{"id":50245,"date":"2023-05-15T09:00:35","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T13:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=50245"},"modified":"2023-05-14T20:45:39","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T00:45:39","slug":"new-york-knicks-big-changes-in-the-big-apple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/05\/15\/new-york-knicks-big-changes-in-the-big-apple\/","title":{"rendered":"New York Knicks: Big Changes in the Big Apple"},"content":{"rendered":"

The <\/span>New York Knicks<\/b><\/a> rang in 2023 with a 19-18 record, with many questioning if this year would be any different from previous seasons: either a small playoff run or another long offseason. In February, a switch flipped. They went on a nine-game win streak that galvanized the city and gave them a 39-27 record. They ended the regular season 47-35 and made the playoffs as the fifth seed. Though their journey ended with a second-round loss to the <\/span>Miami Heat<\/b><\/a>, New York surpassed expectations and gave fans that winning feeling that they\u2019d been missing for a couple of years.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, despite that hope, Stephen A. Smith thinks otherwise:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Stephen A. Smith goes off on RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n

(h\/t @gifdsports<\/a>)<\/p>\n

pic.twitter.com\/jweiHo5lEj<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 13, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Smith\u2019s comments coupled with various glaring mistakes signal major changes that could come to the Knicks as they build on a relatively successful season.<\/span><\/p>\n

New York Knicks: Big Changes in the Big Apple<\/h2>\n

The Mainstays<\/h3>\n

For starters, <\/span>Jalen Brunson<\/b><\/a> proved to be New York\u2019s newest shining star. He was the Knicks\u2019 big fish in free agency, and he certainly did not disappoint. The 26-year-old guard out of Villanova averaged 24 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 49% from the field, 41% from three and 83% from the line in the regular season. He then broke out in his third career postseason, putting up 27.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game on 47-31-91 splits. Even though the Knicks came up short, Brunson did everything he could to keep their hopes alive, dropping 38 in game five and 41 in game six.<\/span><\/p>\n

RJ Barrett<\/b><\/a>, despite a change in his role, continued to thrive for the Knicks. After a regular season that saw him average nearly 20 points per game on 43-31-74 splits, he showed growth in his second career postseason. Barrett averaged 19.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on 43-32-76 splits\u2014a good sign until his subpar game six. His fourth season in the league showed a lot of promise, but as Stephen A. mentioned, improving his jump shot should be a priority for the 22-year-old this offseason.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lastly, guard\/wing <\/span>Josh Hart<\/b><\/a>, who came to the Big Apple at the trade deadline, fit right in with New York. He put up 10.2 points, seven rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 58% from the field, 51% (27\/52) from three, and 79% from the stripe. He put up similar numbers in his postseason debut (despite a decline in shooting splits), and his hustle was simply unmatched.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Role Players<\/h4>\n

There were other role players\u2014guards <\/span>Immanuel Quickley<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Quentin Grimes<\/b><\/a>, forward <\/span>Obi Toppin<\/b><\/a>, and centers <\/span>Isaiah Hartenstein<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Mitchell Robinson<\/b><\/a>\u2014who all had starred in their roles during the regular season. Some of them were better than others in the playoffs. All of them have bright futures with the Knicks, and after an offseason full of putting in the work, should continue to have a positive impact on New York next year and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it Time to Move On?<\/h3>\n

Where some Knicks are more likely to remain with the team, it looks like others will be on the move.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Frustrated Frenchman<\/h4>\n

One player who has accepted that fact is forward <\/span>Evan Fournier<\/b><\/a>, who made $18 million this season while averaging 6.1 points on 33-30-86 shooting splits. In a recent interview with the New York Post\u2019s Stefan Bondy, Fournier said he doesn\u2019t expect to be back after being buried on head coach Tom Thibodeau\u2019s bench, going from a rotational player to a garbage time guy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>There\u2019s no way they\u2019re gonna keep me,\u201d Fournier <\/span>said<\/span><\/a>. \u201cI would be very surprised if they do. So, we\u2019ll see. It\u2019s obviously not in my hands though.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Fournier added that his season has been over for a while, falling out of the rotation in November and only reappearing once injuries to key guys piled up. His current contract includes a $19 million Team Option in 2024 that likely won\u2019t be picked up, in addition to another $19 million that\u2019s guaranteed for next season. The 30-year-old could prove useful to a team looking for a veteran three-point shooter, and he could get his wish if the Knicks want to go in a different direction of player development.<\/span><\/p>\n

Julius Randle: From All-NBA to All Done with New York?<\/h4>\n

As great as he\u2019s been in the regular season, <\/span>Julius Randle<\/b><\/a> goes into a different gear come playoff time\u2014and not a good one, either.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a regular season that saw him boast a career-high 25.1 points per game on 45-34-76 splits, <\/span>worthy of an All-NBA Third Team selection<\/span><\/a>, Randle regressed in the playoffs. He put up measly averages of 16.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, a far cry from the help that\u2019s needed from a young team with lofty goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite Randle\u2019s growth in an 82-game season, he showed that, for whatever reason, he hasn\u2019t been ready for the postseason. In an environment like New York, filled with passionate sports fans <\/span>who will sometimes go to the extremes<\/span><\/a>, that can\u2019t happen. Randle\u2019s been on the bubble of trade rumors for a while, and despite his desire to stay with the team last season, the situation is a lot different now. Stephen A. Smith\u2019s desires of a <\/span>Damian Lillard<\/b><\/a> or <\/span>Karl-Anthony Towns<\/b><\/a> to New York<\/a> may be realistic depending on the situation. The bottom line is: if the Knicks decide to swing for the fences again, Randle\u2019s name may be the first to pop up.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Curious Case of Derrick Rose<\/h4>\n

As inspiring as <\/span>Derrick Rose<\/b><\/a>\u2019s story has been, it appears his time in the league could be over in a few seasons. With the Knicks pushing for the development of their younger players and Rose\u2019s $15 million Team Option on the table, the veteran\u2019s brief appearance in game 3 of the first round may have been his last in a Knicks uniform.<\/span><\/p>\n

With that in mind, people are speculating about where the 34-year-old could ride his career into the sunset. One of those spots? The <\/span>Chicago Bulls.<\/span><\/p>\n

How fitting would it be for D-Rose to end his career with the franchise that gave him his first shot? With <\/span>Lonzo Ball<\/b><\/a>\u2019s future up in the air due to injury, the Bulls are still in need of guard depth, and adding another vet wouldn’t hurt, either. If no other team considers him and he doesn\u2019t retire immediately, it would be nice to see a Rose reunion in Chicago.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Last Word on the New York Knicks<\/h3>\n

As bright as the future is in New York, improving it will come at a cost. Moving on from players who either don\u2019t want to be there or don\u2019t step up when it matters the most will be critical for the Knicks as they add better pieces to a young core with potential. All eyes will remain on the New York Knicks as storylines hover over the city that never sleeps.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The New York Knicks rang in 2023 with a 19-18 record, with many questioning if this year would be any different from previous seasons: either a small playoff run or another long offseason. In February, a switch flipped. They went on a nine-game win streak that galvanized the city and gave them a 39-27 record. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4265,"featured_media":50262,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12,1608,62],"tags":[95,1417,1004,510,4774,1964],"class_list":["post-50245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-knicks","category-basketball","category-nba","tag-derrick-rose","tag-jalen-brunson","tag-josh-hart","tag-julius-randle","tag-rumors","tag-rj-barrett"],"modified_by":"Zach Kircher","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50245"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50245\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}