by Chris DiGeronimo
“Knick Fans are true basketball fans. No matter what - rain, sleet or snow, or even if we don't make it to the playoffs for 10 years - the Garden stands are still full.” -Fat Joe
The NBA season is back, which means it is time for another exhilarating and/or exhausting season of Knicks basketball. Loyal Knick fans know it will most likely be the latter, but there is always that slim chance that they show flashes of greatness and start to become the contenders the Garden faithful are dying to see. If there was ever a time to trust the process, that time is now.
In order to be great you need great leadership and great culture from top to bottom, and the Knicks took some steps in the right direction this off season by revamping the front office and hiring Head Coach Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau is a hard nosed, defensive minded, in-your-face coach that is not going to let a lot of things slide as we’ve seen with his previous stints in Chicago and Minnesota. He is the type of coach that relies heavily on veteran playmakers, and makes rookies earn their spots. He has had a lot of success throughout his career with his coaching style, but he now inherits a roster that is barely old enough to drink. There will be some growing pains with this young Knicks roster, but it seems “Thibs” is the right type of coach to help them get their act together.
The 2020 Knicks will be led by a young core that has something to prove. RJ Barrett comes into his second season with some questions that can be answered as the season progresses. Can he be the consistent scorer the Knicks have been looking for? Can he be the guy that takes the last shot with the game on the line? Is he a franchise altering player? This may be a lot of pressure to put on the second year guard, but in order for the Knicks rebuild to be successful, management and fans alike need these questions to be answered. Barrett had a successful preseason averaging 17.8 PPG, five rebounds, and two assists while shooting 50% from the field but only 12.5% from deep. Barrett is a natural basket attacker, but he has to improve his three-point shooting in order to take that next step. He is going to get a ton of opportunities to lead this offense, so it is going to be interesting to see his development this season.
Another important piece to the puzzle is the development of third-year center Mitchell Robinson. Robinson has all the tools to be a dynamic force in the paint, with outstanding shot blocking and rebounding ability. Thibodeau's emphasis on defense should allow Robinson to unlock his full potential on the defensive end, and he should be the recipient of a lot of pick and rolls and alley-oops on offense, which should improve his already record breaking field-goal percentage. The only knock on Robinson’s game is his constant foul troubles, and his lack of shot creating post moves in the paint. If he is able to improve on both weaknesses, he has the chance to be virtually unstoppable.
On paper the Knicks young core seems to have a lot of depth, but in reality it could be shallower if management doesn’t see some progress. The three culprits potentially on the chopping block are Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina, and Dennis Smith Jr. Knox came into the league two seasons ago with some warning labels that stated “may not be ready to cook until year three or four.” The Knicks have been patient with his development, and as we enter year three they are waiting to reap the benefits. In his first two seasons, the 21-year- old Knox has averaged 9.9 PPG, 3.7 rebounds, while shooting 37 percent from the field and 34 percent from downtown. Knox has shown some flashes here and there, but he has to become a more consistent and frequent shooter if he is going to be a part of the long term plans. The coaching staff has talked about training him to take more efficient shots, and if the preseason is any indication that advice has helped. In the four preseason games, Knox averaged 10.8 PPG while shooting 50 percent from the field and 53 percent from three. He also propelled an 18 point comeback against the Cavs and contributed to a thumping of the same short-handed Cavs two nights later. The biggest factor for Knox is confidence and playing time. If he is able to improve on both and become the consistent shooter the Knicks need, he should keep his spot on the roster.
The Knicks have had a point guard conundrum for almost 10 years and Smith Jr. and Ntilikina have yet to show that they can be the point guard of the future. Both are entering year four, and with their rookie contracts expiring at the end of the season, decisions will have to be made. Ntilikina’s defensive ability, like most Knicks, has shown glimpses and flashes but he has yet to show he can be a lockdown point guard for all 48 minutes. He also struggles to be consistent in the mid-range and from three. “The Frank Hive” has been very vocal on Twitter and they want him to succeed, but he has to develop into the two-way point guard that we all know is in there in order to be a contributing factor in the rebuild. In three seasons Ntilikina has averaged 6 PPG, 2.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 0.8 steals. Smith Jr. on the other hand is the exact opposite of Ntilikina. Smith Jr. has struggled offensively for most of his Knicks tenure, but has film that shows he can be an explosive offensive point guard. His defensive ability needs work and he can be a liability at times. In three seasons Smith Jr. has averaged 12.5 PPG, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Both need to make major strides on both ends of the court in 2020.
As much as Knick fans want to embrace the youth movement, the veterans are going to play a major role this season. Critics may say it is a bad thing, but it gives this young roster an opportunity to learn and grow. It also gives them an opportunity to fight for their spot, and competition usually brings out the best in players that want to succeed and have the desire to win. Production from this veteran group is going to be key. In order for the Knicks to be competitive in games, Reggie Bullock and Alec Burks have to be consistent from behind the arc. Nerlens Noel has to take on a mentorship role while also playing meaningful minutes at center. Elfrid Payton is going to be called upon to make plays down the stretch, and Julius Randle is going to have to cut down on turnovers in the paint. If the stars align, and they stay consistent for all 72 games Knick fans can finally see some progress.
With all that mentioned, Knick fans also have two rookies that can make some major noise when it comes to playing time, National College Player of the Year, Obi Toppin and SEC Player of the Year Immanuel Quickley. The rookie duo will look to crack the starting five at some point this season, and it may come sooner rather than later. Quickley put on a show in the final three games of the preseason, running the offense to perfection, playing great defense, knocking down three’s, and drawing countless fouls to get himself to the free throw line. These are all the things Knick fans want to see in a starting point guard. Some fans even started the Twitter hashtag #StartQuickley. He may not be starting right away, but he definitely has a chance to play a significant role off the bench against tough competition during the first two weeks of the season. Toppin had a quieter preseason debut, but it was everything Knick fans expected. Toppin rebounded well, and was in the right spots on defense. He was also the recipient of some monster alley-oops from both Quickley and Barrett. If Toppin can live up to his Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin comps with an even better jumpshot, he has the chance to be a special player.
Overall, as much as Knicks fans want the team to be competitive, the most important thing this season is progress and development. There are going to be nights where no one can hit a shot, but their defense will keep them in it and vice versa. There will be adversity, hardships and plenty of curse words but they have to stick to the plan and show the league this isn’t the same old Knicks.
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