Agree with him or not I still find it interesting to read what his opinion of each Knick is.
He thinks Sasha should be playing 15 mins per game. Really???
No real opinion of Plumlee-- I guess he doesn't really see a future here
Kuz- good athlete, bad defense , gets confused a lot on the court.
Says the biggest problem is too many guys don't put out maximum effort unless they have the ball in their hands.
Major changes need to be made
He loves Lance
Anyone who thinks the triangle is going away, Wake Up! What a fuking mess this team is.
New York Knicks
Rosen: Evaluating the Knicks post-deadline roster
Charley Rosen
By Charley Rosen
Posted on Feb 26, 2017
(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
The recently closed window for NBA trades has left some lingering surprises. Perhaps the most unexpected development was the Knicks’ failure to make any kind of a deal.
So, then, here’s my own personal analysis of the post-trade Knicks roster.
CARMELO ANTHONY is still a terrific shooter/scorer, but as noted in many sources his penchant for holding the ball before making a decision often has negative effects. Making by-standers of his teammates. Interrupting any semblance of a flow. Enabling the defense to make adjustments. Hindering the development of the team’s young players. Plus, Melo hardly plays any defense.
Moreover, the only passes he looks to make are potential assist passes.
Too bad he never bought into the triangle offense, simply because he’d be a monster getting the ball on the weakside elbow (in triangle parlance, the “pinch post”). From there he’d be only one dribble away from the hoop, and defenders would be too far away to effectively double team him.
But, the dude can still periodically heat up the scoreboard.
BRANDON JENNINGS is another player who resists the triangle. Indeed, Jennings only wants to do what he does best, i.e., run screen/rolls. His erratic play has also made him a profound disappointment.
KRISTAPS PORZINGIS clearly represents the mainstay of the Knicks future. Although he spent his off-season diligently working to improve his lower-body strength, there’s still much more work to be done. Injuries and illness have greatly impeded KP’s development, and the preponderance of his foot and ankle injuries are extremely troubling, especially in someone as tall as he is. But Porzingis has an extraordinary work ethic and he’s still only 21, so the odds are that he will eventually evolve into New York’s franchise player.
LANCE THOMAS is an incredibly valuable player. He’s become a reliable three-ball shooter from the corners, but it’s his defense that constitutes his true value. When he’s on the court, Thomas’s savvy, determined efforts have a distinctly positive impact on the collective defense of whichever players are likewise on the court.
COURTNEY LEE is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He can shoot, score, execute, and play top-notch defense. The only knock against him is his frequent reticence to shoot.
DERRICK ROSE can still get to the rim and finish in rush-hour traffic as well as anybody in the league who’s not LeBron James. If Rose’s shooting is erratic, he makes enough jumpers to keep the defense honest.
What Rose doesn’t do is play alert defense and function as a playmaker.
It has been noted that the upcoming draft is top-heavy with blue-chip point guards.
WILLY HERNANGOMEZ is a tough young player who has good instincts, can hit mid-range jumpers, and has a batch of tricky moves in the low post. His hands are somewhat questionable and he has to learn how to play adequate defense without fouling.
But, like KP, Hernangomez will certainly develop into a steadfast center for the Knicks.
JOAKIM NOAH has been plagued with injuries, and has therefore never really been in game shape. At 32, he’s certainly lost some lateral movement, but he knows how to defend and always plays with an admirable passion. Because he can establish and hold low-post position, and because he’s such a wonderful passer, Noah would thrive in the triangle.
A healthy Noah, playing in the triangle, will do much to change the negative attitude that the New York media and the Knicks fans have toward him.
KYLE O’QUINN is having a good season. Rebounding, shooting, blocking shots, and playing hard. His executing the offense is sometimes problematic, and he needs to make at least three fakes before he can finish in a crowd, but O’Quinn is a very useful backup big.
JUSTIN HOLIDAY can surely shoot treys. His athleticism is off the charts and he’s learning how to play effective defense on a consistent basis. Another valuable bench player.
RON BAKER needs to work on his shooting and isn’t a superior athlete. However, he hustles on defense and, at both ends of the court, is always in the right place at the right time.
SASHA VUJACIC works harder during practice than anybody in the NBA. He can sit for two weeks, then come into the game and knock down his first trey. While he’s not an extraordinary defender, he’s one of those scratch-and-bump annoying ones. Vujacic is mostly incapable of creating his own shots, but would be a key weapon if the Knicks would ever learn how the run the triangle—which is something that Vujacic has already mastered.
It says here that Vujacic should be in the rotation and play more—at least fifteen minutes per game.
MINDAUGAS KUZMINSKAS is struggling to learn how to play NBA defense. He’s a good long range shooter with a quick release, and plays with great energy, but is too often tentative and confused no matter what the situation. Since he’s already 27, the question is—barring a quantum jump in his development– just how long will the Knicks commit to him?
MARSHALL PLUMLEE and MAURICE NDOUR are players who may or may not be part of the Knicks long range plans.
All in all, there’s sufficient talent for the Knicks to be better than they are. One of the problems is that they have a losing attitude. No matter how big a fourth quarter lead they have, they’re expecting the worst. How are they going to blow this game this time?
The basic problem, though, is that there are too many players who don’t put out maximum effort unless they have the ball in hands.
That’s why major changes have to be made and that’s why, starting on July 1, Phil Jackson will have his phone stuck to his ear and lots of under-the-cap money to spend.
