kemba walker

Knicks’ Kemba Walker raves about togetherness of team and winning mentality

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immanuel quickley, rj barrett, new york knicks

The New York Knicks are on the right path toward becoming a more prominent team in the NBA after years of struggling. The 2020-21 season represented a shift in culture and mentality, aiding in the acquisition of several big names this off-season, including Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker.

Walker has expressed his excitement about joining the Knicks, his hometown club, after being raised in the Bronx. Walker has spent the last few seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics, eventually being bought out and finding his way back to New York.

Walker’s new team has welcomed him with open arms, and the veteran point guard has reciprocated his excitement. He’s noticed how his new teammates are focused on developing and establishing a winning mine said before the season begins.

“It’s been fun. Guys work hard. And these guys are really together … For the most part, the things that I’ve noticed is how guys pick each other up in practice.”

They say practice makes perfect, and the Knicks undoubtedly take that to another level with their intensity. All-Star power forward Julius Randle mentioned several days ago how the team has been scrimmaging before training camp began — exerting maximum effort to prepare themselves for a grueling 82 game season.

Walker raved about the emotions and feelings of being with the Knicks back in the city:

“Every team gives you sweatsuits and bags. My New York sweatsuit just hit a little bit different. I just feel like me being from here — like, I’m really, really from here. Born and raised in the Bronx, you know? So, it’s definitely just a little bit more special.”

Some of the younger players on the team are looking forward to working with Kemba and fellow veteran Derrick Rose. Rookie Quentin Grimes is ecstatic he will have two of the league’s most famous players at his fingertips to learn from and follow.

“Having two big-time veterans like that is going to be really big for my development”

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has done a great job bringing in talented players who can also act as mentors and leaders for the younger guys on the team.

Knicks: Tom Thibodeau explains why Kemba Walker will start over Derrick Rose

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knicks, kemba walker

On Wednesday, New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau confirmed that Kemba Walker would be the opening night starter.

Derrick Rose, an early Sixth Man of the Year favorite, will reprise his role as the second unit leader, giving the Knicks a solid point guard rotation they lacked last season.

“Pretty much [Kemba Walker will start]. I had an idea going in what we wanted to look at,” Thibodeau said on the second day of the training camp. “The one thing I feel very strongly about is that our second unit played very well together last year. So I want them to stay intact.”

“But that doesn’t mean it will stay that way. A lot of these guys are interchangeable. So yeah, they’re gonna play with both groups. And I’ve never really been concerned with who starts as much as I am with who finishes. So the guys who give us the best chance to win will gonna finish.”

The Knicks front office, led by team president Leon Rose, had assembled arguably the deepest roster that Thibodeau will handle since 2011 when he coached the MVP Rose-led Chicago Bulls to a 62-20 record on their way to the Eastern Conference Finals. That team featured a starting lineup consists of Rose, Keith Bogans, and Luol Deng as the constants while Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, Kurt Thomas, and Taj Gibson rotated in the starting frontline with CJ Watson, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, and Omer Asik coming off the bench.

Looking at this year’s Knicks depth chart, they resemble that depth or arguably even better in terms of a combination of talent, veteran leadership, and depth. This Knicks team is two to even three-deep in each position.

One of the Knicks’ strengths last season was their bench depth. The Rose trade proved to be a masterstroke that swung their playoff chances to their favor. The Knicks went 24-11 with Rose in the lineup.

Their bench scoring jumped from 23rd (33.9 points) to fifth in the league (39.7 points), per NBA stats tracking data, since acquiring Rose from Detroit in February.

According to Cleaning the Glass, the lineup of Rose, Quickley, Burks, Toppin, and Noel had a plus differential of +6.3 on a total of 78 possessions which ranked in the 85th percentile. That quickly jumped to +17.9 on a total of 252 possessions, ranked in the 99th percentile, when you swapped Noel with Gibson. A small sample of that second unit with Robinson in the middle had the biggest plus differential of +20.0 on 10 possessions, ranking in the 100th percentile.

Last season, there were times when the Knicks bench outplayed the starting lineup, which relied heavily on Randle. The addition of Walker and Fournier is expected to balance out a starting unit that was lacking in shot creation.

With Rose leading the way in the second unit and Quickley and Toppin expected to make a leap in their second year, Thibodeau hopes that continuity will lead to more productivity.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

RJ Barrett ready to become Knicks’ top perimeter defender

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knicks, rj barrett

RJ Barrett made a leap as a catch-and-shoot player last season. In Year 3, Barrett wanted to be known as a solid two-way player.

Someone has to step up after the New York Knicks lost their top perimeter defender in Reggie Bullock to the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason. Barrett is more than willing to pick up the slack.

“Being a two-way player is something that I’ve always strive for. Something that I want to do. It’s how I want to be known,” Barrett said Monday during the NBA Media Day. “So if coach [Tom Thibodeau] puts me in that position to be that guy guarding the [opposing team’s main] guy every night, I’m all for it. I’m up for the challenge. And I won’t back down.”

It’s also a pathway to reaching one of his other goals — becoming an All-Star in the league.

Last season, Barrett had shown he’s got what it takes to be a defensive force under Thibodeau’s defensive schemes. While everyone has been raving about Barrett’s remarkable shooting improvement (from 32 percent to a 40 percent three-point shooter), his tremendous improvement on defense got buried in the background.

Finally, Barrett’s stocky 6-foot-6 frame was put into good use that resulted in a 3.00 defensive real plus-minus (DRPM), according to ESPN stats. It was the third-highest DRPM among shooting guards behind Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George (3.89) and Miami Heat’s Duncan Robinson (3.45).

DRPM is the player’s estimated on-court impact on team defensive performance, measured in points allowed per 100 defensive possessions.

Barrett had a -2.68 DRPM during his rookie year, which ranked near the bottom (132nd) in his position.

For comparison, Bullock averaged 3.74 DRPM, the second-best among all small forwards behind Brooklyn Nets’ Joe Harris (4.00) last season.

The Knicks’ projected starting lineup will have Barrett at the wings, joining their new backcourt of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier and a frontline of Julius Randle and Nerlens Noel (while Mitchell Robinson will be eased back into the rotation).

Barrett has the defensive edge over Fournier, who only registered 0.16 DRPM last season, which ranked 32nd. In 2019, Fournier had a slightly better DRPM (0.27). Based on this statistic alone, it’s pretty apparent Barrett will take the most challenging defensive job on most nights.

Offensively, Barrett blossomed into Randle’s Robin to his Batman last season, averaging 17.6 points on 14.7 shot attempts per game. That could take a hit with the arrival of Walker and Fournier. But Barrett also sees this as an opportunity for him to get more open looks which could result in better efficiency. 

Barrett referenced something he saw on Twitter that read like ‘RJ Barrett going to the lane this year,’ and he would be left wide open as an immediate effect of Walker and Fournier’s addition to the team.

“It’s basically how I think it’s gonna be — more attention on other people. All of us can really play. So everyone’s gonna get an opportunity,” he said.

With more space to work on, Barrett projects to take to another leap offensively.

He has worked on his off the bounce game this summer under his trainer Drew Hanlen who has helped develop some of the league’s top wings like Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum.

“Really, I was just working on my shooting, working on threes and certain shots that I need to be able to hit. So yeah, just being able to kind of recreate what I did last year and add on to that,” Barrett said.

Walker and Fournier made the Knicks a deeper team this year. But Barrett also noted that other teams had gotten better.

Chicago Bulls reloaded with Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan. Miami Heat added Kyle Lowry. Boston Celtics re-acquired Al Horford. Three teams that the Knicks leapfrogged last season.

The Knicks were able to address their holes — especially their point guard woes which plagued them when Elfrid Payton was unplayable down the stretch, and the heavy minutes took their toll on Derrick Rose’s body late in the playoffs.

Walker and Fournier could be the Knicks’ answer to their most pressing need, which is more shot creation to an offense that stalled in the playoffs.

“I think it’s great. We really have a team. We have a lot of weapons. That’s what you need,” Barrett said of Fournier and Walker’s signings. “Every night is gonna be different, there’s somebody contributing in a different way. I’m very excited.”

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Kemba Walker reveals his first impression on Knicks All-Star Julius Randle

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New York Knicks, Julius Randle

Last season, Kemba Walker was from the outside looking in as he watched Julius Randle grew into an NBA All-Star and an All-NBA player for the New York Knicks.

The last three weeks confirmed what he already thought all along.

“My first impressions were that he loves being in the gym,” Walker said Monday during the NBA Media Day. “You can tell. You can always tell when somebody’s living in the gym and working on their games because he improved so much, overall, like his game was just on the money last season. It’s pretty exciting to watch, actually.”

“You love to see guys who just get better. He’s one of those guys who just really turned it on. I’m looking forward to being out there with him.”

After a disappointing first year with the Knicks, Randle took a historic leap last season, averaging career-highs in points (24.1), rebounds (10.2), assists (6.0), 3-point percentage (41.1%), and free throw percentage (81.1%). He became the first Knick to win the Most Improved Player award since its inception in 1985.

Randle also joined Larry Bird (1984-85) as the only players in NBA history to average 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists per game while also shooting 40% from deep in a single season.

Randle was rewarded with a $117 million, four-year extension that could become a bargain if he continues to improve over the life of that contract.

Along with Evan Fournier, Walker was brought in to ease the heavy load Randle carried last season. Tom Thibodeau banked heavily on Randle, who led the league in minutes playing a league-high 2,667 minutes (37.6 per game) in 71 games, sitting out only one game during the pandemic-shortened regular season.

While Walker was building on his lower body’s strength at the Knicks’ practice facility these past three weeks, he saw firsthand why Randle had accomplished those feats and became the face of the Knicks’ resurgence last season.

“I love the way he carries himself,” Walker said. “He goes super hard. He works super hard. He’s a leader, which I love. And I’m kinda trying to help him in that aspect as well. He’s just a dog. You love being around guys like that. I’m looking forward to adding to his intensity and his passion and love for the game.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks’ Derrick Rose details who will be the starting point guard to open the season

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New York Knicks, NYK

The New York Knicks have decided who their starting point guard will be, according to Derrick Rose, who signed a three-year, $43.5 million extension this off-season. Rose indicated that newly acquired point guard Kemba Walker would be the starter to open the year, but the veteran will do whatever it takes to contribute and help the team win games.

“He’s starting,” Rose said to reporters on Monday. “He’s starting and I’m doing whatever it takes to change the game. I’m not worried about minutes, playing time or anything like that. I know Thibs is going to handle that.”

Walker signed a two-year, $17.9 million deal with the Knicks this off-season after a buyout with the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder. Last season, Walker played in just 43 games with a knee injury that has continuously bothered him over the past few seasons.
Walker, who is making his return to MSG after spending the last 10 seasons in Charlotte and Boston, averaged 19.3 points, 4.9 assists, and shot 42% from the field last year. Curating a balancing act between Walker and Rose is likely for head coach Tom Thibodeau, who will try to mitigate fatigue for both players.

The Knicks have a great plan in place at one of their most important positions:

Ultimately, if the team can maintain their health, they will have a fantastic duo at the PG position, just one year after featuring Elfred Payton as the primary starter to open the season. Rose can be a solid contributor off the bench at nearly 33-years-old, as he contributed 14.9 points, 4.2 assists, and shot 48.7% from the field last season over 35 games. Running the second-team offense will give Rose more youth to work around, but don’t be surprised to see him featuring with Julius Randle and RJ Barrett on the floor frequently.
After Rose coined Kemba as the starter, the new acquisition was taken aback by his comments. Walker explained how big a fan he is of Derrick and how winning is the primary goal this upcoming season, whether he’s starting or not.
“I mean, I wouldn’t know about that. I don’t know yet, but that’s pretty cool,” Walker said. “For me, I’ve always been a huge D Rose fan. Regardless, starting, not starting, whatever, it doesn’t even matter. I just want to win. To have a guy like him, a former MVP, a guy who’s been through it all. To be on the same team as him is really special for me.
Kemba also explains how Rose is one of the biggest reasons he elected to come to New York, making the veteran point guards extension that much more important.
“D Rose is one of the biggest reasons I came here. I wanted to be around him, wanted to get a chance to see how he prepares himself every day. Just really get a chance to pick his brain as best as I can while I’m here.”

Knicks: Randle believes Walker-Fournier addition makes them more versatile

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The New York Knicks have supercharged their offense with the acquisition of four-time All-Star Kemba Walker and Frenchman gunner Evan Fournier.

Walker and Fournier are essentially replacing the ineffective Elfrid Payton and the Knicks’ top perimeter defender but limited offensive player Reggie Bullock.

Payton has since hooked up with the Phoenix Suns while Bullock jettisoned to the Dallas Mavericks.

In theory, the Walker-Fournier tandem that played beautiful music together, albeit briefly, in Boston, is bringing more offensive punch that was sorely lacking when they fell to the Atlanta Hawks, 4-1, in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Walker and Fournier had a combined average of 36.4 points and close to 10 assists last season, a huge upgrade compared to the 21 points and close to five assists that the Payton-Bullock provided in the previous season.

When healthy, Walker is one of the better point guards in the league. A maestro in pick-and-roll who packs a deadly pull-up game and a decent outside shot (36-percent three-point shooter in his career), Walker will command the respect of the defense, which Payton never had last season.

Meanwhile, Fournier is a more dynamic playmaker and shot-creator in the wings that the catch-and-shoot specialist Bullock will never become.

Their addition is expected to lessen the offensive burden on Knicks’ All-NBA second team forward Julius Randle, who was shackled in the playoffs.

“It means a lot. Those guys are, obviously, very versatile players. They can do a lot of different things on the court. They can really shoot the ball. I’m excited about that. I think they are gonna make us more talented,” Randle said in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. 

While the Knicks have addressed their glaring weakness on offense which was exposed in the playoffs, the perception around the league is that the Knicks’ top-four defense (107.8 defensive rating) would take a hit.

Payton ranked fourth among point guards in ESPN’s defensive real-plus minus with 2.5 DRPM (DRPM is the player’s estimated on-court impact on team defensive performance, measured in points allowed per 100 defensive possessions). Walker was ranked 30th with -0.30 DRPM.

Bullock was the second-best among all small forwards with 3.74 DRPM behind Brooklyn Nets’ Joe Harris (4.00 DRPM). Fournier ranked 26th among shooting guards with 0.16 DRPM, with RJ Barrett at third with 3.00 DRPM. Barrett is expected to slide to small forward and replace Bullock as the Knicks’ top perimeter defender.

“With Reggie, Elfrid, and all those guys, what they brought to our team was tremendous,” Randle said. So, obviously, [Walker and Fournier] gonna add a lot of offensively for us. But for us, as a team, our main thing has to be the main thing. And that is we come in every night and play with tremendous energy and defend. So as long as we do that, we’ll be fine.”

There is no doubt that the reigning NBA Coach of the Year, Tom Thibodeau, will not let their vaunted defense dip. Collectively, the Knicks are still one of the best defensive teams on paper with the re-signing of Nerlens Noel and the return of Mitchell Robinson from injury.

With more shooting and talent around him this time, Randle worked on his rim attacking and off the bounce game this summer with his trainer Tyler Relph as he expects less double team.

“I think we’ll see great improvement so we just have to make sure that we’re coming in locked in and play defense, get stops because the rest of the league doesn’t like doing that. Offensively, honestly, that’s really the easy part,” Randle said.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Grading the Knicks’ NBA 2K22 Ratings: Are they accurate?

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knicks

With the release of NBA 2K22 last Friday, we finally have our first look at the 2021-22 New York Knicks roster in 2K. This also means that Miles McBride and Quentin Grimes are playable for the first time ever. Let’s dive into these ratings and see if 2K got it right.

The Ratings

Julius Randle, 87

Can’t really complain about this one. Coming off the best season of his career where he won Most Improved Player(MIP), Randle has earned his place among the top ratings in the Eastern Conference. He should probably be at an 88 or an 89, but his performance in last year’s playoffs definitely played a factor in this year’s rating.

Grade: B

RJ Barrett, 83

This one was really surprising. Not because of how he isn’t higher, but because 2K finally decided to show RJ some respect. 83 is honestly a really great jumping-off point this upcoming season for the 21-year-old. The rating isn’t too low or too high, it’s perfect.

Grade: A

Kemba Walker, 83

Unsurprisingly, this is the lowest rating Walker has had since NBA 2K16. The 5-time All-Star had one of the worst seasons of his career last year and looks to bounce back on his hometown team. His dynamic scoring and playmaking abilities could transform the Knicks’ offense, leading to a ratings boost down the line. However, whether it be from his knee issues or just a regression of his skills, there is also a chance 83 isn’t the lowest we see his rating throughout the year.

Grade: A-

Derrick Rose, 83

After a terrific playoff series against the Hawks last season, D-Rose earned this 83 rating. Although he’s tied for the 2nd highest rating on the team, the former MVP will be coming off the bench this season. Look for him to make a real run at 6th Man of the Year and for this rating to stay pretty much the same all season.

Grade: A

Mitchell Robinson, 80

There’s no question about it: When the 7’0 Robinson is healthy, there are not many other players in the league who can match his level of athleticism and energy. However, he’s coming off multiple injuries, the latter of which saw him miss the final 26 games of the regular season, including the series against the Hawks. If he’s able to stay healthy, there’s little-to-no chance that this rating stays the same. For now, it does make sense after not playing half of last season.

Grade: B+

Evan Fournier, 79

This is the first one that’s way off. 2k has had a tendency in the past to underrate guards/wings that can score in a multitude of ways. Any guard they perceive to not be able to defend well and not have playmaking abilities will have a hard time getting a rating over 80, especially if they play for the Knicks. This one just doesn’t make sense, though. It could be due to the fact that the devs may have been taking his stats with Boston into account too much. Before his trade to the Celtics, Fournier was putting up almost 20 PPG in only 30 minutes per game. Fournier is at least an 82, maybe even an 83. The intangibles he brings on offense, including his shooting and finishing skills, are better than any other 79 in the game. This rating isn’t accurate at all.

Grade: F

Immanuel Quickley, 78

As one of the biggest steals in the 2020 NBA Draft, Quickley improved his rating from a 71 last year all the way up to a 79 by the end of the year. This is why this rating doesn’t really do it for me. To drop down a point after an entire offseason doesn’t make much sense. We’ll see how it unfolds for the second year from Kentucky, but there’s little doubt that he improves enough to get this rating over 80 by the playoffs.

Side note, Quickley is REALLY good at NBA2K.

Grade: C

Nerlens Noel, 78

As the defensive anchor of the Knicks throughout the final stretch of last season that culminated in the team making the playoffs for the first time in 8 years, Noel proved that he wasn’t your average backup center. Defensively, Noel is an incredibly reliable option off the bench. However, his offensive woes will always hamper any rating he’ll ever get from 2K.

Grade: A-

Obi Toppin, 76

If it weren’t for the competency and confidence shown by Obi Toppin at the end of the season last year, there’s a chance he’s nowhere near the 76 that he finds himself right now. The potential is clearly there, but will he find the ability to become more offensively dynamic? Only time will tell. But until we see him take a big leap, the rating he currently holds will stay the same.

The Rest:

Taj Gibson, 76

Kevin Knox, 72

Quentin Grimes, 71

Luca Vildoza, 71

Dwayne Bacon, 71

Miles McBride, 70

Overall, the Knicks have a team rating of 83, which is the highest rating they’ve had since NBA 2K14.

Knicks reunion among Carmelo Anthony’s options during free agency

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New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony

After the Portland Trail Blazers moved on from him, Carmelo Anthony considered a reunion with the New York Knicks.

In Chris Hayne’s podcast on Monday, Anthony revealed that moving back to New York was among his options in the free agency before the Los Angeles Lakers offer came along.

“It was (hard) because I had just moved and bought a house in New York, Anthony said. “It was unexpected. My son starts school (today) in New York. So it was like, I’m here, I’m home. I never expected the Lakers to call.”

While Anthony said he’s been spending summertime in Los Angeles for more than a decade now, moving his family there never crossed his mind.

Anthony, a Brooklyn native, spent some of his prime years with the Knicks and led the team to the playoffs in 2013.

The Lakers were the Knicks’ rivals during their two championship runs in the 70s. The spotlights of Broadway and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood made them the two biggest markets in the NBA.

“I don’t know if I was ready to do that because that’s a big shift. When you wear the purple and gold, that’s different. Even in New York, when you wear the blue and orange, that’s blood. That runs deep. It’s the same way as the purple and gold. It’s just at different sides of the country,” Anthony said.

Anthony said he was in constant communication with Portland’s stars Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. He was waiting for the Trail Blazers’ call that never came. So he thought he’d move back to the east coast.

“I made [Portland] almost like a home for me. Within two years, I felt like I was a part of that community,” Anthony said. “New York was always there. Coming back to New York was always a story. I’ve always told my son when he goes to high school, I’ll be right there with you. The New York thing made sense.”

Anthony would have added more firepower to the Knicks’ bench that already has Derrick Rose and the pair of electrifying sophomores Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.

Aside from the Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans also showed interest.

“I didn’t really get a chance to really converse with Philly, but there was interest there,” Anthony said.

He then revealed that Philadelphia’s stars Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris reached out to him, but he never had the chance to talk to them as the Lakers scooped him up before the Sixers did.

The opportunity to chase a ring with his good friend LeBron James and Anthony Davis was too good to pass up, but it was never an easy decision.

“Having a great chance to win [was what made me decide to join the Lakers]. It took me some days to really like sit down and kind of break it down and really dig deep into making that decision,” Anthony said.

“To most people, it probably would have been an easy decision to make. But to me, it wasn’t. I really have to align a lot of things and put things in order for things to work out, for me to feel comfortable to be away from my family for another year and the kids not being there. People don’t understand that part. That’s the hardest part. The basketball (part) is easy.”

Anthony was linked to the Knicks when his former agent Leon Rose became the team’s president. But the former Knicks star said the interest wasn’t mutual.

“At this point, it wasn’t really a lot [of consideration],’’ Anthony said in the summer of 2020. “The Knicks were making moves and were trying to figure out the direction they wanted to go in. They weren’t done making moves. I’m sure they have a plan. I don’t think me coming in and trying to mess their plan up was good for either party.”

“They are rebuilding and figuring out what’s in their near future. It was me personally wanting to be part of a situation I was already comfortable with. I just finished playing with these guys two, three months ago. I felt it was the right fit at this point of time where I’m at right now this particular year.’’

Then the Knicks made a surprising run to the playoffs and have positioned themselves to make another serious run this season with the addition of four-time All-Star Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier.

What a difference a year makes.

The Knicks suddenly became an attractive destination to Anthony again until Hollywood pulled him away from home.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks: Two versions of Kemba Walker result in feast or famine

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knicks, kemba walker

The New York Knicks are entrusting the point guard position with veterans Derrick Rose and Kemba Walker for the 2021-22 season and beyond. After rolling with Elfred Payton as the primary starter last year, it was imperative they upgraded this off-season, spending a good portion of their salary space on the two players.

Walker, however, signed a two-year, $17.9 million deal, which is a fantastic contract from the team’s perspective. They land a potential All-Star caliber player at minimum cost who could be the difference between winning and losing in the postseason.

Even Boston Celtics general manager Brad Stevens admitted it was difficult to trade Walker given his qualities, but it made sense for the team to clear salary space and move forward.

In an appearance on WEEI’s Ordway, Merloni and Fauria in support of the Jimmy Fund, Brad Stevens opened up about the difficulty of trading Kemba Walker:

“Trading Kemba right off the bat was not fun, was not an easy thing to do,” Stevens told the hosts. “But obviously the opportunity to get Al back and some of the things it opened up the opportunity to do as we try to build toward the future, it was just part of it.

The risk-reward margin for the Knicks significantly favors them, but there are two versions of Walker that could present themselves next season, vastly impacting the team scoring production and consistency.

On one side, Walker is extremely injury-prone, playing just 43 games last year and 56 games the year before. He averaged 19.3 points, 4.9 assists, and shot 42% from the field, his lowest mark since 2014 with Charlotte. During the first half of the season, Walker struggled considerably to get going, but after his knee enjoyed a bit of rest and recovery, his production improved drastically.

When looking at his field goals made unassisted, his total dropped to 60.6% last season, hitting a career-high in 2017 at 71.9%. He has witnessed a slow decrease in creating opportunities for himself ever since the injury became more significant. In fact, he posted a career-low 73.2% unassisted rate from two-point field goals, indicating a reduction of playmaking and versatility.

Building on Walker’s intriguing statistical fluctuations, one category that saw a huge uptick was his total points from 3-point range. Walker scored 46% of his total points from beyond the arc last season, the second-highest rate in his career, only lower than his 2019-20 campaign. This would suggest that the former Celtic take on a bigger role as a sharp-shooter, but one that receives assists rather than dishes them out. His 3-PT shots made via assists rose to 55%, his highest since 2015, which could increase even further with players like Julius Randle controlling the interior and kicking out shots. He hit 36% of his 3-PT shots on 8.2 attempts per game, a solid success rate.

With a full off-season to rehabilitation and strengthening his knee, the Knicks expect him to come back full strength, but also have a plan in place to mitigate fatigue throughout the year. This is where Derrick Rose comes in to play, as the Knicks extended him on a three-year contract this offseason. Rose played in 35 games with the Knicks, averaging 14.9 points and 4.2 assists. He was one of the primary reasons they were able to make the postseason and became the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

With a contingency plan put in place, allowing Kemba to rest appropriately to keep his knee healthy, the strategy should provide him with the necessary tools to have a good season. The negative version reveals itself as an injury-prone player that is incapable of playing consistent minutes and building continuity and consistency with his new team. Luckily, the front office also invested in Luka Vildoza and Miles McBride, and I would be remiss not to mention Immanuel Quickley playing point guard during Summer League play. They have plenty of talent to supplement any losses.

Nonetheless, if Walker can present himself as an All-Star caliber player at a position of weakness in the past for New York, the entire team will be elevated, which is what they are betting on with a two-year contract.

Predicting the Knicks’ 2nd team combination ahead of 2021-22 season

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new york knicks, immanuel quickley, obi toppin

The New York Knicks starting five is likely set ahead of the 2021-22 season, with the exception of Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose likely interchanging spots. However, the second team combination could go several different directions, but ideally, head coach Tom Thibodeau will look to get some of his younger pieces on the floor who can contribute immediately.

While rookies Miles McBride and Quentin Grimes looked good during Summer League play, it is unlikely they earn ample minutes this upcoming season, rather featuring on the third team or in garbage time.

Let’s take a look at what the second unit could look like and what each player’s role will be.

Projected 2nd team combination:

PG: Derrick Rose

As stated above, Rose and Walker could interchange spots on a nightly basis. However, the expectation is that Walker will get the majority of starting minutes, but Rose could shift in shortly after to mitigate fatigue.

The veteran point guard averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 assists, and shot nearly 49% from the field. There’s no question he can help some of the younger pieces on the team elevate their play and develop during live action. The drop-off from Walker to Rose isn’t significant, giving the Knicks consistent PG play throughout games.

SF: Alec Burks

Burks ended up being one of the more surprising players last season. Signing a three-year extension, Burks wan’t only clutch in the fourth quarter but averaged 12.7 points, 4.6 assists, and shot 41.5% from the three-point line. His value off the bench is essential to the Knicks’ long-term success, as he contributes instant offense and spaces the floor exceptionally well. At 29-years-old, he will have a key spot off the bench and can supplement multiple positions, including shooting guard and small forward.

PF: Obi Toppin

With Julius Randle starting at power forward, Obi Toppin will have a tough time earning minutes. Randle doesn’t come off the floor very often, as he played in 71 games last year and averaged 37.6 minutes per game. Given an NBA game has 48 minutes, that is 10 extra minutes to spare where Toppin can make an impact. He has been working diligently to improve his shooting and isolation moves this off-season after averaging just 4.1 points last year. If he can improve his defense, Thibodeau will have more trust with him on the floor.

SG: Immanuel Quickley

The Knicks will obviously be looking to find ways to include Immanuel Quickley in their game plan. Quickley spent the off-season playing point guard with the Summer League team. During his rookie campaign, he averaged 11.4 points, 2.0 assists and shot an impressive 39% from three-point range. He’s also an 89% free-throw shooter, offering consistency in multiple categories. The likelihood is that Quickley features in a shooting guard role, but he has the potential to be a long-term solution at point guard after the contracts of Rose and Walker expire in two years.

The Knicks loved the combination of Rose and Quickley last season, so expect to see plenty more of that duo moving forward.

C: Nerlens Noel

The Knicks reassured Noel that he would have the opportunity to compete for starting minutes alongside Mitchell Robinson. After Robinson went down with a fractured foot and hand last season, Noel stepped into his position valiantly. While he doesn’t offer much as a scoring center, he was phenomenal on the boards, averaging 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, a career-high.

I anticipate that Robinson will start out of the gate, given his ability to guard the perimeter and down low with physicality. Noel has great anticipation but lacks the functional strength to defend against some power forwards and scoring centers in the low-post. He will likely feature on the second team, where he can still make an impact daily.