nedleeds wrote:nykballa2k4 wrote:nedleeds wrote:
Why is it people say things like this on this board?
We don't have a top 30 player on the roster. We have no rookie scale players who project to become one.
We might now have a top 50 player on the roster in Brunson, but he's maybe the 5th or worse starting point guard in the league and that's being generous.
Do you mean players? We have players. Our roster might in fact have the least talent and potential on it in the entire league.
Spurs?
*Randle was top 30 a year ago, could be again this year
*RJ is rookie scale, he projects to be a top 30 player
*Brunson was not meant to be a savior, his job is to be Kyle Lowry without the chub issues
So yeah, if you look at our roster and see nothing, then you and I just very much disagree on what talent is and looks like. Some knicks fans proclaim scrubs to be gods, others (like you apparently) look at good young players and see Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley. Go be a fan of the Pacers, give them your negativity and don't bother coming back when we are in the playoffs this year.
Congrats on the play in game welcome to Charlotte, home of the Bobcats.
What about RJ projects him to be a top 30 player? Tell us. Is it that he's one of the worst 25 shooters in the league who's allowed to shoot? Is it his C level athleticism? That bank shot game winner? Or just "he's a Knick"? He did GET TWENTY this year!
You think Randle will be a top 30 player this year based on a massive outlier season in which he played in empty arenas, against teams that rested their rosters or had massive covid absences and was completely exposed in the playoffs when a team actually tried? That's your stance?
**** the Pacers. I'm a Knick fan for life, which makes this approach so miserable, knowing it's not going to lead to a finals competitive team anytime in the next 5 years.
If you want to not pay attention to facts...
RJ is not a finished product, and on the trades/transactions board I am one of those who consistently lambasted the crowd who were fawning over Harvey Grant's kid in DET with his 20+ppg horrible efficiency outings. The difference here is that RJ is like 22. He took some pretty nice steps last season and our record with him on vs off shows what he was doing for us. Not annointing him a world beater just yet, but he has just as much upside as Jalen Green or any other rookie-scale kid. His classmates Zion and Jah are both "box office" as Screamin A Smith likes to say, but Jah has a lot of D Rose in him, let's hope he doesn't fizzle out prematurely as well, Zion also has to prove he can be healthy.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022_per_game.html
Just off a quick glance, RJ is the only 21 year old to average 20ppg, Jalen Green had 17 (age 19), Anthony Edwards had 21 (age 20), LaMelo Ball had 20 (age 20), Maxey had 17.5 (age 21). That's the list of high scorers age 21 or younger. If you want to talk efficiency, then I recommend you avert your eyes from LeMelo's stats, just as an example.
RJ has shown to have a good work ethic which always bodes well. He is not going to be a top 5 player EVER. But could he be as good as Brandon Roy was supposed to be? Paul Pierce? Kris Middleton? Jimmy Butler? Heck even James Harden. Those are some of the comps (high end) you are hoping to see from him. Could he suck? Sure. Zion could fizzle out like big baby Davis and Jah could never be the same after an MVP campaign. All those things are possible, but RJ has kept his upside in tact and that's what we have to lean into.
The only thing that holds Randle back from being an all-star these days is the lack of a point guard. If we have one of Brunson/Rose healthy all season, that won't be an issue...
Dion Waiters… 
Well that reflects worst on your analysis than him as a player.
