What's the Knicks' weakest position?

[Jalen Bluntson]

I guess position wise...weakness would be SF because we don't have one.

[thebuzzardman]

Really depends on health. Talking specifically Kemba Walker and Mitchell Robinson. Right now PG and C are their most precarious positions. They have a lot of guards but most of them are either probably better suited as SF's (Barrett and Fourner IMHO are both ideal SF's) or are more combo (backup) caliber guards (rest of the guys on their roster)...so I'd say starting SG specifically (not SG depth).

Assuming Walkar and Robinson are both back to full health, if you asked me to look to add one player to the starting lineup id probably focus on looking at a true starting caliber SG. Of course a whole lot easier said than done as top tier starting SG's are also at a premium nowadays.

I think we are among the few who think Fournier and RJ are fine as SF's. In the post draft regret phase, all of sudden they were wildly undersized. As if there are tons of 6'10" SF's roaming the NBA. Last I checked the PF's all became C's or obsolete, the SF's became PF's and most teams effectively run a 3 guard offense, but they call one of them a "SF".
Are there some bigger SF's? Sure. Are they many? Not really. Also, wingspan and build matters. Guys aren't blocking shots with their head and they aren't using their head to body up players on defense. I think RJ can guard most NBA 3's effectively. Fournier looks less brolic but I think he's sneaky strong and fine as well.
Wouldn't mind trading Knox for Josh Jackson as a better backup 3 insurance policy though.

[thebuzzardman]

I guess position wise...weakness would be SF because we don't have one.

Actually, we have 2. RJ and Fournier.

[Jalen Bluntson]

I guess position wise...weakness would be SF because we don't have one.

Actually, we have 2. RJ and Fournier.

Except RJ is a SG and So is Evan.

[thebuzzardman]

I guess position wise...weakness would be SF because we don't have one.

Actually, we have 2. RJ and Fournier.

Except RJ is a SG and So is Evan.

So, 6'7" is the size of SGs now? Ok.

The Knicks MIGHT be a LITTLE undersized at SF on SOME nights, but it's not nearly the deal you and a handful of other posters are making it.

I'd still like to move Knox for Josh Jackson for some defensive insurance/ability/height that's useful at the backup 3/4

Don't make me go all NYMentality and list the heights of all NBA SF's.

[moocow007]

I guess position wise...weakness would be SF because we don't have one.

Actually, we have 2. RJ and Fournier.

Except RJ is a SG and So is Evan.

They're really more SF's. Barrett doesn't really have the ball or shot creation skills of an ideal SG and Fournier doesn't possess the quickness of same. Both are more than capabe of physically handling larger players at the SF position. In fact not hard to argue that both are defensively better suited to cover opposing SF's. So if they possess more of the offensive profile of a SF and are really better suited to defend opposing SF's I'd consider them SF's.

[moocow007]

Really depends on health. Talking specifically Kemba Walker and Mitchell Robinson. Right now PG and C are their most precarious positions. They have a lot of guards but most of them are either probably better suited as SF's (Barrett and Fourner IMHO are both ideal SF's) or are more combo (backup) caliber guards (rest of the guys on their roster)...so I'd say starting SG specifically (not SG depth).

Assuming Walkar and Robinson are both back to full health, if you asked me to look to add one player to the starting lineup id probably focus on looking at a true starting caliber SG. Of course a whole lot easier said than done as top tier starting SG's are also at a premium nowadays.

I think we are among the few who think Fournier and RJ are fine as SF's. In the post draft regret phase, all of sudden they were wildly undersized. As if there are tons of 6'10" SF's roaming the NBA. Last I checked the PF's all became C's or obsolete, the SF's became PF's and most teams effectively run a 3 guard offense, but they call one of them a "SF".
Are there some bigger SF's? Sure. Are they many? Not really. Also, wingspan and build matters. Guys aren't blocking shots with their head and they aren't using their head to body up players on defense. I think RJ can guard most NBA 3's effectively. Fournier looks less brolic but I think he's sneaky strong and fine as well.
Wouldn't mind trading Knox for Josh Jackson as a better backup 3 insurance policy though.

Yep agreed.

[thebuzzardman]

Actually, we have 2. RJ and Fournier.

Except RJ is a SG and So is Evan.

They're really more SF's.

To me, Fournier, the taller player, is the one that possesses more of the guard skills, while RJ, who was penciled in at SG last year, plays more like a SF. We all know the positions are largely interchangeable.

I think RJ is strong enough to guard most SF's with the height not being an issue. Not sure if Fournier is quick enough to guard all the SG's.

*edit - I quick posted before I saw you post essentially the same thing

[thebuzzardman]

I wouldn't mind seeing this lineup occasionally. It's fun to wish for things that will never happen.

Kemba
Rose
Fournier or RJ
Obi
Randle

[prophet_of_rage]

Why did they re-up Noel, who is essentially lightweight Mitch?

Idk but you missed me being pissed about it. Not so much that Noel is still here but that he makes 10mil. I feel like later we'll hard ball Mitch but forget we have what was supposed to be his backup 10mil.......or maybe that's because again Thibs doesn't really value that skillset in a starter.

My point wasn't to say that I don't value Mitch. I'm just saying the Lopez skillset is still something Thibs would salivate over.

Totally agree. I like both Mitch and Noel, but I'm also kind of against their redundancy together. I was pushing for Baynes or Olynyk. Not sure I ever thought of Brook, who is an excellent choice.

Not sure what the game plan is here. Just spitballing but maybe they like having a shot blocking rim runner type, but actually prefer Noel over Mitch (I wouldn't) and their plan is to replace Mitch with a more well rounded C type, with them having confidence Noel has the health and maturity to be longer term backup. Hence the Turner rumors.

Thibs' defence is based on funneling the driver to a shotblocker. Thibs has duplicated at every position. Kemba and Rose ... same. RJ, Fournier, Grimes, Burks ... same. We'll see if Obi can duplicate Randle.

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[Jalen Bluntson]

Except RJ is a SG and So is Evan.

They're really more SF's.

To me, Fournier, the taller player, is the one that possesses more of the guard skills, while RJ, who was penciled in at SG last year, plays more like a SF. We all know the positions are largely interchangeable.

I think RJ is strong enough to guard most SF's with the height not being an issue. Not sure if Fournier is quick enough to guard all the SG's.

*edit - I quick posted before I saw you post essentially the same thing

From what I recall seeing...RJ gets shut down by SFs and has difficulty defending them. His advantage is at the 2. Fournier is a 2. Sure interchangeable except...it doesn't work well. You gonna have Fournier defending SFs?

We shall see in a few weeks.

[Synciere]

This is EASILY the SF position.

I get that you all want to play the small ball game and make all shooting guards small forwards, but the best small forwards in the game are KD, Luka, Kawhi, PG, Lebron, Tatum etc... we don't have a single player who possesses their size and overall skill. Those guys aren't shooting guards masquerading as small forwards, which is exactly what Fournier and RJ would be. They would and have cooked us every time we play them. We need a true playmaker with size at that SF to become a complete team, even without a superstar. A guy like Middleton would take us far and honestly make us contenders.

[Synciere]

They're really more SF's.

To me, Fournier, the taller player, is the one that possesses more of the guard skills, while RJ, who was penciled in at SG last year, plays more like a SF. We all know the positions are largely interchangeable.

I think RJ is strong enough to guard most SF's with the height not being an issue. Not sure if Fournier is quick enough to guard all the SG's.

*edit - I quick posted before I saw you post essentially the same thing

From what I recall seeing...RJ gets shut down by SFs and has difficulty defending them. His advantage is at the 2. Fournier is a 2. Sure interchangeable except...it doesn't work well. You gonna have Fournier defending SFs?

We shall see in a few weeks.

People just keep spewing this RJ is SF talk without actually looking at the evidence. He's a SG. He's been a SG since before college. His game makes it so he's at an advantage at SG and a massive disadvantage at SF, but let's make him a SF why don't we?! One of the greatest college coaches of all time and two pro coaches have all played him at the 2 but let's ignore that.

[Synciere]

We have one SF and his name is Kevin Knox. Help!

[2020]

What would the polls look like if RJ was switched to SF and Fournier was switched to SG

[Jalen Bluntson]

What would the polls look like if RJ was switched to SF and Fournier was switched to SG

Wouldn't matter because the only SF we have is Kevin Knox and he's more of a stretch 4. Why is Burks listed at SF? Oh...because we don't have one.

[prophet_of_rage]

So we should have signed Oubre?

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[thebuzzardman]

So we should have signed Oubre?

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Since 6'6" and 6'7" is the size of midgets now, apparently yes.

[Metta World WAR]

I admit to being one of the 2 votes for PF, reason being if Randle goes down for any extended period of time, not too confident in the backups, unless you throw Taj in there. But realistically, how many minutes per game can he give you? Also, after Randle, the gap is huge in capability, at least for now.

[thebuzzardman]

This is EASILY the SF position.

I get that you all want to play the small ball game and make all shooting guards small forwards, but the best small forwards in the game are KD, Luka, Kawhi, PG, Lebron, Tatum etc... we don't have a single player who possesses their size and overall skill. Those guys aren't shooting guards masquerading as small forwards, which is exactly what Fournier and RJ would be. They would and have cooked us every time we play them. We need a true playmaker with size at that SF to become a complete team, even without a superstar. A guy like Middleton would take us far and honestly make us contenders.

Kris Middleton: 6-7, 222lb (201cm, 100kg)
Evan Fournier: 6-7, 205lb (201cm, 92kg)

So, it's 10 pounds that's holding the Knicks back at SF?

I mean, sure, the Knicks could use a talent upgrade over Fournier or RJ to get to another level, but their wing size is fine, if Kris Middleton is the example. Or, Middleton is a bad example and the Knicks could use a player who is 2 inches taller.