dakomish23 wrote:thebuzzardman wrote:dakomish23 wrote:
We loveeeee journeymen players and more importantly paying them.
The Knicks replaced Bullocks with Fournier. It was a good idea, conceptually, since they needed some more offense at the 3 and 1, with Kemba also theoretically giving more offense than Elf.
The Knicks had to know that it would take a hit on defense; there wasn't a person anywhere who didn't think otherwise.
After that, they had a money and role/ability decision to make between Burks and Bullocks.
Bullocks would provide the better overall outside shooting and defense, Burks would provide decent outside shooting, but critically, some ability to create scoring chances for himself off the dribble. And a little for others.
Knicks choose Burks with that money.
I don't think it's a big deal either way who they kept, but I totally understand keeping Burks.
It ignores the real problems around the decision.
Knicks had a need to retain a player who could create over Bullocks because RJ isn't good enough at it. If RJ had true above average ability to put the ball on the floor and win his scoring matchup that way, the Knicks may have been less inclined to make the decision.
Otherwise, the team would be going into the season with 3 guys TOTAL with the ability: Randle, Rose and Fournier (or another choice here). RJ is just "ok" this way, right now.
That Randle and Fournier are a poor fit, but this seems to be on Randle - on offense. Randle either isn't comfortable playing with players who need the ball occasionally (Fournier/Kemba), is limited talentwise in doing it, or is that much of a headcase sharing the offense. Pick one. Any of these is a scouting fail on the Knicks part around Randle.
IF Randle is such a player that NEEDS 3&D and do nothing PG's around him to unlock Randle, then extending Randle and even trying to fit players around him is a giant mistake.
Moving along, the money spent on Fournier and Burks or Bullocks might, at around 27 million (31 million if you add Taj!) might have located a better player. Like overpay for Trent Jr to make the Raptors not pony up. Who knows. The Raptors burned an asset in Powell to get the rights to Trent Jr, so they may have been willing to go pretty high.
Lastly, Thibs has a somewhat similar player to Bullocks (yeah, a little shorter/smaller) in a good defensive 3&D guy, who even has a bit of Burks in him in a good way, and it took half the year for him to get minutes, and if, stylistically, this is the kind of player that Randle "needs", this player is STILL not in the starting lineup. Of course, Bullocks would have started, but where is the shot creation from?
Or the Knicks could have gotten a PG who is still able to get into the paint and score and pass (Not Ball), who should reasonably remain healthy - spent $ there, and then used Burks money on Bullocks. Hell, they could have gone:
Schroeder
Bullocks
Burks (off the bench)
And been better off.
I just see the decision not to retain Bullocks, in and of itself, as pretty low in the order of Knick issues, both with the ability of players they had and have, and the FO's lack of ability to recognize and reorder the team.
Here’s where I disagree. You keep Bullocks b/c his sole role on offense is to be an outlet since RJ and Randle both need the ball in their hand to be effective. Kind of a very very VERY poor man’s version of building around Lebron you load up on shooters.
For where we were (supposedly), my money would have been spent going hard after legitimate starters in the backcourt & then bringing back Bullocks. I wanted Lowry & Ball.
I really liked the Kemba move b/c it was cheap & I had hope he had something left to give his hometown. I was way wrong. He’s given up. Idc about the stats but his effort out there is mediocre at best.
I could see this point IF the Knicks got a PG who fill the role of creating and pressuring the defense, because, again, RJ is still not there AT THIS POINT IN HIS DEVELOPMENT.
Also, Grimes seems to be able to fill that Bullocks role.
But, to start the season, it's fair to acknowledge that the Knicks wouldn't know that, and kept Bullocks as a hedge in case Grimes didn't pan, or that it took into year 2.
Anyway, as exists,
Move Burks. Try to move Randle.
Rose or McBride/
Grimes/IQ
RJ/Cam
Randle or Obi
Mitch (A stretch 5 for 20 mpg would really help)
