KAT To The Knicks Part 2

[3toheadmelo]

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[E-Balla]

being bad at defense while playing center is very different than being bad at defense while playing the 4

prior to the trade who was going to be playing the 5 with mitch out for months?

1. KATs D was markedly improved in 2024 and played some excellent defense in the playoffs under the bright lights vs the best 5 in the entire NBA in Jokic

2. Whatever deficiencies he has at C we happen to have possibly the best most versatile defensive wing trio in the game between: Bridges, OG and Hart. Some teams may have one elite wing defender. Very few have two. We have THREE. Add in a fourth elite backcourt defender in McBride (if we keep him).

3. IF we keep Mitch we have a Gobert type defender at 5 to complement him. If not we will probably trade for another rim protecting 5.

4. Minnesota's run last year was not a fluke and he was a huge part of it. We need to give credit where credit is due. He played well under a good defensive coach in Finch and he likely will play well under a good defensive coach in

Why are we ignoring the DPOY being behind him in Minny?

[mpharris36]

teams that try to be copy cats rarely win. everyone thinks that the way the last team won is how every team has to win and then all of a sudden someone wins a different way and now that's the way you have to win. the nuggets won 2 years ago and they take among the least amount of 3s in the league.

Dallas had great spacing but kept a true C on the court at all times too.

There's just no way to out Celtic the Celtics. When it comes to rim protection from floor spacers Horford and KP are two of less than 10 players with that skill set. Anyone else that wants to copy them has to figure that out first.

and the celtics have jrue at the point of attack. brunson tries but he's not a really good defender. we can't be them.

Jrue is a great defender but he's not stopping Brunson.

And we have Mikal and OG for Tatum and Brown.

We match up as good as any team vs them.

[mpharris36]

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Franz Wagner???

Jarrett Allen???

I'm shaking in my boots!

[aggo]

Anyone wanna guess why

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?s=46

[spree8]

Didn’t Boston just copy Golden State tho? I don’t even think it’s copying as much as it is evolving.

If I’m building a team from scratch I start with a combo of an elite playmaking pg & center who can play like a guard… both 3-level scorers. I follow that up with two elite versatile 3&D wings who are legit 3rd & 4th options… at least one of which can step into the 2nd option role in the event of an injury.

Jalen, Mikal, OG, Towns fit that foundation perfectly. Would it be nice to have Joker or Embiid instead of Towns? Sure, but that’s life.

We still have Mitch, Hart, and Deuce with Thibs’ defense… I think we’re gunna be ok defensively.

[JayTWill]

I'm gonna side with his teammates on this one. We've seen time after time these guys have gone to bat for this dude. Even today. For all accounts, he was beloved in that locker room.

I don't know Randle personally or if he is a good or a bad teammate but what exactly do you expect them to say about him? Do you think they would publicly trash him if they didn't like him? They may truly love him but even if they didn't they are professionals.

They would say absolutely nothing and/or keep it brief. This argument on "WhAt ThEy GoNnA sAy" is weak. Do they got to tattoo his name on their forearm??? I mean, if we take Josh at face value -- which we all should because he seems fairly straightforward -- we know how he really feels about Randle. Same with DDV. The way Robinson pouts, I bet you 100 bucks if there was something to Randle's locker room presence, it'd have gotten out by now.

If you say so. I know Thibs is obsessed with defense and effort. I know Randle's effort on the defensive end can be absolutely terrible at times. I don't think I have heard Thibs say anything negative about his defense ever. Does that mean he is ok with Randle's defense because publicly he does nothing but praise him? No. They are just words.

[dukeknicksirish]

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This is a horrendous tweet hahaha

[E-Balla]

teams that try to be copy cats rarely win. everyone thinks that the way the last team won is how every team has to win and then all of a sudden someone wins a different way and now that's the way you have to win. the nuggets won 2 years ago and they take among the least amount of 3s in the league.

Dallas had great spacing but kept a true C on the court at all times too.

There's just no way to out Celtic the Celtics. When it comes to rim protection from floor spacers Horford and KP are two of less than 10 players with that skill set. Anyone else that wants to copy them has to figure that out first.

and the celtics have jrue at the point of attack. brunson tries but he's not a really good defender. we can't be them.

The best version of the Knicks to me? Last year's team with Mikal in place of OG, IQ running the 2nd unit, and a less turnover prone, still good offensively, but better defensive PF. We were on the edge of greatness and fumbled in the red zone. If we dropped Randle and RJ and somehow got Thybulle, TimeLord, and Jerami I think that would be the peak of what you could put around JB.

[E-Balla]

Dallas had great spacing but kept a true C on the court at all times too.

There's just no way to out Celtic the Celtics. When it comes to rim protection from floor spacers Horford and KP are two of less than 10 players with that skill set. Anyone else that wants to copy them has to figure that out first.

and the celtics have jrue at the point of attack. brunson tries but he's not a really good defender. we can't be them.

Jrue is a great defender but he's not stopping Brunson.

And we have Mikal and OG for Tatum and Brown.

We match up as good as any team vs them.

Jrue isn't stopping Brunson, but Brunson also can't stop Jrue. Jrue is a 20 point scorer cosplaying as a 5th option lol.

[mpharris36]

what makes KAT's 3 pt shooting so special is he hit 44% from the top of the key and that is where a majority of his looks come from. A lot of times guys have really high 3pt %'s because they shoot a lot of stand still corner 3's. For example KP shot 35% on similar looks last year. League avg top of the key 3's is around 35% and KAT destroys those avgs.

Having a big that is elite from the top of the key will be such a nightmare to defend for opposing teams.

[mpharris36]

and the celtics have jrue at the point of attack. brunson tries but he's not a really good defender. we can't be them.

Jrue is a great defender but he's not stopping Brunson.

And we have Mikal and OG for Tatum and Brown.

We match up as good as any team vs them.

Jrue isn't stopping Brunson, but Brunson also can't stop Jrue. Jrue is a 20 point scorer cosplaying as a 5th option lol.

Brunson doesn't need to stop Jrue...he can guard Derrick White. We can use Duece or Hart or whoever else on Jrue.

[ElMelo7]

a bunch of clowns in here. Lets go knicks

[HerSports85]

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Franz Wagner???

Jarrett Allen???

I'm shaking in my boots!

[Wildcat]

I don't know Randle personally or if he is a good or a bad teammate but what exactly do you expect them to say about him? Do you think they would publicly trash him if they didn't like him? They may truly love him but even if they didn't they are professionals.

They would say absolutely nothing and/or keep it brief. This argument on "WhAt ThEy GoNnA sAy" is weak. Do they got to tattoo his name on their forearm??? I mean, if we take Josh at face value -- which we all should because he seems fairly straightforward -- we know how he really feels about Randle. Same with DDV. The way Robinson pouts, I bet you 100 bucks if there was something to Randle's locker room presence, it'd have gotten out by now.

If you say so. I know Thibs is obsessed with defense and effort. I know Randle's effort on the defensive end can be absolutely terrible at times. I don't think I have heard Thibs say anything negative about his defense ever. Does that mean he is ok with Randle's defense because publicly he does nothing but praise him? No. They are just words.

“Tell your dad we want him to play defense in the All-Star Game”.

[Im Coming Home]

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Franz Wagner???

Jarrett Allen???

I'm shaking in my boots!

The tweet is absolutely stupid too since a lot of the players named are SG/SF/PFs and guess who the Knicks DID trade for, 2 of the BEST defensive 2-way wings in the NBA, ready to lock up all those mfers.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

teams that try to be copy cats rarely win. everyone thinks that the way the last team won is how every team has to win and then all of a sudden someone wins a different way and now that's the way you have to win. the nuggets won 2 years ago and they take among the least amount of 3s in the league.

Jokic shot 46% on threes on 3.8 attempts a game when they won the title. A team with strictly a rim runner hasn't won the title in almost a decade, the last one was the Cavs with Tristan Thompson. The only strictly interior big to win since then is Looney, and he does DHO outside the 3 point line and Draymond is their crunchtime center.

You don't win with do nothing bigs now, the Mavs learned that the hard way, so much so they've got the same old story with Lively "he's been working on his three".

[MrDollarBills]

We got 2 roster spots and we're $924,835 under the second apron according to all reports of this deal. I think the most likely scenario Mitch and Nick Richards get added to the trade. Maybe Brandon Clarke or Daniel Theis?

Clarke would be a nice addition. Is he healthy now?

Theis would also be a good pick up.

Clarke should be back. And I'm sure Memphis would love Mitch to flank Edey.

FWIW JJJ at media day said he's been working with Clarke through his rehab process and that he's back to what he used to be and unlike most bigs that fall off after an Achilles injury he's light (like 220 lbs).

Embiid will destroy us if he's our back line of defense but maybe we're lucky and avoid him?

I heard Joel lost 25 pounds.

So if Mitch gets traded I don't think that's a bad thing but it has to be a vertical move. Whoever comes in has to be able to address one of the issues the team has roster wise, ball handler or shot blocking C to protect Towns as the stretch 4

[KnixinSix]

Dallas had great spacing but kept a true C on the court at all times too.

There's just no way to out Celtic the Celtics. When it comes to rim protection from floor spacers Horford and KP are two of less than 10 players with that skill set. Anyone else that wants to copy them has to figure that out first.

and the celtics have jrue at the point of attack. brunson tries but he's not a really good defender. we can't be them.

Jrue is a great defender but he's not stopping Brunson.

And we have Mikal and OG for Tatum and Brown.

We match up as good as any team vs them.

And Hart and McBride.

[MrDollarBills]

teams that try to be copy cats rarely win. everyone thinks that the way the last team won is how every team has to win and then all of a sudden someone wins a different way and now that's the way you have to win. the nuggets won 2 years ago and they take among the least amount of 3s in the league.

Jokic shot 46% on threes on 3.8 attempts a game when they won the title. A team with strictly a rim runner hasn't won the title in almost a decade, the last one was the Cavs with Tristan Thompson. The only strictly interior big to win since then is Looney, and he does DHO outside the 3 point line and Draymond is their crunchtime center.

You don't win with do nothing bigs now, the Mavs learned that the hard way, so much so they've got the same old story with Lively "he's been working on his three".

Brunson, Bridges, OG, Towns is elite spacing. I think the Knicks are in the championship conversation.