The Knicks have 96 minutes worth of two preseason games in the books. While it is very important not to take too much out of a pair of meaningless games, here are my 10 takeaways and things to watch with two more preseason games remaining.
1. RJ Barrett played one awful half of basketball followed by three good halves. In his first half of the season, his shot looked disastrous, with a series of air-balls and bricks that good shooters simply don’t usually have. After that, he shot 15-of-23 from the field but still only 1-of-5 from behind the three-point line. His mid-range jumper looks far more reliable, which would mark an improvement from last season and perhaps is a stepping stone to an improvement from behind the three-point line in the future. He has also made five of his seven free throws. The most important thing Barrett can do in his sophomore season is improve as a shooter. His decision making could also use some improvement, with six turnovers in his first two preseason games. It also still looks like he is very left-hand dominant.
2. The good news for Dennis Smith Jr. is that he looks engaged at most times, especially on the defensive end. The bad news is that he still doesn’t look like he can run an efficient NBA offense. His decision-making and instincts still look poor, and he hasn’t put consistent pressure on the defense and gotten into the paint as much as his raw athleticism should allow. The Knicks want to feature him to improve his trade value but he better show something more on the offensive end in the final two preseason games if he wants to grab a roster spot.
3. Kevin Knox looks like he is in better shape and has flashed a couple of nice efforts passing and defending, but he continues to fail to do anything close to consistently well. His jumper is supposed to be his strength but he has only shot 3-for-12. If his shot doesn’t begin to fall, it will be hard to find him consistent minutes given his deficiencies elsewhere. There are also no minutes available for him at power forward, with Obi Toppin and Julius Randle taking all the minutes there.
4. The Knicks’ point guard position is very thin behind Elfrid Payton. If Smith can’t get his act together, it will fall to Frank Ntilikina or rookie Immanuel Quickley, both of whom might be more suited to play off-ball. Ntilikina has looked active off the ball offensively and has made two of his three shots from behind the arc.
It looks like he is doing a better job of shooting on the way up. He got a short run at point guard at the end of the Detroit game that was uneven. Austin Rivers could also be pressed into action as a ball-handler on the wing if Quickley and Ntilikina make up the backcourt.
5. There is still some hope Julius Randle might play well enough this year to increase his trade value, where his expiring deal could be a commodity at the offseason. There could still be some improvement on the margins under Thibodeau, but anyone expecting him not to be a player that looks for his shot first, second, and third, and is a below average decision-maker, is probably fooling themselves. Randle is what he is, and Obi Toppin should have a chance to earn his way into taking away some of Randle’s minutes.
6. The Knicks are going to play hard defensively. The technique and other things might not be perfect but there will be a real plan that players will have to execute if they want to stay on the floor. There are a number of good defenders on this roster if Thibodeau chooses to make them part of the rotation. This should provide a higher floor for the Knicks performance when compared to past seasons.
7. The Knicks offense seems to feature a bit of a faster pace and more off-ball movement than it has in recent years. Given the youth and depth of the roster, it makes sense to maximize those parts of the game plan. If players get winded, Thibodeau can move players in and out of the lineup more frequently and expand his rotation.
8. Obi Toppin is going to be a good offensive player. He has a soft touch around the rim, can shoot the three- pointer, and has the athleticism to finish over the top. He is also extremely stiff and will be a liability whenever he has to guard anyone on the perimeter. It is likely that he will become a constant target on pick-and-rolls for opponents. Toppin’s shot also looks a little shaky. He can hit threes but I’m not sure at how high of a rate in his rookie season. He has had some bad misses. Finally, I’m not sure the Amar’e Stoudemire comparisons were fair ones.
Toppin might be as explosive as Stoudemire but he is not nearly as smooth of an athlete, and has more of a herky-jerky way of moving. There is no chance Toppin can ever play small forward so everyone should abolish that from their minds (and his) immediately.
9. The players we know are going to be part of the Knicks rotation are: Mitchell Robinson, Nerlens Noel, Julius Randle, Obi Toppin, Alec Burks, Austin Rivers (when healthy), RJ Barrett, and Elfrid Payton. It seems like there is an open competition for the other spots between Dennis Smith Jr., Frank Ntilikina, Reggie Bullock, and Kevin Knox. One of those four will have to be a back-up point guard with the other a wing player that can shoot. The last two preseason games will determine who starts the season in the rotation. Whether Nerlens Noel or Mitchell Robinson starts isn’t going to matter. Both players are going to play plenty of minutes and they have similar skillsets. Knicks fans at home should not let this weigh on their minds much.
10. Shooting for the Knicks is going to be a problem. Of the players I listed that are sure to be in the rotation, only Alec Burks and Austin Rivers could be considered semi-reliable shooters. The team certainly hopes RJ Barrett or Obi Toppin can be considered that, but neither have proven to be yet. If the Knicks plan to close games with Elfrid Payton, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and one of their centers they are not going to be able to score enough and won’t win many close games.
Check out the most recent episode of The Bank Shot, my Knicks podcast, where I talk Yahoo! NBA National Writer Keith Smith. You can also subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
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