How Close are the Knicks to NBA Contention?
Photo from Zach Beeker of NBAE.
The New York Knicks are looking to build on a successful 2022-23 season, losing in six games to the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat in the NBA Semifinals.
The Knicks had not reached the second round of the playoffs in ten years, also losing in six games to the Indiana Pacers after a 54-win season. The difference between the two teams is, however, that this team has competent ownership, building a roster that can compete for a title if everything were to go their way, as well as position themselves for a superstar free agent down the line in the near future.
New York saw Jalen Brunson become the long-awaited answer at point guard that has alluded Knicks fans for decades. He may be the superstar the Knicks need as well, as former management failed to build a contending team around Carmelo outside of 2012-13. We also saw RJ Barrett grow up before our very eyes, stepping up as the #2 option behind Brunson as two-time All-NBA forward Julius Randle was hampered with an ankle injury.
Barrett had a handful of games during the postseason where he didn’t perform, including the final game where he shot 1-10 from the field; however, Barrett was one of the biggest reasons New York beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round and kept their heads above water against Miami. What’s going to be key for Barrett going into this season is a consistent jump-shot from midrange and beyond. He has tweaked his mechanics this summer, and shot the ball 37% from downtown on six attempts per game while shooting 45% from the field overall. Fans are waiting on RJ to put it all together and become the all-star level player he was touted as coming out of Duke.
For Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson, the plan remains the same. Play at All-NBA levels once again and provide steady leadership. For Randle, that means cutting down on the turnovers and ill-advised shots, as well as keeping his emotions in check. Jalen Brunson, on the other hand, must make a concerted effort on defense and make a conscious effort to move the basketball. Both players have a tendency to go straight into isolation against their defenders, as the Knicks were one of the highest isolation offenses and one of the lowest generators in assists. Both Randle and Brunson will have to be at their best in order to join the ranks of the Celtics and Bucks, who are the favorites to win both the Eastern Conference and the NBA Championship.
Not to devalue their contributions to the team, but the other role players for the Knicks in Immanuel Quickley, Mitchell Robinson, Quentin Grimes, Donte Divincenzo, and Josh Hart, must be stars in their own roles. Quickley was a contender for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award last season and is up for an extension this year. He will be playing his best basketball in order to secure the contract he so desires. Mitchell Robinson has been working on improving his free-throw percentage, as well as cutting up in order to regain his supreme athleticism, which we saw on display during the preseason. Quentin Grimes spent the summer working out with one of the NBA’s greatest shooters in JJ Redick, hoping to learn his secrets in playing off the ball so efficiently. Josh Hart and newly acquired Villanova teammate Donte Divincenzo look to provide extra defense, hustle, and occasional three-point shooting off the bench.
The Knicks are going to have to be all-hands-on-deck if they plan on shaking up the Eastern Conference, and if they can play consistent New York basketball, anything is possible.