How close are the Knicks to Contention?

[RHODEY]

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[Context]

At quick glance...One move away...and this team as constructed could "upset" its way to the finals...

[KnixinSix]

At quick glance...One move away...and this team as constructed could "upset" its way to the finals...

Agreed on both points. All the scoring bruden though now (aside from great shooting nights like the Philly game) is on Brun and Julius.

Give me the guy that helps 2 positions both offensively and defensively and takes becomes a bonfide consistent dynamic 3rd scorer for the team.

That's Murray.

LaVine just too expensive a contract but Id consider him too if we kept most our picks.

[Context]

At quick glance...One move away...and this team as constructed could "upset" its way to the finals...

Agreed on both points. All the scoring bruden though now (aside from great shooting nights like the Philly game) is on Brun and Julius.

Give me the guy that helps 2 positions both offensively and defensively and takes becomes a bonfide consistent dynamic 3rd scorer for the team.

That's Murray.

LaVine just too expensive a contract but Id consider him too if we kept most our picks.

Even though I havent watched much NBA basketball this year...I can agree with you on Lavine...not worth the cost and we dont
need that much offense...
As far as Murray...I wouldnt know...but I agree- we need a nice two way player to seal this...

[sol537]

One Olynyk and Brogdon (or equivalents) away…

[robillionaire]

As close as we are, we are also really close to going the other way. If Brunson gets injured, season over. If Randle gets injured, season over. If Hartenstein gets injured, season over. If OG gets injured, you guessed it, season over. We don’t have high level backups to patch up the holes if we lose any of them. Maybe OG you could replace with Hart and tinker around with it and still compete but the defense wouldn’t be high level to win anymore. So it all comes down to health and ideally we bring in a 3rd scoring option before the deadline

[MrDollarBills]

One supplemental move is needed, but I wouldn't rush to do it yet unless the offer is something that can't be refused. I want to see a bigger sample size of McBride as backup PG.

The Murray move is probably the most viable and fits the most with the team's timeline

[sol537]

As close as we are, we are also really close to going the other way. If Brunson gets injured, season over. If Randle gets injured, season over. If Hartenstein gets injured, season over. If OG gets injured, you guessed it, season over. We don’t have high level backups to patch up the holes if we lose any of them. Maybe OG you could replace with Hart and tinker around with it and still compete but the defense wouldn’t be high level to win anymore. So it all comes down to health and ideally we bring in a 3rd scoring option before the deadline

It’s a good thing Thibs is not playing the starters damn near 40 mins per!

[robillionaire]

As close as we are, we are also really close to going the other way. If Brunson gets injured, season over. If Randle gets injured, season over. If Hartenstein gets injured, season over. If OG gets injured, you guessed it, season over. We don’t have high level backups to patch up the holes if we lose any of them. Maybe OG you could replace with Hart and tinker around with it and still compete but the defense wouldn’t be high level to win anymore. So it all comes down to health and ideally we bring in a 3rd scoring option before the deadline

It’s a good thing Thibs is not playing the starters damn near 40 mins per!

If he wants to win games he doesn’t have much other choice

[RHODEY]

As close as we are, we are also really close to going the other way. If Brunson gets injured, season over. If Randle gets injured, season over. If Hartenstein gets injured, season over. If OG gets injured, you guessed it, season over. We don’t have high level backups to patch up the holes if we lose any of them. Maybe OG you could replace with Hart and tinker around with it and still compete but the defense wouldn’t be high level to win anymore. So it all comes down to health and ideally we bring in a 3rd scoring option before the deadline

True..but that goes for the other top teams... Tatum, Brown, GIanis Lilliard, Embiid ..Maxey. Whats amazing is that we already lost Mitch but we are still in the mix.

My wants:

3rd scorer/and or ball handler off the bench
Murry
Brogdan
Rozier

Big
Olynk
Gafford

[Clyde_Style]

As close as we are, we are also really close to going the other way. If Brunson gets injured, season over. If Randle gets injured, season over. If Hartenstein gets injured, season over. If OG gets injured, you guessed it, season over. We don’t have high level backups to patch up the holes if we lose any of them. Maybe OG you could replace with Hart and tinker around with it and still compete but the defense wouldn’t be high level to win anymore. So it all comes down to health and ideally we bring in a 3rd scoring option before the deadline

You can say the same about every other team

Health is the variable the whole NBA cannot control

I cannot think of a single team in the current NBA that would still be in contention if they did not have their # 1 or top 2 guys available for the playoffs

Jokic could not have won last year without Murray

[KnixinSix]

One supplemental move is needed, but I wouldn't rush to do it yet unless the offer is something that can't be refused. I want to see a bigger sample size of McBride as backup PG.

The Murray move is probably the most viable and fits the most with the team's timeline

Ive broken this down every way till Sunday and I keep coming back to this being THE move based on what I think the Knicks want to do now and how they want to save pieces potentially for one final huge move involving Randle (either in a surprising move at deadline or if he underperforms in playoffs again).

-25 ish M dollar salary next 4 years. That is cheap in today's NBA for a 20+ pt player. It would allow us trading Randle + for a 50M dollar player without going over the 2nd apron.
-Young/ not super injury prone
-Versatile
-Can take some burden off JB both while on court together (JB can play sometimes off ball) and then as an elite ball handler that can run second squad.
-Won't cost the moon in assets bc he is not quite on the level of some of the bigger stars (but perfectly fits into the role we need him for)
-Will be that 3rd consistent scorer for us. A guy that kind of replaces the offensive loss of IQ but is a more dynamic scorer than IQ even if not quite as pure a shooter. He is also good enough to be the #2 guy on an off night shooting for JR or JB.

[KnixinSix]

As close as we are, we are also really close to going the other way. If Brunson gets injured, season over. If Randle gets injured, season over. If Hartenstein gets injured, season over. If OG gets injured, you guessed it, season over. We don’t have high level backups to patch up the holes if we lose any of them. Maybe OG you could replace with Hart and tinker around with it and still compete but the defense wouldn’t be high level to win anymore. So it all comes down to health and ideally we bring in a 3rd scoring option before the deadline

True..but that goes for the other top teams... Tatum, Brown, GIanis Lilliard, Embiid ..Maxey. Whats amazing is that we already lost Mitch but we are still in the mix.

My wants:

3rd scorer/and or ball handler off the bench
Murry
Brogdan
Rozier

Big
Olynk
Gafford

Getting Olynyk in addition to Murray would be awesome

[DaGawd]

i can’t see the hawks letting murray go for cheap given what they gave up to get him.. that alone gives me pause on pursuing him

[WargamesX]

i can’t see the hawks letting murray go for cheap given what they gave up to get him.. that alone gives me pause on pursuing him

Define cheap though when the Knicks have an abundance of draft picks. We traded that Detroit 2nd rounder and still have 3 draft picks slotted for this year and 3 slotted for next year, and like 2 maybe draft picks that could potentially convey not including all our own draft picks. I think the Knicks could do this trade and still recoup the assets needed for the Superstar trade in the time between now and then.

[Context]

I will say this...the quality and maturity of that OG trade gives me confidence that they will bring in the right fit. The question will be- can "the player who comes in" handle the NYC lights.

Watch on YouTube

[Kampuchea]

As close as we are, we are also really close to going the other way. If Brunson gets injured, season over. If Randle gets injured, season over. If Hartenstein gets injured, season over. If OG gets injured, you guessed it, season over. We don’t have high level backups to patch up the holes if we lose any of them. Maybe OG you could replace with Hart and tinker around with it and still compete but the defense wouldn’t be high level to win anymore. So it all comes down to health and ideally we bring in a 3rd scoring option before the deadline

Don’t think there are any top teams out there that can afford to lose their top player.

As for scoring option, yeah that’s the biggest need. I think to be a title team they need a Donovan, Embid or other significant move.

[robillionaire]

As close as we are, we are also really close to going the other way. If Brunson gets injured, season over. If Randle gets injured, season over. If Hartenstein gets injured, season over. If OG gets injured, you guessed it, season over. We don’t have high level backups to patch up the holes if we lose any of them. Maybe OG you could replace with Hart and tinker around with it and still compete but the defense wouldn’t be high level to win anymore. So it all comes down to health and ideally we bring in a 3rd scoring option before the deadline

You can say the same about every other team

Health is the variable the whole NBA cannot control

I cannot think of a single team in the current NBA that would still be in contention if they did not have their # 1 or top 2 guys available for the playoffs

Jokic could not have won last year without Murray

For their top one or two guys, yes. But I think this also applies to us with Hartenstein. He doesn’t even have to get injured. If he even gets in foul trouble we are going to be in panic mode. OG is another role player who can make or break the team

[3toheadmelo]

At quick glance...One move away...and this team as constructed could "upset" its way to the finals...

Agreed on both points. All the scoring bruden though now (aside from great shooting nights like the Philly game) is on Brun and Julius.

Give me the guy that helps 2 positions both offensively and defensively and takes becomes a bonfide consistent dynamic 3rd scorer for the team.

That's Murray.

LaVine just too expensive a contract but Id consider him too if we kept most our picks.

dejounte murray hasn't been good on defense in years. thats the problem. and he is probably going to be expensive since mad teams will want him.

[DaGawd]

At quick glance...One move away...and this team as constructed could "upset" its way to the finals...

Agreed on both points. All the scoring bruden though now (aside from great shooting nights like the Philly game) is on Brun and Julius.

Give me the guy that helps 2 positions both offensively and defensively and takes becomes a bonfide consistent dynamic 3rd scorer for the team.

That's Murray.

LaVine just too expensive a contract but Id consider him too if we kept most our picks.

dejounte murray hasn't been good on defense in years. thats the problem. and he is probably going to be expensive since mad teams will want him.

this. murray is a gambler on defense. might work out here with og being the anchor but he’s not a man on man shut down defender some think he is.