season.

Knicks assistant coach Johnnie Bryant has the makings of the ideal head coach in New York. When Tom Thibodeau’s time is up, Bryant’s should begin. Johnnie Bryant is the last man standing. Senior advisor William Wesley made three key assistant coach appointments ahead of the 2021-22 season: Mike...

The Knicks produced a whole lot of memorable performances in the 2021-22 season. As the new season draws closer, let’s look back at the top 10. It has been pretty quiet on the free-agency end since the initial first day of the signing frenzy for the New York Knicks. The Donovan Mitchell trade talks have died down recently as Leon Rose and Danny Ainge continue their staring contest. But don’t fear; there are plenty of good things to look forward to as the new season draws ever closer.

The 2010s were not an auspicious era for the Knicks, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t players worth celebrating. 316-469. That’s the New York Knicks’ combined record from 2010-11 to 2019-20. A .402 winning percentage over the course of a decade. Looking back on the 2010s,...

Las Vegas is a city of false hope, but there are oases of predictive success amongst the mirages of past Summer League standout performances. This summer, longtime suffering Knicks fans coming off a disappointing season were offered a reprieve, a mirage in the distance of what could possibly be with the success of a grit and grind Summer League team in Las Vegas. The Knicks Summer League successes had even more attention brought to them because of the rampant trade rumors surrounding some of the stars of the team.

RJ Barrett has grown as a scorer every season despite inconsistent point guard play. Jalen Brunson’s presence should allow him to shine. RJ Barrett had his best season to date last year when he averaged 20.0 points per game along with 5.8 rebounds and three assists. The former third overall pick’s success is even more remarkable when accounting for the fact that he’s yet to play alongside a true starting point guard.

There are many Silly Seasons in the NBA calendar, but we’re now in the silliest. Let’s catch up on what some Knicks have been working on. Now that Summer League is over and the player movement part of the offseason is, outside of a couple of significant dominoes, winding down, we’ve officially entered the silliest part of the NBA calendar. That’s right, it’s Workout SZN, baby!

The start of Cam Reddish’s tenure with the Knicks was inauspicious but his unlocked talent still makes him a player worth investing in. When Cam Reddish and the Atlanta Hawks concluded last season that it would be best if he played elsewhere, they did so because they had no room for him in their wing rotation. He appeared to be ready for more minutes, more touches, more opportunities. “Reddish, the 10th pick in the 2019 draft, was the victim of an overpopulated Hawks roster of talented young wing players,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported back in January, noting that Atlanta’s crowded group “ultimately left him without the role or pathway to a contract extension — and the Hawks made it a priority to move him ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline.”

Mitchell isn’t wearing orange and blue yet, but we take a look at one of the most exciting potential backcourts in Knicks’ history. The Donovan Mitchell homecoming and union with the Knicks has been the dominating headline in ‘Bockers land over the past couple of months. With the Utah Jazz seemingly tearing their team down to the studs and rebuilding, it is almost a foregone conclusion that the 25-year-old shooting guard will be shipped out of Salt Lake City. The resignation of Quin Snyder and the blockbuster Rudy Gobert trade to Minnesota were the first dominos to fall. The next one hopefully results in the arrival of Mitchell in the Big Apple.

With all the talk of a Donovan Mitchell trade that may involve Obi Toppin, it’s worth wondering what his fate is if things stay the same. On the cusp of his third NBA season, Obi Toppin has made Knick fans feel as comfortable as ever about his capabilities as a utility player on the team. A constant presence with teammates at basketball-related events always seen with a smile on his face, he’s got an infectiously positive personality and revels in being able to play for his hometown team.

Jalen Brunson is uniquely suited to give the Knicks what they’ve needed for years: a point guard who can stay on the floor. Tyler Marko and Ray Brenkert dive into why that is. Alec Burks, Immanuel Quickley, Kemba Walker, Derrick Rose, Elfrid Payton, Frank Ntilikina. In the past two...

The New York Knicks made solid moves this offseason and may not be done. Can Tom Thibodeau make the proper adjustments to manage it all?. Whether the New York Knicks acquire Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz or not, it’s easy to say they had a solid offseason. The additions of Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein, along with the return of Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims, were solid moves that allow them to get back on their previous trajectory prior to last season. If the goal is to make their 2021-22 season the anomaly, New York has taken a step in the right direction.

Miles McBride didn’t get much burn in year one. What are the steps he can take to earn more time in year two?. Coming into the 2022 Summer League, it was clear that Quentin Grimes was to be the team’s focal point and offensive hub. Grimes was coming off an injury-shortened but still very promising rookie year, and was hoping to build on it. He was rewarded with a spot on the All-NBA Summer League First Team for his efforts and was unquestionably one of the top performers in Las Vegas.

Much has been made of the defensive issues with a Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell duo. How much of a problem would it be?. Height has been discussed more than ever this offseason for the New York Knicks. The skepticism surrounding the Knicks’ ability to maintain an above-average defense in...

The Knicks have a lot of two-guard options, but who deserves to get the starting nod?. 2022 free agency has been one marked by a lot of chatter and not much action. The New York Knicks did make some vital moves, namely acquiring their main target of the summer, Jalen Brunson. Veterans Alec Burks, Taj Gibson, and Nerlens Noel were dealt to clear cap space to sign Brunson. The rest of the moves have been cosmetic.

Jericho Sims signed a new, multi-year contract with the Knicks. His route to playing time, however, is blocked by older and better competition. Of all the exciting young players on the Knicks, there’s always one that seems to be left out of the conversation. That’s Jericho Sims, the Texas Longhorns alumnus and 2021 second-round pick that the Knicks recently inked to a three-year, 5$.6 million contract.

The Knicks’ 2021 draftees have been thriving in the Summer League games, and have the team poised to give them more playing time this season. With last year’s electric duo of Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin no longer partaking in the summer action, it was time for some new Knicks to take center stage at the 2022 NBA Summer League, and so far, they haven’t disappointed. The Knicks’ lone first-round pick of last season, Quentin Grimes, has been the talk of Las Vegas thus far and could be in the Summer League MVP conversation.

Although Evan Fournier’s shooting is valuable to the Knicks, the investment that New York made in him is proving to be too much for a player with so many limitations in other facets of his game. When the Knicks signed Evan Fournier to a four-year (yes, with a team...