Tim Legler: "Jalen Brunson Will Not Be A Differance Maker"

[HarthorneWingo]

I'm firmly in the "I don't know" camp. I'll wait till the season gets underway.

Ultimately, this year will be judged on whether the Knicks should have tanked and gotten a lotto pick, maybe one of the big 2, or whether the trying to win approach will work for a change (which seems to be all they've ever done outside of a couple seasons) . . . I don't know, but Brunson could be another in a long line of additions that make us too good for a top pick and not good enough for a deep playoff run. The odds of that happening aren't small and that's what this team has always done wrong. The one difference with Leon is that he's adding picks not spending them, so . . . some room for hope.

Can Brunson, Obi, RJ & Mitch carry a team and attract a free agent when they get under the cap? Maybe. The jury is still out. It's also not really about this season either, it's about what they can do after this season, with a bunch of picks and maybe they pull off a trade or eventually get under the cap and sign a top free agent.

That's the conundrum. Hopefully, he can get us to the point where we're now a desirable destination for top tier players.

[br7knicks]

He'll make a difference. Just not one that makes the knicks much better

[br7knicks]

I'm firmly in the "I don't know" camp. I'll wait till the season gets underway.

Ultimately, this year will be judged on whether the Knicks should have tanked and gotten a lotto pick, maybe one of the big 2, or whether the trying to win approach will work for a change (which seems to be all they've ever done outside of a couple seasons) . . . I don't know, but Brunson could be another in a long line of additions that make us too good for a top pick and not good enough for a deep playoff run. The odds of that happening aren't small and that's what this team has always done wrong. The one difference with Leon is that he's adding picks not spending them, so . . . some room for hope.

Can Brunson, Obi, RJ & Mitch carry a team and attract a free agent when they get under the cap? Maybe. The jury is still out. It's also not really about this season either, it's about what they can do after this season, with a bunch of picks and maybe they pull off a trade or eventually get under the cap and sign a top free agent.

That's the conundrum. Hopefully, he can get us to the point where we're now a desirable destination for top tier players.

I wish I had your optimism, Wingo. All I've learned is that the knicks are used as a bargaining chip for top tier players.

Or the dumping ground for the land of misfit toys

[Jeff Van Gully]

legs projecting, as he was never a difference maker.

[Jeff Van Gully]

i mean, differance. sorry.

[Adelheid]

I'm firmly in the "I don't know" camp. I'll wait till the season gets underway.

Ultimately, this year will be judged on whether the Knicks should have tanked and gotten a lotto pick, maybe one of the big 2, or whether the trying to win approach will work for a change (which seems to be all they've ever done outside of a couple seasons) . . . I don't know, but Brunson could be another in a long line of additions that make us too good for a top pick and not good enough for a deep playoff run. The odds of that happening aren't small and that's what this team has always done wrong. The one difference with Leon is that he's adding picks not spending them, so . . . some room for hope.

Can Brunson, Obi, RJ & Mitch carry a team and attract a free agent when they get under the cap? Maybe. The jury is still out. It's also not really about this season either, it's about what they can do after this season, with a bunch of picks and maybe they pull off a trade or eventually get under the cap and sign a top free agent.

That's the conundrum. Hopefully, he can get us to the point where we're now a desirable destination for top tier players.

that could very well be a possibility

[HarthorneWingo]

I'm firmly in the "I don't know" camp. I'll wait till the season gets underway.

Ultimately, this year will be judged on whether the Knicks should have tanked and gotten a lotto pick, maybe one of the big 2, or whether the trying to win approach will work for a change (which seems to be all they've ever done outside of a couple seasons) . . . I don't know, but Brunson could be another in a long line of additions that make us too good for a top pick and not good enough for a deep playoff run. The odds of that happening aren't small and that's what this team has always done wrong. The one difference with Leon is that he's adding picks not spending them, so . . . some room for hope.

Can Brunson, Obi, RJ & Mitch carry a team and attract a free agent when they get under the cap? Maybe. The jury is still out. It's also not really about this season either, it's about what they can do after this season, with a bunch of picks and maybe they pull off a trade or eventually get under the cap and sign a top free agent.

That's the conundrum. Hopefully, he can get us to the point where we're now a desirable destination for top tier players.

I wish I had your optimism, Wingo. All I've learned is that the knicks are used as a bargaining chip for top tier players.

Or the dumping ground for the land of misfit toys

True, but we haven’t had a real NBA PG in awhile. We got Julius on his meds and behaving himself while playing team basketball; we have RJ showing real improvement in some key areas, Mitch is healthy to start the season; and we have some solid young talent.

[iLLmatic860]

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[Nazrmohamed]

I'm firmly in the "I don't know" camp. I'll wait till the season gets underway.

Ultimately, this year will be judged on whether the Knicks should have tanked and gotten a lotto pick, maybe one of the big 2, or whether the trying to win approach will work for a change (which seems to be all they've ever done outside of a couple seasons) . . . I don't know, but Brunson could be another in a long line of additions that make us too good for a top pick and not good enough for a deep playoff run. The odds of that happening aren't small and that's what this team has always done wrong. The one difference with Leon is that he's adding picks not spending them, so . . . some room for hope.

Can Brunson, Obi, RJ & Mitch carry a team and attract a free agent when they get under the cap? Maybe. The jury is still out. It's also not really about this season either, it's about what they can do after this season, with a bunch of picks and maybe they pull off a trade or eventually get under the cap and sign a top free agent.

That's the conundrum. Hopefully, he can get us to the point where we're now a desirable destination for top tier players.

Idk how many top end players are gonna be moved by him. But we have enough assets to not look at it from that narrative. We could simply purchase a star via trade if we wanted to and then simply view Brunson as a good player to have on that team. My thing is even if that player were Giannes. Is Brunson as good a the best the Bucks got outta Jrue Holiday? Maybe. He performed pretty well for Dallas but I just know Holiday is a way more talented player. So I just don't know with Brunson.

I'm not bashing him, I think he's a good guy. I still sortve think he's just a glue guy though. It'll definitely make a difference. We just got smarter as a team. I just don't see this huge boost in talent. I mean, RJ is looking better. Toppin looks better or at the very least looks confident in what he can bring to the team. So I guess we'll see. I predict 40 wins cuz other teams got better too.

[rajajackal]

I don't know, but Brunson could be another in a long line of additions that make us too good for a top pick and not good enough for a deep playoff run. The odds of that happening aren't small and that's what this team has always done wrong.

this is a reasonable concern to have given our track record, but i think one major difference between brunson and a hardaway or randle is, brunson isn't set on being our 1st scoring option or coming in with that mindset. he's a guy who knows what he brings to the table and wants to play his role. steve mills was betting on hardaway/randle becoming something more than they were. jalen brunson was signed to be who he already is

[dakomish23]

Duh, of course he's a difference maker. He takes the ball out of Randle's hands.

Will Brunson himself be so out of this world that he'll be called a difference maker? No. But him being a solid legitimate floor general who will control the team and put ppl back in the roles they can better thrive in, should do wonders for most of the team. So that should help add at least 5 Ws IMO

[Clyde_Style]

Duh, of course he's a difference maker. He takes the ball out of Randle's hands.

Will Brunson himself be so out of this world that he'll be called a difference maker? No. But him being a solid legitimate floor general who will control the team should do wonders for most of the team. So that should help add at least 5 Ws IMO

Same; I also added 5 wins. In a weaker conference it would probably be more, but to play .500 or better this year is probably a reasonable expectation. If we stay healthy and RJ becomes Star J then we could head higher into the forties. The three players that need to stay healthy to be truly competitive are Brunson, RJ and Mitch.

[Capn'O]

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Very different from last season where our bench was the better unit. The bench needs to get it together, on that note.

[Clyde_Style]

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Very different from last season where our bench was the better unit. The bench needs to get it together, on that note.

We still need to upgrade the starting unit with Grimes and move Guano to the bench

[Capn'O]

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Very different from last season where our bench was the better unit. The bench needs to get it together, on that note.

We still need to upgrade the starting unit with Grimes and move Guano to the bench

If Grimes shows any modicum of consistency with his shot it's happening.

[ohboy109]

So people are agreed that we will only win 3 more games? SMH the self hate of Knick fans is astonishing to think with off season work of our young players and the addition of one of the better PGs in the NBA we can only string together 3 more wins…
The east is better also u can't ignore that!!

We won 37 games last year and the season was a disaster.

[Garbagelo]

Brunson gives up alot of what he gets

His defense is atrocious but he is one of the most efficient on offense I've ever seen.

You don't surround him with trash defenders like Randle and Fournier, otherwise Legler will be right

[moocow007]

I would not be surprised if the Knicks are looking to make a significant trade of some sort prior to the Trade Deadline when they realize that something still isn't quite right and that they need something to push them over the top and get into the playoffs. That trade will be at the wing position (whichever one RJ isn't officially listed as). I think that trade will be an easier one to make than a Mitchell level deal but obviously won't be as name worthy.

My take is that this team will be better but it's still missing something. Mitchell would have addressed the talent part had that trade happened but there's more than one way to skin a cat and more than one way to seriously improve. I don't think an SGA deal is something that is going to happen but there will be a trade that is significant that will happen at some point. They need it. Better but not quite right is their current state.

[KnicksGadfly]

I would not be surprised if the Knicks are looking to make a significant trade of some sort prior to the Trade Deadline when they realize that something still isn't quite right and that they need something to push them over the top and get into the playoffs. That trade will be at the wing position (whichever one RJ isn't officially listed as). I think that trade will be an easier one to make than a Mitchell level deal but obviously won't be as name worthy.

My take is that this team will be better but it's still missing something. Mitchell would have addressed the talent part had that trade happened but there's more than one way to skin a cat and more than one way to seriously improve. I don't think an SGA deal is something that is going to happen but there will be a trade that is significant that will happen at some point. They need it. Better but not quite right is their current state.

Agreed. One thing I hope Brunson does is raise our team’s trade value. Part of the reason we couldn’t make a Mitchell deal is because the Jazz saw our youth as insignificant and Fournier and Randle as a negative. It’ll be easier to make deals if external perceptions match our FO’s internal perceptions.

[KNICKS007]

I would not be surprised if the Knicks are looking to make a significant trade of some sort prior to the Trade Deadline when they realize that something still isn't quite right and that they need something to push them over the top and get into the playoffs. That trade will be at the wing position (whichever one RJ isn't officially listed as). I think that trade will be an easier one to make than a Mitchell level deal but obviously won't be as name worthy.

My take is that this team will be better but it's still missing something. Mitchell would have addressed the talent part had that trade happened but there's more than one way to skin a cat and more than one way to seriously improve. I don't think an SGA deal is something that is going to happen but there will be a trade that is significant that will happen at some point. They need it. Better but not quite right is their current state.

Agreed. One thing I hope Brunson does is raise our team’s trade value. Part of the reason we couldn’t make a Mitchell deal is because the Jazz saw our youth as insignificant and Fournier and Randle as a negative. It’ll be easier to make deals if external perceptions match our FO’s internal perceptions.

Fournier and Randle were never going to be traded to a rebuilding team like the Jazz unless they were expiring contracts.

RJ and GRIMES were the only real trade bait (OBI, CAM, IQ) are young role players that wouldn't even start on that rebuilding Jazz roster.

I feel like this team is as good as the Knicks Roster that Amare came into with a young chandler and Danilo.

At some point this season some team is going to fast track to the bottom of the standings and will want to unload anyone holding them back from doing that.