"Death to the Pessimistic State of Mind" - Nas Voice: NYK '23 Pre-Season Thread

[Controversy]

I think creativity is a big aspect of it but not the whole bag. For example, IQ didn’t get more creative this year but he did get stronger. So his handling is more effective because he can’t be bumped off-balance so easily any more.

For RJ, I think just improving finishing with his right hand will go a long way.

For the bulldozer type ball-handlers; misdirection is their best weapon. If you can make a defender lean, you can bump him that way and use his own momentum to create space (obi did this for what feels like the first time last night on a drive into lamarcus Aldridge which is hype).

So if RJ can expand his shot profile to a place where defenders can’t press him left reliably, he’ll unlock new options to break guys down. He’s already shown some improvement going and finishing right, but he definitely turns back to his left hand more often than I’d like. I think this is another spot we’ll see growth though.

I wouldn’t count on rj crossing dudes up and finessing around the floor. But he’ll get better at creating enough space to get the shots off.

I also bet they’ll have him working on dribbling through the paint like PG’s are taught to. He picks his dribble up early and that’s making it easy to jump his passing lanes.

He should look to young Paul Pierce as a guide of how to play

 

[storyteller]

We off Brunson?

I’m cool with giving Brunson a look, but less pressed with IQ’s growth and the emergence of jokubaitis in Europe. Tyus Jones might be a much cheaper stop gap option too. He’s been really promising when Ja sits.

 

[RubioTheCruel]

Hypothetical (I was gonna bring this up after Sunday)

Donovan Mitchell becomes available this summer (or at least Utah listens).

Knicks win the lottery.

Do you entertain a deal with the main parts going back to Utah are the #1 pick and RJ for Mitchell?

It has to be something like this, not a trade for trade's sake.

Not married to Barrett but I think Mitchell is very, very overrated. Building your team around a small chucker doesn't seem like the smartest idea

 

[tremonthustler1]

The priority this offseason needs to be to get rid of Randle, so respectfully fukk every single of one of these trade proposals I've had to read for the last couple of pages

Good luck. He's dangerously close to becoming a top 5 worst contract in the league.

The big hope there is that Tobias Harris plays like such crap in the playoffs that Morey decides to just be pot committed and add Randle straight up. Otherwise, Randle plummeted his value at the worst time.

No. Number 1 pick plus 2 promising rookie scale players and a vet is more than fair for Mitchell.

Barrett won't be on the rookie scale after next season. He'll get paid what Mitchell gets most likely.

 

[mvp_status]

Good luck. He's dangerously close to becoming a top 5 worst contract in the league.

The big hope there is that Tobias Harris plays like such crap in the playoffs that Morey decides to just be pot committed and add Randle straight up. Otherwise, Randle plummeted his value at the worst time.

Facts but I'm willing to attach assets to get that done, assets that may not be available if a separate Mitchell trade were to occur.

The return isn't as important as just removing him from the equation imo

 

[RickyGQ]

Good luck. He's dangerously close to becoming a top 5 worst contract in the league.

The big hope there is that Tobias Harris plays like such crap in the playoffs that Morey decides to just be pot committed and add Randle straight up. Otherwise, Randle plummeted his value at the worst time.


Barrett won't be on the rookie scale after next season. He'll get paid what Mitchell gets most likely.

that’s part of the reason I’m on the fence about Mitchell. Losing depth to get him isn’t ideal cause then we’d have to basically complete the roster before RJs extension kicks in. It tightens the window significantly.

 

[mvp_status]

I agree 100%. Moving Randle and getting some decent back is the only priority I could see this FO having.

If a star becomes available fine, priorities change. I just don't see one on the horizon. Utah doesn't have to move Mitchell they can move Gobert and buy time.

Still not as gung-ho about Mitchell as some, but I'd be much more receptive to that trade when it doesn't leave him and Randle sucking up half the teams cap by themselves

 

[Wargames]

Good luck. He's dangerously close to becoming a top 5 worst contract in the league.

The big hope there is that Tobias Harris plays like such crap in the playoffs that Morey decides to just be pot committed and add Randle straight up. Otherwise, Randle plummeted his value at the worst time.

Barrett won't be on the rookie scale after next season. He'll get paid what Mitchell gets most likely.

I have to disagree, Randle is a bad contract. However I don’t think he is near top five or even top 10 just based on scale of his contract. He’s a Pennie’s for a dollar type of trade where a team takes a risk on him and the Knicks get roleplayers or ideally an expiring and a draft pick for him. With this year’s draft and FA seen as weak. It’s actually an ideal situation to trade him. I also think he would rebound on a team outside of NY.

The real question is does the FO see him as a piece to move or are they hoping he’ll rebound in spite the fact he clearly hates being in NY.

 

[Steezy]

Healthy Cam Reddish is the Knicks only hope for the future

wait this still a thing

nikka is fukkin trash I guess he’ll have to become a thunder for y’all to see it

 

[tremonthustler1]

I have to disagree, Randle is a bad contract. However I don’t think he is near top five or even top 10 just based on scale of his contract. He’s a Pennie’s for a dollar type of trade where a team takes a risk on him and the Knicks get roleplayers or ideally an expiring and a draft pick for him. With this year’s draft and FA seen as weak. It’s actually an ideal situation to trade him. I also think he would rebound on a team outside of NY.

The real question is does the FO see him as a piece to move or are they hoping he’ll rebound in spite the fact he clearly hates being in NY.

Free agency is weak, but because of that, not many teams set themselves up to have money this summer anyway.

the draft hurts Randle in that the best prospects are big men (inversely, this draft hurts the Knicks in that there aren't many PG prospects near the top of the draft), so even a team who otherwise wouldn't mind Randle would rather just draft Holmgren/Smith/Banchero/Murray

 

[RickyGQ]

Free agency is weak, but because of that, not many teams set themselves up to have money this summer anyway.

the draft hurts Randle in that the best prospects are big men (inversely, this draft hurts the Knicks in that there aren't many PG prospects near the top of the draft), so even a team who otherwise wouldn't mind Randle would rather just draft Holmgren/Smith/Banchero/Murray

I still think the Portlands and Sacramento’s are an option for him. Those middling lottery teams that need to take a gamble propel then into playoff contention.

 

[Typical Knicks Fan]

Obi surprised when he finally got a chance to play. I thought he couldn’t create scoring opportunities for himself but his game is slowly getting better. His game is so much better to watch than seeing Randle brick step back jumpers all game.

 

[ISO]

He should look to young Paul Pierce as a guide of how to play

Pierce could shoot.

 

[Wargames]

Free agency is weak, but because of that, not many teams set themselves up to have money this summer anyway.

the draft hurts Randle in that the best prospects are big men (inversely, this draft hurts the Knicks in that there aren't many PG prospects near the top of the draft), so even a team who otherwise wouldn't mind Randle would rather just draft Holmgren/Smith/Banchero/Murray

They don’t have to trade him into a team’s cap space. Teams having money on the books help, because expirings aren’t that valuable either. Next year’s FA is maybe even weaker than this years.

Also your examples are all top #5 to maybe #7 picks. After that you’re looking at maybe Sochan being considered worth more than Randle. I feel like Chet, Duren, and Mark Williams wouldn’t fill the same spot on a team either since all 3 are centers. That 20 picks Randle could be traded for.

Multiple teams have multiple picks in a weak draft and a weak FA that is the precursor to a even weaker FA next year. If the Knicks are willing to take picks and expiring or just roleplayers for Randle a trade will happen. There isn’t a lot of ways for teams to shake up their rosters outside of the trade and Randle is still talented enough teams will take that chance.

The only real impediment to a trade happening is if the Knicks rather keep Randle because they have to do stupid shyt like that to appease Dolan. Also because honestly Randle is talented. There is a good chance he thrives on another team. It’s just clear NY has him toxic as fukk.

 

[Peter Popoff]

Cats really entertaining trading RJ...

What "superstar" would realistically be on the table for the Knicks??

This is why this fan base can't have nice things.

Grimes>>