Immanuel Quickley

3 bold Knicks predictions for the 2021-22 regular season

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new york knicks, rj barrett

The New York Knicks are entering the 2021-22 season with elevated expectations and plenty of talent to justify their goals. After earning the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks are looking to make an even deeper run this upcoming season, and signing Evan Fournier, and Kemba Walker should back up that assessment.

Let’s take a look at three bold predictions they could see several young players make an even bigger impact.

Three bold predictions for the Knicks next season:

1.) RJ Barrett will lead the team in 3-PT percentage

Last season, second-year shooting guard RJ Barrett ended up being one of the team’s best three-point shooters. He finished the season, hitting on 40% of his shots from three after connecting on 32% during his rookie campaign in 2019. Attempting 4.3 shots from range per game, he connected on 1.7, posting 17.6 total points. His corner three-point shot was lethal for a team that desperately needed him to improve from beyond on the rim.

Barrett ranked fifth on the team among players who averaged 10+ minutes per contest. He sat behind Alec Berks, Julius Randle, Derrick Rose, and Reggie Bullock. He was only 1.4% away from being the team’s top three-point shooter, and that is a goal he’s looking to accomplish this upcoming season. Working on his shot creation and shooting fundamentals, Barrett leading the team in that category, would see his value skyrocket at 21 years old.

2.) Immanuel Quickley will average 15+ points per game

Second air player Immanuel Quickley had himself a solid Summer League running point, averaging 20.2 points per game over 33.5 minutes. Quickley averaged 11.4 points last season over 19.4 minutes per game, and both of those statistics could see an increase next season. Shooting nearly 40% from the field and 39% from three-point range, Quickley proved he is an offensive weapon that is only hitting his stride at the NBA level.

However, during the Summer League, he only shot 33.7% and 24% from three. The sample size is extremely small over just five games, but he’s more than capable of averaging 15+ points per game, especially as Tom Thibodeau will look to get him involved.

Some might say Quickley scoring 15+ points isn’t a bold take, but the Knicks have a lot of mouths to feed this season, especially with the retention of Alec Burks and the signing of Kemba Walker. I wouldn’t forget about the drafting of Quentin Grimes either, who will earn minutes at shooting guard.

3.) Mitchell Robinson will win DPOY of the year

There’s nobody that believes in Mitchell Robinson more than himself and the front office, as he’s been vocal on social media propagating his hard work this off-season. Increasing his size and muscle mass, Robinson is optimistic he can win Defensive Player of the Year. As a lanky center who can guard the perimeter, Robinson is capable of being a star defensive player, but his primary struggle is remaining healthy. Robinson has never played over 66 games in a season, playing in just 31 last year with a broken foot and hand.

If he can remain consistent in the health category, Robinson can easily become one of the league’s most feared defenders. Improving his physicality in the paint will also give him more success against bigger, more imposing power forward and scoring centers. During his rookie year, Robinson blocked a career-high 2.4 shots per game. He will be looking to resurrect that version of himself — coincidentally, Mitch also played the most game of his career in that season. Momentum has proved to be a catalyst for his success.

Knicks: What position maximizes Immanuel Quickley’s impact moving forward?

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immanuel quickley, knicks

Through two games in the NBA Summer League thus far, the New York Knicks have given Immanuel Quickley the ability to shine as a point guard. He may have not had the best outing in their first contest, but he turned it around with an impressive performance against the Pacers on Tuesday with 32 points and 8 assists. Just take a look at some of these highlights:

What he’s proven in these two games is that he thrives as the primary ballhandler on the court, and most certainly equips the playmaking skills necessary to play the 1 in the NBA.  However, it’s simply not the capacity in which the Knicks will need him the most this upcoming season.

Looking at the Knicks Roster

If Immanuel Quickley was to be listed as a point guard for 2021-2022, he’d be the 3rd option, behind Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose. The Knicks would also need to move on from Luca Vildoza, who has a non-guaranteed contract.

As of right now, the most likely role for the 22-year-old from Kentucky would be the backup SG with Evan Fournier starting. This would ensure him the most playing time, and the opportunity to fill in for either Rose or Walker if they were to get injured.

This is probably the most ideal situation for Quickley going forward. No matter how good he is at facilitating and handling the ball, he most naturally fits into the role of shooting guard. Keeping him at his regular position while occasionally giving him reps at PG will allow him to continue to grow as a valuable combo guard.

What Quickley’s Summer League Performance Means

As we saw all last season, Quickley is most effective when he’s shooting the ball well. This allows him to penetrate more efficiently and thus collapse the defense and find the open man or rise up for his patented floater. All this was evident in the first two summer league games for the Knicks.

Against the Pacers Tuesday, Quickley played with fearlessness and aggressiveness that came from increased confidence in his shot. Once he saw the ball go in a few times, he began attacking the rim, which forced defenders to commit. This not only gave players on the Knicks wide-open looks, but it also got him to the free-throw line, where he went 6-6. After the game, he displayed a heightened sense of maturity when discussing his role at the Summer League.

“I’ve been around a year… I’ve been in playoff games. Just continuing to spread my knowledge to the new guys, the young guys. Obi and I are doing a great job understanding we have to help these guys and communicate.” – Immanuel Quickley via NYPost

Quickley seems to be a player who understands what he needs to do to help the team win. No matter what it is you ask of him, he performs to the best of his abilities. As for this upcoming season, he will understand that the best way to help the Knicks will be at the shooting guard position. From a long-term perspective, Quickley could be the team’s solution at PG after Rose and Walkers’ contracts expire in two years. Rose is on a three-year deal, but the final season is not guaranteed.

Knicks may have special young duo of guards after eye-opening Summer League performance

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knicks

The New York Knicks overcame Los Angeles Lakers 91-82 on Wednesday night at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Coming off a victory over the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks backed it up with another solid performance, led by forward Obi Toppin and guards Immanuel Quickley and Miles McBride.

Toppin has looked solid thus far, scoring 17 points in the win but also collecting 11 rebounds. This was one of his more inefficient performances, turning the ball over five times. However, he’s averaging 21 points on 41% shooting during the Summer League. He’s also posting 9.3 rebounds per game, ranking in the top 15 among players in Vegas.

However, the Knicks’ stand-out performers against Los Angeles were Quickley and McBride, who combined for 47 points. Quickley connected on 7-of-15 shots for 25 points, shooting 46.7% from the field, but only hit one of his six attempts from range. He did collect seven assists, building on his momentum as a point guard.

The jury is out on Quickley featuring as a primary shooting guard, which is likely his reality after the Knicks brought back Derrick Rose and signed Kemba Walker to shore up the PG spot. Quickley is proving he’s capable of leading an offense, which could lead to the Knicks entrusting him with the position down the road.

Fellow teammate Miles McBride also had himself a fantastic game, scoring 22 points on 78% shooting. He also connects on all six of his three-point attempts, showcasing his range, even hitting a buzzer beater as the shot clock expired late in the contest.

McBride was the 36th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, representing a player that head coach Tom Thibodeau fell in love with during the ladder portions of prospect evaluations. He is a quality defender that brings clear-cut shooting prowess to the team.

It will be difficult for McBride to crack the roster and earn minutes, but his emergence could lead to the Knicks cutting Luke Vildoza, who has a non-guarantee contract for four seasons.

If the West Virginia product continues to play like this, the Knicks could have themselves two young guards who are capable of contributing toward a winning season.

The front office has finally put together a roster with sufficient depth, and whenever rookies are contributing and making an impact in their first year, you know the coaching staff is doing something right. Quickley, the former 25th overall pick, and McBride, the 36th overall pick, represent two players who are already surpassing expectations.

Of course, it might be a bit early to get overly excited about McBride, but we shouldn’t overlook his capabilities, based on his stellar performance against Los Angeles.

Too Quick, Too Hot: Quickley lifts Knicks past Pacers in NBA Summer League

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immanuel quickley, knicks

After a jittery start to his first NBA Summer League, Immanuel Quickley got the perfect advice from New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.

“Just be yourself,” Quickley revealed.

And he looked like the Quickley that the Knicks have stolen with the 25th pick in last year’s NBA draft and was named to the All-Rookie NBA Team.

After a brutal 5-for-17 shooting in the Knicks’ 89-79 loss to the Toronto Raptors Sunday, Quickley bounced back strong with a game-high 32 points built around 11-of-21 field goals.

He was perfect six-for-six from the line and added eight assists against a single turnover. The guard out of Kentucky also had two steals in a solid game on both ends of the floor.

“Last game, I was kinda trying to find my way and get everybody involved,” Quickley said. “In this game, I’m kinda trying to do both but just a little bit more aggressive, help my teammates and be more of a leader.”

Quickley did much of the damage in the second half, dropping 23 points and six assists where the Knicks outscored the Pacers by 11 points.

Obi Toppin, who fed off Quickley’s point guard play, had another strong outing with 22 points and nine rebounds but had five turnovers.

Toppin started the game aggressively but a little bit out of control. He committed four of the Knicks’ 10 turnovers in the first quarter and missed three baskets around the rim, including a flubbed dunk in his first attempt. But once he got settled and played in the flow of things, the sophomore forward was a wrecking ball.

Two days after the Knicks lost to Atlanta Hawks in the first round, Quickley and Toppin were reportedly back in the gym.

“That’s what the Knicks culture is — working hard, enjoying the work, and getting better,” Quickley said. “We’re really excited for the Summer League team. We’re really excited for the next season. We just want to continue to get better and take the steps to move forward.”

The Knicks have prioritized getting Quickley more reps as a point guard in his first Summer League play. So far, the 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio had been impressive. He said he’s looking forward to soaking in more lessons from Derrick Rose and the newly acquired Kemba Walker.

Meanwhile, fan-favorite Jericho Sims stayed perfect in the NBA Summer League with an eight-point, nine-rebound effort. He was 4-for-4 from the field after going 6-for-6 in his debut. Sims, who signed a two-way deal reportedly for two years per Keith Smith of Spotrac, has been a revelation.

“He played phenomenal running the floor and catching lobs in traffic,” freelance NBA scout Tony Coleman told Empire Sports Media. “He’s playing solid defense on the other side of the ball. He’s definitely a steal in my humble opinion.”

Coleman is in Las Vegas for his scouting trip.

Meanwhile, Lithuanian guard Rokas Jokubaitis, the Knicks’ 36th pick, finally made his Knicks debut contributing three points and one assist in nine minutes.

Jokubaitis, a healthy DNP in the Knicks’ first game, was given more run this time than Luca Vildoza. Knicks Summer League coach Dice Yoshimoto even experimented with a three-guard lineup featuring Jokubaitis, Miles McBride, and Vildoza, who went scoreless in four minutes but managed to grab a rebound and one steal.

The Knicks’ first-round pick, Quentin Grimes, had another rough shooting game with six points on 2-for-10 shooting in almost 35 minutes. Matched against NBA Draft Day target Chris Duarte, Grimes committed five fouls. Duarte had a solid debut filling up the stats sheet with 14 points, two rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two shot blocks. The 24-year old Duarte played with so much poise and shot 4-of-8 from the field, including 3-for-7 from deep.

The Knicks’ other second-round pick, McBride, put an exclamation point to their win and his impressive game with a dunk.

With Thibodeau in attendance, McBride showed the toughness and tenacity that made the Knicks coach fall in love with his game. He scattered 14 points (5-of-7 from the field), three rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

On Wednesday, the Knicks will return to action against the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 pm ET on ESPN2.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo 

Obi Toppin, Jericho Sims electrify in Knicks’ first Summer League loss

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New York Knicks, Obi Toppin

New York Knicks couldn’t find their mark from the outside, but Obi Toppin and Jericho Sims provided the highlights in an 89-79 loss to the Toronto Raptors Sunday at the start of their NBA Summer League campaign in Las Vegas.

The Knicks shot an atrocious 7 for 40 from deep, with Immanuel Quickley and Toppin combining for 4-of-21 three-point shooting. Both incoming sophomore players were 1 for 5 from the floor in the opening quarter as the Knicks played catchup the rest of the way.

“I was very curious. So far, it’s been a great experience,” Toppin said after the game. “It would have been better if we got the W. We just didn’t lose but we learned today. We’ll learn from this and get better.”

Toppin’s confidence grew as the game went on as he got comfortable in a go-to guy role in their summer roster after languishing behind Julius Randle last season. He led the Knicks with 24 points, including a breakaway slam in the opening half. He added eight rebounds, a steal, and a block and finished the game on 10-of-21 shooting.

Jericho Sims jumped out of nowhere to steal the show among the Knicks rookies. His energy and athleticism led him to produce 12 points on a perfect 6 for 6 shooting on the floor. He was electric and a human highlight reel with his above-the-rim shots. The Knicks announced during the early moments of the game that Sims had been signed to a two-way contract. He can be with the Knicks next season up to a maximum of 50 games. The 58th overall pick added eight rebounds and one shot block for good measure.

Quickley pushed the pace after his slow start and had the Knicks within single digits, 83-74, on his three-pointer with 2:26 left. But the Raptors answered with back-to-back threes to put the game away.

Quickley played a game-high 37 minutes and collected 15 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and two steals as the primary point guard.

The Knicks’ first-round pick Quentin Grimes opened the game with a three-pointer and finished with nine points, all coming from beyond the arc. He was 3-for-11 overall and 3-of-8 from the three-point line. Miles McBride missed all his four attempts from 3 but scattered nine points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal while showing some toughness on both sides of the floor.

Luca Vildoza’s shooting slump from the Tokyo Olympics continued, but he drew a charge on his first defensive play and handed out three assists.

Lithuanian Rokas Jokubaitis did not see action, and Knicks Summer League coach Dice Yashimoto described him as situational. Barcelona only cleared him to play three games in Las Vegas. From the looks of it, he’s more likely a pick-and-stash with the Knicks prioritizing Vildoza before him.

The Knicks will return to action on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 pm ET on ESPN2.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

 

Knicks open NBA Summer League against Raptors

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The New York Knicks will showcase their young core in the 16th MGM Resorts NBA Summer League set to tip-off on August 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The NBA announced Wednesday that all of the 75 NBA Summer League games would air live on television on ESPN networks or NBA TV. Every game will also be available to stream on the ESPN App.

Barring any trades, the Knicks’ Summer League core will feature Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox, and newly-signed guard Luca Vildoza from Argentina and their draft picks. RJ Barrett could join them unless the Knicks hold him back to avoid injury. Former Kentucky big man Reid Travis, who went undrafted in 2019, will join the squad. Other free agents trying out for training camp spots will round up the team.

It will be the first NBA Summer League for Quickley and Toppin, as the league didn’t hold one last year due to the pandemic.

There is a big chance Vildoza can make it back to Las Vegas in time for the opening tip against the Toronto Raptors on August 8, as Argentina is in limbo in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Argentina lost its Olympics opener to Luka Doncic and Slovenia, 1118-110, where Vildoza scattered 11 points on 3-of-8 field goals, five assists, three rebounds, and three steals in 23 minutes of play.

As it stands, Argentina must win its next two games against Spain and host Japan to advance to the quarterfinals. If the Argentinians split their remaining two games, they have to end up as the top two third-place finishers among all groups. The quarterfinals will be played on August 3, followed by the semifinals two days later and medal matches on August 7.

Here’s the Knicks’ NBA Summer League broadcast schedule (all in Eastern Time):

Aug. 8 vs. Raptors 4:30 pm ESPN2

Aug. 11 vs. Lakers 10 pm ESPN2

Aug. 13 vs. Pistons 8 pm NBA TV

Aug. 14 vs. Cavs 8 pm NBA TV

Should the Knicks advance, they will play at least an additional game in the knockout-style playoffs on August 16. The NBA Summer League Finals will be played on August 17.

Fans who want to watch the games live can purchase tickets by visiting NBAEvents.com.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

WATCH: Knicks’ Immanuel Quickley details learning from Kevin Durant at Team USA camp

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Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks

When the New York Knicks drafted Immanuel Quickley with the 25th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, nobody anticipated the impact he would make this past season. As a 21-year-old guard, the hope was that Quickley showed enough offensive prowess to instill confidence for the future, but he ended up averaging nearly 20 minutes per game, scoring 11.4 points, 2.0 assists, and shooting nearly 40% from the field. From range, he also connected on 39% of the shots, attempting 4.7 per game.

For a player that CBS Sports gave a “D” grade to, Quickley proved the doubters wrong, showcasing he can be an adequate shooting guard at the next level.

Quickley played well enough to earn an invite to the USA Select Team this week as Team USA trains for the Olympics. Of course, the young guard has plenty to work on, gauging the opinions of some of the best players in the world.

The Kentucky product detailed asking Kevin Durant questions and simply spending time around great players:

One of Quickley’s biggest focuses this summer will be his mid-range shot, but he’s also working as a point guard during select team workouts and practices.

“I’m just trying to work on things that I didn’t necessarily show last year, which is my mid-range game, my pullup, creating for my teammates and consistently running a team,” Quickley said on Wednesday.

The New York Knicks will be ecstatic Immanuel is soaking in the wisdom:

One of the more exciting aspects of being a part of the Select Team gives him access to some of these amazing players, and he’s already secured separate workouts with Durant, as the Nets star told him they should work out together per Ian Begley of SNY.

Learning from the best will help Quickley tremendously, as he’s looking to take a step forward in his sophomore season. The Knicks have $50+ million to allocate in free agency this off-season, but Quickley remains an important part of their plans moving forward, and based on the success he showed in his rookie campaign, they anticipate him being a significant factor in one way or another next season. Quickley could end up being an elite option off the bench, offering instant offensive as a guard.

Quickley was coined last year as having unlimited range, pulling up from deep to connect on three-point shots. You don’t often see that type of confidence from 21-year-old players in their rookie season.

Knicks: What will Immanuel Quickley’s role be during the 2021-22 season?

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New York Knicks, Immanuel Quickley

When the New York Knicks drafted Immanuel Quickley out of Kentucky in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft (25th overall), nobody imagined he would be averaging 11.4 points per game and shooting nearly 40% from range in his rookie season.

Quickley emerged as a catalyst for the Knicks’ offense, and the team learned a sufficient amount regarding his usages and capitalizing on his strengths.

The Knicks weren’t the only team to notice his astronomical progression this past year, as both Quickley and eighth overall pick Obi Toppin will get summer reps against team USA in Las Vegas. Both were selected to the young USA Select Team that will help the Olympic roster train for the summer games in Tokyo.

The more reps, the better for both young players, but the 21-year-old guard will have an opportunity to train again some of the best players in the world, offering essential experience that should translate to next year.

However, the Knicks tried to force Quickley into a point guard role, and they may have found a more adequate solution for his services as a shooting guard. During his days at Kentucky, Quickley was an efficient shooter with the ability to draw defenders out of position, but the Knicks have the available funds to land an elite point guard without having to rely on Quickley, who is still learning how to be a facilitator.

With that being the case, head coach Tom Thibodeau should look to utilize Quickley as a pure shooter who can create off-the-dribble and hit shots from three-point. He was one of their more efficient shooters last year, so allowing him to operate in that zone should be a priority moving forward.

The Knicks enjoyed pairing Derrick Rose with Quickley, which proved to be a successful duo when the team needed instant offense. Both are quick and agile, and with Rose’s vision and IQ’s ability to score, they were able to beat defenders on the perimeter which also opened up space inside.

To give you an idea of how Immanuel played in his rookie season, he ranked first in perimeter shooting, and eighth in playmaking talent according to Bball Index (ranked among rookies).

Depending on how many additional players and positional groupings the Knicks upgrade this off-season, Quickley could be destined for life as a great sixth man or earn starting reps as a shooting guard. The issue with starting Quickley is that he lacks functional strength and size to play quality defense, which will likely carve into his minutes, especially with Thibodeau as a head coach.

What would you like Quickley’s role to be next season? Comment below!

Knicks: Birthday boy Immanuel Quickley headlines NBA All-Rookie Second Team

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New York Knicks, Immanuel Quickley

New York Knicks rookie Immanuel Quickley received a special gift on his 22nd birthday as the NBA announced on Thursday his inclusion in the All-Rookie selection.

Quickley headlined the NBA All-Rookie Second Team after a stellar play off the bench for the Knicks this season. The 25th overall pick came six points shy of making it to the All-Rookie First Team.

As expected, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, who was named the NBA Rookie of the Year, and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards were unanimously selected to the First Team. Joining them are Sacramento’s Tyrese Haliburton, Detroit’s Saddiq Bey, and Houston’s Jae’Sean Tate, who went undrafted in 2018 and played in Australia’s NBL with the Sydney Kings.

In what was a close race for the last spot in the All-Rookie First Team, Tate received 57 first-team votes and 40 second-team votes for a total of 154 points. On the other hand, Quickley totaled 148 points from 51 first-team votes and 46 second-team votes.

Tate posted the better all-around numbers (11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists in 29.2 minutes with a 51/31/70 shooting split) on the league’s worst team. But Quickley (11.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists in just 19.4 minutes with 40/39/89 shooting split) impacted winning as a spark plug off the bench for the Knicks who finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

The media voting panel selected five players for the NBA All-Rookie First Team and five players for the NBA All-Rookie Second Team at any position. Players received two points for each First Team vote and one point for each Second Team vote.

Joining Quickley in the All-Rookie Second Team are Memphis’ Desmond Bane, Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart, Cleveland’s Isaac Okoro, and Chicago’s Patrick Williams.

Meanwhile, the Knicks’ eighth overall pick Obi Toppin, who entered the season as one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year, did not receive any vote.

Toppin had a rough start to his NBA career playing sparingly behind the league’s Most Improved Player Julius Randle at the four-spot. But the Brooklyn native finished his rookie year strong with a solid play off the bench in the playoffs.

Below are the voting results for both the NBA All-Rookie teams.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks expected to showcase young core in NBA Summer League return

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Imagine Obi Toppin slamming an alley-oop pass from the New York Knicks’ new point guard prospect.

That could be a recurring highlight in August when the NBA Summer League makes its much-anticipated return.

Argentinian point guard Luca Vildoza and the duo of Immanuel Quickley and Toppin are expected to banner the Knicks in the NBA’s summer showcase that will feature the league’s draft picks and young prospects.

The 16th annual MGM Resorts NBA Summer League will take place Aug. 8-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the league announced on Wednesday.

All 30 teams will play five games apiece during the 10-day, 75-game event. After every team plays four games, the two teams with the best records from the first four games will meet in the finals on Aug. 17.

It will be Quickley and Toppin’s first NBA Summer League after the event was scrapped last year due to the pandemic. On the other hand, Vildoza will be fresh from his stint with the Argentina national team in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo which will run from July 23 to Aug. 8.

The Summer League will give Tom Thibodeau’s staff time to further evaluate the 25-year old Vildoza before they fully guarantee his 2021-22 salary by the start of next season.

“There’s a whole process that [Luca’s] going to have to go through so it’s going to be more of a summer thing. He’s got to go through a number of things to get cleared. That’s going to take time. We’ll take it step by step,” Thibodeau earlier said.

Unless they are moved in a package for a superstar, Quickley and Toppin are expected to play heavy minutes for the Knicks in the Summer League to fast-track their development.

The team’s draft picks will also be included in their Summer League roster. But the Knicks are not expected to have four rookies. New York Post’s Marc Berman earlier reported that the team is looking to bundle some, if not all, of their picks (Nos. 19 and 21, Nos. 32 and 58) to move up in the top-heavy Draft.

“Normally the Summer League is a dry run for training camp,” Thibodeau said back in December. “So it gives the guys an idea of what training camp looks like.”

Tickets for the NBA Summer League will go on sale on June 23 and the complete game and broadcast schedules will be announced at a later date.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo