“Cutthroat business, Our Defense Lifted/What is it, THE WINGS?!?" Official 2024 NY Knicks Thread

[RickyGQ]

Nah, you're still operating with the mindset created during his rookie year. He's a good defender and had some gaudy rebounding numbers and that overhyped him, so in year two when the rebound rate dipped back down to earth it was harder to stomach how unplayable he is on offense. There's a reason the Jazz are sending him to summer league as a 3rd year pro.

His only worth is to a contender trying to fill a very niche role (IE : Knicks) but even then it's probably not worth it to Ainge to sell with two more years of control. He would likely rather just do what he's doing now, send Kessler to SL and hope a switch flips with his shot and touch.

He’s a back up rim running center, and this year was a strong Center draft. Plus we seen a bunch of teams resign their centers. Nobody needs a rim running center.

He’s not worth a first to anyone but the Knick and the Knicks have two centers signed on the roster already. Nobody actually needs Walker Kessler including the Knicks.

Ainge getting a first or Deuce (whose actually worth a first to the Nets based on what we heard from the Mikal trade) is Ainge robbing us.

The only way Ainge gets more for him is a team decides to spend two first cockblocking the knicks attempt to spend one first.

I am not saying its going to happen but Ainge getting the equivalent of two first for him ain't gonna happen either.

I hope y'all are right. He's absolutely not who I had in mind when I was thinking the next "diamond in the rough". I'm not sure his value around the league is as low as yall are saying. He's young and has high upside. He's at WORST a top 25 center in the league right now. It'd be one thing if he was 27 years old and not 23 years old. But if we can pull it off I'll be more than happy.

 

[Wargames]

I hope y'all are right. He's absolutely not who I had in mind when I was thinking the next "diamond in the rough". I'm not sure his value around the league is as low as yall are saying. He's young and has high upside. He's at WORST a top 25 center in the league right now. It'd be one thing if he was 27 and not 23. But if we can pull it off I'll be more than happy.

That top 27 might have been before the draft. It was a heavy Center/PF draft.

Ainge isn't going to be able to start a bidding war this time.

 

[firemanBk]

Yea but Duece and 2 firsts won’t get it done. They could get a starter and 2 GOOD firsts for Kessler easily.

Absolutely no chance is he worth all that
Guy didn't even start most of last year for that trash team talking about 2 1st rounders



He's pretty much like Mitch. He's a one way player but can maybe develop to be elite on that end.
I'd like to see what Thibs can do with him.

 

[storyteller]

Absolutely no chance is he worth all that
Guy didn't even start most of last year for that trash team talking about 2 1st rounders



He's pretty much like Mitch. He's a one way player but can maybe develop to be elite on that end.
I'd like to see what Thibs can do with him.

This is essentially where I've landed with him. I haven't seen enough to be confident in his offensive development, but his defense and rebounding could both be elite.

 

[RickyGQ]

This is essentially where I've landed with him. I haven't seen enough to be confident in his offensive development, but his defense and rebounding could both be elite.

What value would you put on that?

 

[storyteller]

What value would you put on that?

It really depends on the rest of the market. I'd probably part with one of our highly-protected firsts, along with a couple of second-round picks. But I wouldn't go beyond that because there are alternatives that would be significantly cheaper IMO.
- Precious as a stopgap makes a lot of sense to me. The trade market for bigs should expand before the trade deadline, and Mitch/Precious ought to get us to that point in time without too much trouble. Other FA's for a stopgap could be Chimezie Metu or Omer Yurtseven, but neither is a Thibs type of big or particularly good imo.

- Nick Richards seems like he'd be cheaper to get, and while he doesn't have the upside, he's a completely serviceable backup. Unless (or until) Mitch gets hurt, that's all we need.

- The "no one saw it coming" move is a Leon Rose special. So, I also won't rule out that there are alternatives we haven't considered. Portland has too many big men (Ayton, Timelord, and fresh top-10 pick Clingan); Bobby Portis had trade rumors; Atlanta has too many backup big men too.

So, I wouldn't be willing to pay big for Kessler with so many other options. But he's the highest upside play left imo.

 

[TOAD99]

How would yall feel about capela?

 

[DPresidential]

Which top 5 team in the league have more confidence in the health of their starting lineup than the Knicks?

This is not a GOTCHA type question. I'm legit wondering.

For NY, OG Anonuby and Mitch Robinson are he real concerns based on history. I'm not including Randle or Brunson in that.

What are the concerns for the other teams?

 

[storyteller]

How would yall feel about capela?

I don't think we can fit his contract without flying past the second apron.

 

[Wargames]

It really depends on the rest of the market. I'd probably part with one of our highly-protected firsts, along with a couple of second-round picks. But I wouldn't go beyond that because there are alternatives that would be significantly cheaper IMO.
- Precious as a stopgap makes a lot of sense to me. The trade market for bigs should expand before the trade deadline, and Mitch/Precious ought to get us to that point in time without too much trouble. Other FA's for a stopgap could be Chimezie Metu or Omer Yurtseven, but neither is a Thibs type of big or particularly good imo.

- Nick Richards seems like he'd be cheaper to get, and while he doesn't have the upside, he's a completely serviceable backup. Unless (or until) Mitch gets hurt, that's all we need.

- The "no one saw it coming" move is a Leon Rose special. So, I also won't rule out that there are alternatives we haven't considered. Portland has too many big men (Ayton, Timelord, and fresh top-10 pick Clingan); Bobby Portis had trade rumors; Atlanta has too many backup big men too.

So, I wouldn't be willing to pay big for Kessler with so many other options. But he's the highest upside play left imo.

On Reddit some Jazz fans said Kessler was arguing with the coach about minutes and how he was being played and that he had bad body language all season.

Considering the CAA ties I actually think there is a chance Ainge does a deal to get him out of there before he tanks his value like Obi did here. The knicks didn't inquire for no reason, the kid lowkey already has a foot out the door.

 

[RickyGQ]

How would yall feel about capela?

Makes too much. Not getable without giving up someone significant.

 

[RubioTheCruel]

Which top 5 team in the league have more confidence in the health of their starting lineup than the Knicks?

This is not a GOTCHA type question. I'm legit wondering.

For NY, OG Anonuby and Mitch Robinson are he real concerns based on history. I'm not including Randle or Brunson in that.

What are the concerns for the other teams?

Celtics are getting very old with Horford and Jrue. Porzingis is already out until like Christmas if not longer.
OKC is an all around good team, they need a secondary creator offensively and not to get decimated with their big rotation(IHart should help with this)
Dallas is gonna be really shaky defensively with DJJ leaving and Klay in the lineup. Offensively they're a terror
Philly needs Embiid and PG13 to stay healthy for a long run, good luck with that
Bucks are old, play weak defense and have bad coaching

 

[RickyGQ]

Which top 5 team in the league have more confidence in the health of their starting lineup than the Knicks?

This is not a GOTCHA type question. I'm legit wondering.

For NY, OG Anonuby and Mitch Robinson are he real concerns based on history. I'm not including Randle or Brunson in that.

What are the concerns for the other teams?

BOSTON - KP is a concern. Horford is older too, although they might not even need them come crunch time.
DENVER - Porter is a walking time bomb. Murray had some freak injuries, wouldn't say he's injury prone tho.
PHILLY - Not even sure we should consider them contenders but PG and Embiid are made of glass.
MINNY - Conley is gonna be a year older and he's the glue that makes them go
DALLAS - Kyrie's health is a toss-up too
OKC - fairly healthy, but I'm going to need to see them prove something in the playoffs. I have us ahead of them right now.

To me, that's all the serious contenders so far, and I'm being generous about Philly. Obviously, another team can come out of nowhere next year like Dallas did (Miami, Phoenix might finally get their shyt together, Milwaukee off the strength of Giannis alone)

Of all these teams, we have the thinnest margin of error I'd argue. Without OG and Mitch, we're still better than last year's playoff team off the strength of Mikal and Julius which still puts us in the ECF IMO. But we probably don't beat Boston.

 

[storyteller]

On Reddit some Jazz fans said Kessler was arguing with the coach about minutes and how he was being played and that he had bad body language all season.

Considering the CAA ties I actually think there is a chance Ainge does a deal to get him out of there before he tanks his value like Obi did here. The knicks didn't inquire for no reason, the kid lowkey already has a foot out the door.

It's possible, but I just don't trust Danny Ainge. I'm too used to him refusing to let go of pieces unless he gets the whole bag plus two second-rounders.

 

[RickyGQ]

On Reddit some Jazz fans said Kessler was arguing with the coach about minutes and how he was being played and that he had bad body language all season.

Considering the CAA ties I actually think there is a chance Ainge does a deal to get him out of there before he tanks his value like Obi did here. The knicks didn't inquire for no reason, the kid lowkey already has a foot out the door.

Ok, well that changes things. Props on the intel.