Leon Rose

Windhorst: ‘Scott Perry will be around Knicks longer’

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New York Knicks

New York Knicks general manager Scott Perry started the NBA season on shaky ground. But along with Julius Randle and the Knicks’ rise, Perry is believed to have found his solid footing on the new regime.

ESPN’s NBA Insider Brian Windhorst posited on his podcast that Knicks team president Leon Rose would retain Perry on Tuesday.

“Scott Perry only got a one-year contract extension,” Windhorst said on Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast.

“I think someone should want to hire him,” his guest, ESPN’s The Jump host Ramona Shelburne replied.

“I’ll get in trouble for saying this because it will get aggregated, but I hear Scott Perry will be around the Knicks longer,” said Windhorst. “He will be. I hear it is all going to be worked out.”

Perry is a remnant of the Steve Mills era. But he’s not at all a stranger to the new regime. He has prior connections with the Knicks’ current team executive vice president and Rose’s senior advisor William Wesley.

The two executives have known each other since Perry’s days with the Detroit Pistons in the early 2000s. Wesley has become an influential figure in the Pistons’ locker room, being Rip Hamilton’s confidant and a close friend of coach Larry Brown.

While Perry was there, he helped the Pistons build a consistent playoff roster that went to the Eastern Conference Finals six times and won an NBA championship in 2004 under Brown.

Before this season, Perry’s future with the team was murky.

But to Perry’s credit, as Shelburne discussed on the Windhorst’s podcast, he was responsible for pivoting quickly to Randle after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving spurned the Knicks.

Perry locked up Randle to a team-friendly deal, and his gamble paid off.

Randle has emerged as an All-Star this season, leading the surprising Knicks to the playoffs for the first time in eight years. He is the favorite to win the Most Improved Player of the Year and a cinch to be selected in one of the three All-NBA teams at the end of the season.

Perry has also stuck to his guns during the 2019 NBA Draft picking RJ Barrett with the third overall pick despite some quarters in the Knicks organization wanting to trade down and pick up additional draft assets in return.

After an All-Rookie Team snub last season, Barrett bounced back and has added an outside shot to his developing all-around game that has become vital in Knicks’ success this season.

He also signed Reggie Bullock and Marcus Morris and flipped him for a first-round pick that eventually became Immanuel Quickley.

Perry was also responsible for drafting Mitchell Robinson in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft and locking him up to a team-friendly contract. But he also had his shares of misses, like picking Kevin Knox over Mikal Bridges, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Michael Porter, Jr, and hiring Dave Fizdale over Mike Budenholzer.

Before coming to New York in 2017, Perry also had stints with Orlando — where he drafted Victor Oladipo, Aaron Godron, current Knick Elfrid Payton, former Knick Mario Hezonja, — and the Kings after his first stop in Detroit.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Julius Randle owes Knicks new regime: ‘They saved me’

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new york knicks, tom thibodeau

Julius Randle had just one of the worst games of his career — eight points on 4-for-13 shooting in 27 minutes.

It was a nightmarish start to the Julius Randle era in New York as the Knicks plunged into a 1-6 record after a 113-92 beating at the hands of the Sacramento Kings. They trailed by as many as 32.

Randle expected it to be tough. He knew what he signed up for. But the pain hit him differently when his first season with the Knicks began to unravel.

The weight of the expectation that came with the $63 million worth of three-year contract he just signed a few months earlier is starting to pull him down.

On that night of November 3, 2019, the seed of what is shaping up to be one of the most memorable seasons in the Knicks’ franchise history was planted.

Randle was wallowing in pain in a restaurant somewhere in Manhattan. Then his phone rang. It was his agent, Aaron Mintz from the Creative Artists Agency.

Randle picked up the call. A few moments later, Mintz, along with his CAA associates Leon Rose and Wesley William, more famously known as ‘World Wide Wes,’ sat on the table listening to Randle’s ranting.

Kenny Payne, Randle’s coach and confidant at the University of Kentucky, was also there that night as the Wildcats were in town set to play the Michigan State University a couple of nights later in The Garden.

“They’re like picking me up because I was down,” Randle recalled that night on ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast.

They quizzed Randle.

The former Los Angeles Lakers lottery pick was already tired of losing. He hadn’t been to the playoffs in his first five years in the league up to that point.

“What is it that you see? What are you feeling? What’s going on?”

The season has just begun. But it felt like an exit interview.

Randle poured out his heart to Rose and co. He was complaining about a lot of things that’s been bothering him on his new team.

“Wes really took it to heart,” Randle said. “Honestly, they saved me.”

Four months later, Rose became the Knicks’ new team president. Wesley and Payne soon followed.

With that heart-to-heart talk back in November still fresh on Wesley’s mind, he called up Randle.

“What do you need to become an All-Star? What do you need to lead this team,” Wesley asked Randle.

“One of the things that I really told him is [that] I need a coach who will hold me accountable, a coach who will push me,” Randle said.

Enter Tom Thibodeau, a no-nonsense coach who has built a winning culture founded on accountability everywhere he went but whose reputation has been hit because of the same demanding, old-school style.

But Randle and Thibodeau hit it off. It was a match made in heaven. Thibodeau was effusive in his praise. Randle used the past season debacle as his fuel. He reported to Thibodeau’s minicamp with his motor running on fumes.

“I really think that’s where me and Thibs, from the very beginning, hit it off,” Randle said. “He saw how serious I am about my craft. I know that’s how he is. He’s serious about his craft. He loves basketball. I love basketball. I want to get better. I want to improve. I want to be coached.”

Then Randle turned from being New York’s most unwanted to most beloved. The city craved for a star. Randle became one.

All because of his maniacal work ethic that perfectly matched with Thibodeau’s demanding style and culture of accountability.

“For me, it’s about winning. In this league, you have a lot of freedom in certain situations. One of the things I did last summer when the season was over was to look at my tapes. I didn’t want to,” Randle said.

He begrudgingly watched his tapes last season. It was painful to watch. But it was the only way to effect real change. You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.

”You look and see you’re getting away with things that you shouldn’t get away with,” Randle said. “Or you’re not being coached the way you should be as far as pushing me. And that’s what I told Leon, and that’s what I told Wes — I want a coach that’s really going to hold us all accountable for every night that we stepped out there on the court, that winning is the most important thing.”

That’s Thibodeau’s tenet. Winning is everything.

“That’s really what this team is all about. That no matter what’s going on throughout the season, whatever it’s thrown at us — injuries, tough schedule — we always found a way to win.

Randle and the Knicks went through hell.

From the long nights where he heard boos every time his spin moves turned into turnovers to the best nights of his life hearing chants of M-V-P at The Garden, Randle has come a long way.

Fate has a funny way of writing destiny. And Randle can circle back to that one fateful night in November.

“It just really came full circle,” Randle said. A year ago, at that start of the season, it was tough. A lot of things in the league are about opportunity and that kind of stuff. It really came together — coaching, opportunity, and the team and how we believe in each other, and how Thibs has everybody buying in.”

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

New York Knicks’ quiet NBA trade deadline reflects newfound stability

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The New York Knicks approached the trade deadline the same way they did in the offseason. They operated with silence and guided by prudence.

For the first time in a long while, the Knicks roster has chemistry. Their overachieving group, which currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 23-22 slate, reflects the stability in the Knicks hierarchy.

“Leon and his staff did an unbelievable job,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said in the aftermath of a quiet NBA trade deadline for the Knicks. “There’s a plan that was really well thought out. There were a number of possible opportunities and I thought they were really disciplined. We love the team we have. So it worked out well for us.”

Unlike his predecessors, Rose, the unassuming president of the most magnified NBA franchise, has successfully kept himself from a media firestorm.

But don’t mistake their silence for passiveness.

The Knicks did entertain and were active on calls. But even when there were tempting talents within their reach, Rose and co. showed restraint. It’s a refreshing change for a franchise that has long been known for knee-jerk reactions and irrational actions.

“For us, it’s building the foundation by going step by step. If something can help us, we’ll consider it and we did but it was very well executed. So I’m very pleased with that,” Thibodeau said.

They were linked to Evan Fournier, who eventually went to Boston Celtics for two second-round picks. The Knicks could have had him. But they stuck with their guns as Alec Burks continue to flourish and Reggie Bullock providing defense and outside shooting. Both players are outplaying their contracts and have cemented their spots in Thibodeau’s rotation.

When the Knicks are healthy, it’s tough to insert Fournier, who will have to learn and adjust to Thibodeau’s system while also thinking of his next contract.

Lonzo Ball was also on their radar, and the Knicks were active in the negotiation table until the 11th hour, Ian Begley of SNY reported. No deal was made. Perhaps it was too rich for their blood. But Ball will certainly get an offer from the Knicks in his upcoming restricted free agency.

Rose chose their present team chemistry over altering their DNA that might pose a risk to their team’s upward trajectory.

The Knicks only made one minor move: picking up two more future second-round picks for a couple of players out of their rotation. They dealt Austin Rivers and Ignas Brazdeikis in a three-team trade with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Oklahoma City Thunder that netted them Terrance Ferguson and Frenchman Vincent Poirier, who was waived, along with the additional draft capital.

Rivers became the ambassador of goodwill for the Knicks at the beginning of the season. And for a while, his run with rookie Immanuel Quickley in the second unit’s backcourt was fun. Too bad, the “Quivers” didn’t last long. Some good things never last.

Rivers fell out of the rotation once Derrick Rose, the former MVP, and a Thibodeau favorite, arrived.

“It didn’t work out. We have a situation in which we have a number of players and we didn’t have injuries. There was a period when we were shorthanded and I thought Austin played well. He’s been a good player in the league,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously, we wish him well and we’ll go from there.”

The Knicks still have a cap space of nearly $15 million which they can use until the next Draft but cannot carry over to next season. Or they can use it right now to sign a free agent to fill up the roster spot vacated by Poirier.

They can make a run at Andre Drummond or sign any player from the free-agent market. Whatever the Knicks decide to do with their remaining cap space, expect that decision to be guided by prudence, a hallmark of Rose’s leadership.

On the day the Knicks were frantically taking and making calls, Thibodeau was in and out of their war room checking out on every possible Knicks trade while preparing his team for a rematch with the Washington Wizards later that night.

His mind was divided. But his heart wasn’t.

“Leon is very inclusive. Everyone has a voice and that’s all you could ask for. But I really respect and admire the discipline to follow the plan and to weigh everything out and determine if it makes sense or not,” Thibodeau said. “For us, it’s building the foundation by going step by step. If something can help us, we’ll consider it and we did but it was very well executed. So I’m very pleased with that.”

Thibodeau knew in his heart that he has the team that he can go to war with. The Knicks have the lowest payroll, but they have managed to stay in the middle of the pack of the bunched-up Eastern Conference.

Thibodeau did not say it directly but reading between his lines. He fought for this team to remain intact. He fell in love with this team, whose effort reflects his hard-nosed coaching.

“Their willingness to commit to play for each other, sacrifice to put the team first, come in every day. We know we have a long way to go. It will require more commitment and more sacrifices and more fight because you can see how bunched everyone is. You need some good fortune but you also need the willingness to play as a team. This team has demonstrated that all year and so we want to continue to build and see where we can go,” Thibodeau said. 

Later that night, the Knicks proved their coach right. They came back from as many as 17 points down to sweep their regular-season series against the Washington Wizards, 106-102.

“It’s great to understand the front office has confidence in us,’’ said Taj Gibson, the 35-yeard old third-string center who closed out the game with his splendid play. “But we got to continue to grow. It was a hard-fought win that showed the character of our team.”

How far can these Knicks go?

Thibodeau wants to find out. Rose and his front office agreed.

For the first time, there’s synergy within the Knicks organization. Out with the disfunction, in with the positive transformation. The once-moribund franchise is finally headed in the right direction.

Even with more than $50 million in cap space and a stacked draft capital this summer, expect the Knicks to operate the same way they did this season.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

What could Andre Drummond cost the Knicks? Is he worth the price?

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New York Knicks, Andre Drummond

With starting center Mitchell Robinson still on the recovery from his fractured right hand surgery, the New York Knicks have done their due diligence on Cleveland Cavaliers’ big man Andre Drummond.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Knicks have explored the possibility of adding Drummond, a four-time NBA rebounding leader and a two-time All-Star, for their playoff chase.

Charania added that the Knicks are mulling a multi-year deal to lure Drummond from going elsewhere. Title contenders Los Angeles Lakers and the Knicks’ crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets are believed to be potential destinations for Drummond should he enter a buyout agreement and becomes a free agent.

The Knicks, however, can also outright eliminate other suitors if they trade for Drummond, and it will probably cost them a second-round pick and/or two of three salary fillers from their expendable players like Austin Rivers, Frank Ntilikina, or even Kevin Knox. The Cavaliers are believed to be seeking an asset in return for Drummond.

But if the Knicks wanted to join the Drummond sweepstakes via buyout, what can they offer in a multi-year deal to pry him away from the minimum deal that comes with the glittery promise of a Larry O’Brien trophy in Los Angeles or Brooklyn?

Drummond’s market price

ESPN Front Office Insider and former Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks gave us an idea of Drummond’s price range in the open market.

“He’s a $15-17 million player,” Marks told Empire Sports Media.

But he’s also skeptical if he’ll be worth it since he believes Drummond won’t be a major upgrade from Robinson.

“They are a first-round [playoff] team right now,” Marks said. And he answered with an emphatic “No” when asked if Drummond gives the Knicks a better shot of advancing deeper in the playoffs.

At a bare minimum, the Knicks can use Drummond as insurance for Robinson [if he’ll be out longer than expected] as they navigate the third toughest schedule in the second half.

Drummond averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 25 games for the Cavaliers before he was shut down.

In contrast, Robinson was averaging 8.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.1 blocks before he went down with an injury last month. Backup center Nerlens Noel is averaging 6.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks since he took over from Robinson.

Risk-cost benefit

When Robinson comes back at full health, Tom Thibodeau would have more options.

If he wants to generate more offense from the post, he could roll with the more offensively-polished Drummond. But if he wants rim protection, Robinson could have more value on the court. This could make Noel expendable and move Taj Gibson further down the rotation.

Drummond will be a bigger weapon to have against Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo or the firepower-heavy Nets in a potential first-round playoff series. But as Marks suggested, Drummond won’t push the Knicks over the first-round hump.

However, the bigger concern would be the risk of drilling a hole in the already solid Knicks’ chemistry.

Drummond could eat into the Knicks’ lone post threat Julius Randle’s usage rate on top of potentially rubbing Robinson the wrong way. Unless the Knicks intend to flip Robinson into a major backcourt upgrade such as Lonzo Ball or in a larger package for an All-Star level guard like Bradley Beal or Victor Oladipo, Leon Rose and his shrewd front office could be on to something.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Towns, Oladipo on the way? Knicks’ future looks rosy on Leon Rose’s first year anniversary

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New York Knicks, Leon Rose

On this day last year, the New York Knicks officially announced the hiring of Leon Rose as team president, replacing Steve Mills.

While there were reservations of his hiring with some quarters hoped that the Knicks could have waited for Masai Ujiri—the architect of the Denver Nuggets’ emergence in the West and Toronto Raptors’ first NBA championship—to become available, Rose has exceeded expectations on his first year on the job.

Beginner’s Luck?

Since his hiring, Rose has made himself scarce and let the Knicks’ front office moves and play on the court do the talking.

In just one year, Rose has accomplished what Phil Jackson and Mills have failed to do — turn the league’s laughingstock into a rising stock.

The Knicks have the lowest payroll in the league, yet they are in the thick of the fight for a playoff spot. They made savvy moves in the offseason, picking up more draft capital and resisted the temptation to chase after stars on a decline and taking a nosedive on a shallow free agency pool. They unearthed a gem in rookie Immanuel Quickley while the jury is still out on their lottery pick Obi Toppin who can’t carve out significant minutes with Julius Randle emerging as an All-Star this season.

Rose’s biggest acquisition — Tom Thibodeau — has made the Knicks believe that they can win every game. They enter tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, an organization that the Knicks wanted to emulate in terms of stability and respectability, just a 1.5 underdog riding high on a three-game winning streak and the fourth-best record in the East.

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The Knicks have put the league on notice.

The national media, who were laughing at the Knicks’ series of misfortunes, are now pivoting and giving their roses to Rose.

“Here’s the thing. They have one of the top former agents in the league running the organization in Leon Rose. Their no.2 in their team [William Wesley] — his specialty is relationship-building, and he’s known for working in the shadows. They’re playing in New York City. They have an abundance of draft picks, young assets, and cap space. The only sort of flaw in here is I’m not sure that every player wants to play for Thibs. But there are some who like him. I say that within the next 12 months, a star or a superstar player will demand a trade to New York,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on his podcast The Hoop Collective.

Could the Knicks finally land a star?

Windhorst restrained himself from dropping names, but he hinted that executives around the league have their guesses.

Who could that be?

Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Rose’s biggest client before he jumped on the Knicks’ job, has long been rumored to be a Knicks’ target.

Stefan Bondy of the Daily News added fuel to the fire when he hinted that Thibodeau is open to a reunion with Towns, who reportedly didn’t see eye to eye with his former coach during their brief partnership in Minnesota.

“I don’t know if Minnesota would ever make Karl-Anthony Towns available. But as bad as things ended for Thibodeau in Minnesota, I’ve heard that he’d be open to Karl-Anthony Towns again because Thibodeau just wants to win, and he thinks Karl-Anthony Towns will help him do that. And so I know that Karl-Anthony Towns is somebody that’s actually been reported before that the Knicks are monitoring as well,” Bondy said on SNY’s Putback last week.

Cornerstone or Trade Chip?

Bondy’s response came after Newsday’s Steve Popper posited that Randle could be a valuable trade piece down the line.

“Because of his contract and the way he’s producing, he’s a hugely viable asset around the league. He’s not overpaid. He’s got an out after next year if you want to pick his option next year. It’s not a long-term deal right now. Could I see him as a piece, maybe pair with another young asset, another young player, or a pick for Karl-Anthony Towns if Thibodeau wanted to go there? You could absolutely see something like that,” Popper said on SNY’s Putback. “And I think that’s a reasonable offer for Minnesota.”

KAT-Randle trade

Windhorst also shares the same view about the 26-year old Randle, who is in the midst of a career-year.

“I say by next year’s trade deadline, a star or a superstar player will force his way there, and they’re gonna be in a position to do that type of trade, and maybe that’s where Julius Randle comes in and does his greatest service for the Knicks especially if he continues to play this way because he could be a part of that trade,” Windhorst said on his podcast.

Knicks still Kings of New York

Meanwhile, First Take’s Max Kellerman, a former Knicks fan and a staunch critic of the team, has admitted that he’s recently watched a Knicks game — from beginning to end — in a long while.

“This is something new. They’re a young and exciting team. The culture seems healthy. It looks like [James] Dolan has finally got out of the way,” Kellerman said.

“My hats off to this young team. They’re a game over .500. They’re in fourth place in the conference. But to say ‘Are the Knicks back?’ No, this is something new. Look, they’re called the Knicks, the laughingstock of the league. This is new,” he added.

Kellerman went on to say that even if the Brooklyn Nets are the bigger story with the trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, the Knicks remain the kings of New York.

“What’s crazy to me is nationally the Nets are the story. People outside New York don’t care about the Knicks. They care about the Nets. But inside New York, in terms of locally, the Knicks still got it. People get more excited.

When they have a team that they can get behind when New York does because of effort especially and intensity when you know these young guys are working hard and laying it all out there, New York respects that in a different way,” Kellerman explained.

Attracting marquee free agents

With Rose effectively changing the Knicks’ image around the league, the once-moribund franchise is in a prime position to land a star finally.

For a team that has long been tied to dysfunction and incompetence, it’s a whiff of fresh air to have the national media talking about the Knicks in a positive light.

The Knicks may regress with a brutal second-half schedule–considered the third-hardest in the league–ahead of them. They may or may not be in the playoffs, but this season is already considered a victory for Rose and the Knicks in the big picture.

“Let me say this. You know why I was laughing at you guys when you’re thinking you’re gonna get KD (Kevin Durant) because players don’t go to bad cultures. The reason the Nets got those guys is because the culture was good. This Knicks team, if they keep doing this, the message they’re gonna send to potential free agents is it’s a good place to play, and then New York sells itself,” Kellerman said. “This could be the first time ever really that a top-flight free agent eventually signs with the Knicks.”

Will that be Victor Oladipo?

Oladipo, who recently rejected a two-year deal from Houston Rockets, is set to become a free agent. Even if Oladipo is not traded to the Knicks in the next two weeks, he will be a prime target in the free agency. If the Knicks keep on winning, they may give the Miami Heat a run for their money in the Oladipo sweepstakes this summer.

The Knicks may or may not land Oladipo.

But what Rose’s shrewd leadership has shown is important to their long-suffering fan base. He made the Knicks relevant again without being extravagant.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Knicks of Dreams: Inside the culture rebuild in New York

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New York Knicks, Leon Rose

If you build, they will come.

That is essentially Leon Rose’s vision for his “Knicks of Dreams,” channeling his inner Ray Kinsella.

The New York Knicks team president has stuck to his summer proclamation that they’re building the right way.

Though it’s a small sample size, the early results have been encouraging.

Basically using the same core as last year in the starting unit, and despite the rash of injuries, Knicks’ new coach Tom Thibodeau was able to make do with what he has on their way to beating a pair of playoff-quality opponents.

The Knicks have a chance to get above .500 for the first time in a long while when they take on the Atlanta Hawks, owner of the league’s second-best offense, Monday night.

Trust Thibs’ process

They were fun to watch when they routed the Milwaukee Bucks at home and pulled out a gut-wrenching win on the road against the Indiana Pacers.

But there were also “growing pains” moments, just like when their starters shot their way to the wrong end of the history with a 0-for-23 three-point mark in a 17-point loss to the Toronto Raptors.

That prompted free-agent acquisition Austin Rivers to plead for patience from the anxious Knicks fans on their team’s page on Instagram.

The next day, he walked the talk and contributed 15 points, including the game-sealing layup, off the bench in a character-building win in Indianapolis. Rivers then took us inside the culture that Thibodeau has been building.

“I’ve never done that. I’ve never commented on a team page. But I just want to let it known that Knicks have great fans. I know they have been waiting a long time to see progress. We’re on the right direction,” Rivers said afterward.

Rivers has nixed offers from several playoff teams, including a reunion with his father Doc Rivers in Philadelphia because he was sold to Rose’s “Knicks of Dreams.”

‘We’re gonna get there’

The younger Rivers said he had not been here long enough to know everything about the Knicks. But there’s one thing he’s really certain about. The Knicks are about to turn the corner.

“I don’t meant to come off as someone who knows everything. But they’ve brought in all these new people from top to bottom, from Leon to Thibs, to players to trainers, I mean everything… the whole nine yards. I just want to let people know that be patient. We’re working so hard. Tonight’s a big win, but we know we still have a lot of work to do.” Rivers said after picking up their third win.

“Every time I get to the locker room, I keep on telling guys we have to keep building, we have to keep building. So we are heading in the right direction. I know we have great fans. We’re doing everything we can, We’re building, and we’re gonna get there,” he continued. “Right now, we just have a whole team that is buying it. It’s the beginning, so, like I said, we have a lot more work to do, but it’s just nice to have good guys, and everybody is buying it.

Building the culture

A couple of months before Thibodeau was hired, he guested on The Platform podcast and had a revealing interview.

“How you build a culture is you have to sell your vision to your best players and your best players have to sell it to the rest of the team,” Thibodeau said in May. “Your first meeting is the most important meeting of the year. You have to begin with the end in mind. What wins in the playoffs, these are the things that you have to do, building habits.”

Thibodeau has relied on his veterans to right the ship. He’s always mentioned Julius Randle’s leadership dating back to as far as before their OTA.

The Knicks’ quiet but underrated offseason has yielded high-character and productive veterans on cheap deals. Rivers, Alec Burks, and Nerlens Noel are proving to be smart acquisitions by this new savvy front office.

The veterans have bought in to Thibodeau’s vision, and they’re selling it to the younger core of the team. 

“We’re coming together great. It helps when you have great guys. It makes my job, Julius’ job, all the vets who are going to lead this team. It makes our job easier,” Rivers said.

“All the young guys that we have are great. Guys who are not playing are real supportive. Everybody is cheering each other on. That’s what we’ve been trying to instill in the locker room. If you’re not playing, be happy for someone else’s success. You got to act the right way. You have to be professional because you never know who’s watching you, you never know when your opportunity is coming. So right now, we just have a whole team buying in. It’s the beginning,” he added.

Tight-knit group

Theo Pinson, another Knicks’ offseason acquisition, is one of those guys who’s been riding the bench that has been providing a jolt of energy. He’d seen this play out before across the borough when he was the Brooklyn Nets’ no. 1 cheerleader on the bench.

“I think team camaraderie is the biggest thing. The more you like each other off the court, it helps the court, especially with a young team. You go out there and start playing selflessly. You just want to play for each other. You want to see the other person succeed. That’s when everybody eats. As you could see, it help the guys in Brooklyn,” Pinson reflecting on his experience with the Nets.

“That’s also gonna help here. The guys in the locker room, we get along really well. We are already a tight-knit group. Even after the loss to Indiana [in the season opener], we already started talking to each other about what we saw on the court, what we can do better, how we can get each other better shots on the court, how we can finish games. So for us to react to a loss like that early is big time, in my opinion,” Pinson continued.

It showed in their rematch. The Pacers couldn’t bully the Knicks the way they did in the season opener. The Knicks flaunted their newfound chemistry and defensive tenacity.

Playing for each other

Rookie point guard Immanuel Quickley represents the Knicks’ future. The dynamic guard out of Kentucky has successfully returned from a hip pointer that caused him to miss four games.

His playmaking and shotmaking has injected a new dimension to the Knicks’ offense and has stabilized their second unit. 

Viewed by fans as a threat to Payton’s starting job, the veteran guard has taken it in stride and is, in fact, mentoring the Knicks’ point guard of the future.

“I say Elfrid is definitely a big one, just showing me little things that would help me on and off the floor. I have really gotten close with pretty much all the guys. I feel like this team is really tight-knit. We love being around each other. I feel like this group can do something special just because of the type of chemistry that we have,” Quickley said after the Knicks’ Monday shootaround in Atlanta.

Payton has rebounded well from his scoreless performance in their earlier home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. He’s since averaged 18.5 points on 61 percent field goal shooting and 5.8 assists to solidify his stranglehold of the starting job.

It’s just one of those many proofs of the Thibodeau effect in New York.

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The Knicks have long been the league’s laughingstock, but Thibodeau’s serious approach to the game has started to change the team’s dynamics and culture.

Their early success has put the league on notice.

Knicks’ biggest acquisition

Thibodeau’s gift of maximizing value out of his players is seen as a curse by his critics.

But for a team lacking in bona fide superstars, Thibodeau is proving to be the team’s biggest acquisition, essentially the team’s superstar.

Rose’s unpopular decision of opting for a coaching retread is paying dividends for this young Knicks team.

“We want to find the right leader that can develop our young players as well as hold everyone accountable,” Rose said in his first public appearance in June. “And take us from development to becoming a perennial winner. We also want someone that we think will be collaborative with the front office and someone that when you’re in that huddle and when you’re looking at that coach’s eyes, every player who’s looking at him knows that person is driving the ship and going to get the job done.”

So far, Thibodeau is getting the job done.

Rose’s vision of bringing back the Knicks’ old glory is starting to come to life. Just like how Kinsella’s “Field of Dreams” has brought back to life Shoeless Jackson and his baseball team.

Rivers can see it. Pinson has seen this play out before. Quickley is feeling it. The national media has taken notice.

If you build the culture, the wins and stars will come to Leon Rose’s “Knicks of Dreams.”

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Tom Thibodeau on Knicks offseason moves: ‘We wanted to be disciplined’

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New York Knicks, Tom Thibodeau

The New York Knicks have always been under the microscope.

So the Knicks went into the offseason with so much anticipation from their fan base and around the league.

Armed with a massive $40-million cap space, the Knicks have struck out anew in a free agency devoid of franchise-altering stars. But it’s not that they didn’t try to go after second-tier stars Gordon Hayward and Fred Van Vleet or inquired about the Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.

They did.

But they resisted the temptation of recklessly throwing big money on stars on the decline.

For a change, the Knicks showed restraint.

“I like it,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said on a zoom call with reporters Tuesday on how their front office operated with prudence during the offseason.

“Obviously I had input with Leon. And that’s all did I ever asked for – just to have a voice heard and that happened. We understood coming in what the challenges would be. We’re excited about the people we do have. We understand that it’s important for us to build a winning culture. And if we can do that, good things will happen,” he added.

The Knicks ended up doling out short-term contracts to veteran role players Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, Austin Rivers, and re-signing Elfrid Payton to a more team-friendly deal.

Patience is now Thibs’ virtue

Thibodeau, a win-now coach, shows extraordinary patience as the Knicks’ new regime under his friend, team president Leon Rose, kept their massive space for next summer’s loaded free agency.

Thibodeau will use next season to lay the foundation of the rebuild.

He referenced his brief stop in Minnesota, where in the first season, he missed the playoffs despite having former lottery picks Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. And he also mentioned how the Philadelphia 76ers went through losing seasons despite having rising stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

“Obviously, a couple of different roads you can go down. If you study it and look at how teams are built, I went through this in Minnesota – the draft is critical, free agency is critical, player development is critical and trade opportunities are critical. When you look back at Philadelphia, what they went through, obviously, they went through a lot of losing and were able to get Embiid and Simmons, and when they had their veterans, that’s when they took off,” Thibodeau said.

Both the Timberwolves and the 76ers enjoyed success when veterans came to show the way for their young stars.

‘We wanted to be disciplined’

A common denominator for the Timberwolves and the Sixers is Jimmy Butler.

When Thibodeau traded for Butler in Minnesota, the Timberwolves made the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. When Butler forced his way out of Minnesota that cost Thibodeau his job, the Sixers felt Butler’s impact. They came to a Kawhi Leonard buzzer-beater away from going into the Eastern Conference Finals.

“I think you look at four avenues and try to build your plan that way. I thought we had a well-thought-out plan. We took advantage of some things that we thought would be good for us. But we wanted to be disciplined. And we were,” Thibodeau said.

The Knicks did take advantage of teams like the Utah Jazz and the Timberwolves who wanted to shed salaries and got plenty of future second-round picks and young players Omari Spellman and Jacob Evans in return.

The Knicks made underrated, smart moves and operated as a small market team, which can be attributed to the forward-thinking of chief strategist Brock Aller, who came from the Cleveland Cavaliers and assistant general manager Walter Perrin, who came from the Jazz.

And to top it all, the Knicks had a good draft with a couple of sneaky moves that landed them College Player of the Year and Brooklyn native Obi Toppin from Dayton and SEC Player of the Year Immanuel Quickley from Kentucky to add their collection of young talents.

‘We can’t skip steps’

With a young core devoid of a veteran of Butler’s caliber, Thibodeau plans to build a winning culture that will make New York an attractive destination for stars.

“There will be other opportunities as we go forward but we concentrate on players that we have here. Concentrate on our improvement and hopefully, good things will happen,” Thibodeau said.

Thibodeau’s move to get Butler in Minnesota has been viewed as skipping steps but for him, having that right guy to lead them over the hump is the next step after laying down the foundation.

“The first step is practicing the right way. Having professionalism and togetherness that will allow us to reach whatever our potential is. And we want to build a winning culture and that happens day by day. So oftentimes you’re not gonna jump from one point to the top of the league in a short amount of time. So, you have to go step by step. We can’t skip over any of those steps and hopefully, we have the right guys to build that culture,” he continued.

Chess, not checkers

The odds are stacked against the Knicks this season, but Thibodeau and Rose are playing chess, not checkers.

Vegas oddsmakers have the Knicks tied with the Cavaliers for the fewest projected victories at 22 ½ while ESPN is more generous with a 24.7-win projection.

“The focus for us and for our team has to be on doing the right things every day. If we do that, then we’ll improve and get better. And that’s all we have to think about. It doesn’t matter what outside people think,” Thibodeau said.

Another season of losing isn’t what the Knicks fans are expecting from the new regime. But Thibodeau knows New York basketball by heart.

“I think the one thing about New York fans [is that] they’re knowledgeable about the game. I think if they see a team that’s out there working as hard as they can, playing smart and playing together, that will be recognized. And if we’re taking all the little things, the big things will end up taking care of themselves. And if we work on improving each and every day, good things are coming,” Thibodeau said.

Knicks fans have suffered long enough, and they can’t wait for the good things to come.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Obi Toppin on reppin’ New York: ‘I’m not going to take it for granted’

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Like manna from heaven, Obi Toppin fell to Leon Rose’s lap at No. 8.

On a day the New York Knicks frantically tried to trade up, fearing Toppin will be gone by the time they pick, it turned out they didn’t need to.

With FSU’s Patrick Williams and Auburn’s Isaac Okoro shaking up all the mock drafts by going fourth and fifth picks, respectively, the set was stage for Toppin to fall all the way to eighth, just like how the Knicks have wanted it.

Toppin, whose game was made in New York playgrounds, was emotional after it hit him that he’s coming home.

“I’m from New York. Me reppin’ my city is amazing. A lot of people pray to be in this position, I’m not going to take it for granted,” an emotional Toppin said. “I promise you that.”

The 22-year old Toppin will come in and inject excitement to a Knicks team looking to make a major turnaround after seven straight seasons of being in the lottery.

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Knicks move up in the draft, send 2 picks to Jazz for No.23

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New York Knicks, Leon Rose

The New York Knicks made their first trade under Leon Rose, packaging the 27th and 38th picks to move up to 23rd in today’s NBA Draft.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the transaction.

The Knicks have also acquired the rights on Croatian 7-foot-2 center Ante Tomic, Jazz’s 44th overall pick in 2008. Tomic is is not expected to play in the NBA.

Interestingly, both the 27th and 38th picks were acquired by the Knicks via previous trades.

The 27th pick was originally from the Los Angeles Clippers via the Marcus Morris trade deadline deal.

The 38th pick, meanwhile, came from the Charlotte Hornets in a 2018 trade involving Willy Hernangomez.

The Knicks must have liked a prospect that they wouldn’t want to slide beyond the 23rd pick.

The 23rd pick also gives the Knicks a much more significant asset than the 28th pick for a bigger move down the road.

If they stand pat, the prospects who could be available at No. 23 that were previously linked to the Knicks are Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, Washington’s Isaiah Stewart, TCU’s Desmond Bane, Arizona’s Josh Green, North Carolina’s Cole Anthony, San Diego State’s Malachi Flynn, and Maryland’s Jalen Smith.

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Kevin O’Connor: Knicks interested in Celtics’ Gordon Hayward

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It appears the New York Knicks are trying to acquire not only one but two stars in what is shaping out to be a quick rebuild under new team president Leon Rose.

On the heels of multiple reports coming out from New York that the Knicks have weighed on trading for Houston Rockets’ star Russell Westbrook, another star looms on the horizon.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer came out with another bombshell: the Knicks are interested in Boston Celtics’ Gordon Hayward.

“Gordon Hayward, who obviously — there’s already been rumors we’ve heard about maybe him wanting to move on. The Knicks are interested, I’ve heard…,” O’Connor said on The Ringer NBA Show The Mismatch.

Earlier this month, O’Connor’s colleague at The Ringer, Ryen Rusillo, posited on Bill Simmon’s podcast that Hayward is mulling opting out and entering the free agency bereft of superstars. If he opts out, he will become the most prominent name out there, with Toronto Raptors’ free agent Fred Van Vleet not far behind.

“I’ve heard Gordon Hayward does want out, but I don’t know if he’s gonna get the money. He’s not opting out of that huge number unless he knows he’s getting the deal.”

The 30-yeard old Hayward has a $34.1 million player option but maybe looking for long-term security after his stint with the Celtics have been defined by injuries.

The Knicks will still have a cap space to offer Hayward even if they absorb the remaining massive $132.7 million left in Westbrook’s original five-year contract.

Hayward averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 52 games for the Celtics last season.

The lure of New York for Hayward has become brighter after Johnnie Bryant, the former Utah Jazz assistant coach, joined the Knicks. Bryant is credited for Hayward’s development into an All-Star while he was in Utah.

Hayward has also been linked to Indiana Pacers in a potential trade for center Myles Turner.

Hayward’s future in Boston has become murky after O’Connor reported in his Mock Draft that the Celtics are planning to reroute their three draft picks for New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday.

“The Celtics have offered up their three first-round picks (nos. 14, 26, and 30) in trades to try and move into the lottery, but multiple league sources say they intend to reroute that pick to the Pelicans in exchange for Jrue Holiday. If Boston is able to acquire the necessary assets, it’d still need to add salaries to make a deal work. Could that mean Gordon Hayward or Kemba Walker could be on the move?” O’Connor wrote.

The league’s transaction window is expected to be open beginning Monday.

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