BLACKFEET 2010 wrote:Kanter
KP
Lee
Tim
Sessions
Wily
Beasley
Frank
McD
Dot
1. Lee adds a level of activity on both sides of the ball we need. Not to win more games necessarily but to keep the energy and professionalism up. We talk a lot about culture, knowledge of the league and necessary work ethic and usually those guys don’t play because they’re old or broken down (sorry Noah); Lee is a gamer who’s gonna compete defensively, not dominate the ball, not take contested momentum killing shots, etc. I wasn’t a fan of this at first but let’s face it, we aren’t gonna be very good this season. We will look even that much more inept without an adult out there setting the tone. You start him at the three. He won’t hurt you. Or the tank. But the kids won’t boolsheet our there.
2. Frank, and I’m behind him, is just a rumor at this point.
The alarming part of this is Jeff intimating Frank has to learn at some point how to play when not feeling his best. He’s kinda changed his tone but my point is let this kid get his strength up. Throwing him to the wolves sounds cool but he’s all upside right now. He has to work. If he’s not destroying the meh guards in front of him him right now what is Russell Westbrook gonna do to him opening night? He needs to get his NBA strength training on. There’s no rush to start him anyway. Maybe we inflate Sessions value to get something for him come deadline time. Whatever. Let Frank dominate in practice before we gift him anything. That’s development. I mean it’s not even a question right now because the kid isn’t even able to practice.
3. Kanter should start because he’s better than Wily right now. He’s only 25 himself and isn’t here as a mentor. Maybe he’s a piece for the future. And I dunno if it’s something in the water but guys leave OKC and become players. This dude is good enough at what he’s good at. Dump the ball to him and he can get a bucket.
4. Beasley is a microwave. Ideally you don’t put him on the floor with a bunch of featured guys. Wily in theory fits off the bench with him as he did with Melo. He (Wily) can still get near a double double off the bench. But I’m pretty sure Enes is giving Big Will the business in practice. Beasley is gonna take a lotta shots. Can’t have him, KP and Tim fighting for touches.
Honestly, this makes the most sense. And sure, I'd rather WHG play over Kanter, but Kanter is a bit better at scoring in the post. WHG will get his chances to play with KP coming off the bench. It's not like Kanter doesn't like to foul...
A concern is Kanter might be better ultimately at putting the ball in the hoop, but it's how he gets those points. WHG, last year at least, seems more capable of playing in the flow and moving around. While Kanter can score more easily (not by a lot) the offense to me seems like it will function better with WHG. Ultimately moot, I think their minutes will be split no matter who starts.
I personally was back and forth between who would start at the 3 between McDermott and Beasley, but always felt that Beasley would be best off the bench at backup 4. Ultimately, I think the Knicks go small and CLee gets the nod over both at SF.
Baker is 10th man - spot playing time, based on foul trouble and hopefully not injury. Maybe he gets a chance later in the year if the Knicks dump Sessions somewhere.