Who's playing where and who is starting? I'm just guessing, but I didn't put any rookies as starters out of respect
POS STARTER 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH
PG Elfrid Payton Frank Ntilikina Alec Burks Myles Powell Dennis Smith Jr Jared Harper
SG Reggie Bullock Immanuel Quickley Austin Rivers
SF RJ Barrett Kevin Knox Ignas Brazdeikis
PF Julius Randle Obi Toppin Omari Spellman
C Mitch Robinson Nerlens Noel
Burks is a SG and I think they will try to make Quickley a PG
Beyond that though the roster is a mess. You got to assume they will be using cap space through the season to get draft assets/young players. Jordan was crazy waiving Batum. Teams will be looking to get out of a bad deal soon enough, they always are and instead of taking a cap hit will reach out to the Knicks.
Also Bullock, Burks, and Noel’s contracts are going to be really tempting to playoff teams looking for depth at the wing and big position. It looks like we missed out on the big names so we’re tanking. I like it. I prefer this than treadmill chasing in a year we know we fundamentally aren’t built to win it all.
Also Randle is a large contract that breaks down to 4 Mil next year.
A more realistic way of looking at the roster for potential long term fit is
DSJ/Quickley
RJ/Frank
Knox/ RJ
Obi/Knox/Braz
Mitch
This is the Way!
I think these are likely starters.
Payton
Barrett
Burks
Toppin
Robinson
The next 5 guys in the rotation.
Randle
Bullock
Quickley
Noel
Frank
I think Smith and Knox are basically gone, and the Knicks probably try to move Randle for a pick during the year.
I like to think of this as a development year rather than a tank. I’d like to see some reclamation projects (like Willie Cauley-Stein) and a SF that can hit a 3. Really want this years team to have some floor spacing.
We don't know what this team will look like next year, nor maybe even
next month, nor after the trade deadline. But right now, we know most
of this season's roster, so let's stay focused on the whole season that
needs to be played, and not about the 1-yr expiring contracts, and who will be
left long-term. The Knicks have at least 3 players who prefer to drive to the
basket, Toppin, RJ, and Knox. And it's hard to do that in today's NBA if you
can't spread the court w 3 pt perimeter shooters to space it out. The Knicks
only had Bullock last season, but now have more, and can kick the ball out
to these players:
PG Alec Burks Myles Powell
SG Austin Rivers Immanuel Quickley
SF Reggie Bullock
PF Obi Toppin Omari Spellman
Additionally, the Knicks can put a very strong defensive team on the floor
in the closing minutes of the game now with these players:
PG Frank Ntilikina Alec Burks Myles Powell
SG Immanuel Quickley
SF Reggie Bullock
PF Nerlens Noel
C Mitchell Robinson
Payton/DSJ/Ntlikina
Barrett/Burks/Rivers/Quickley
Bullock/Knox/Brazdeikus
Randle/Toppin
Robinson/Noel/Davis
Harper
Pinson
Powell
SL as of tonight
pg: Payton
sg: Rivers
sf: Barrett
pf: Randle
c: Robinson
God there is no way it’s ok if Rivers and Payton start. We have to let Frank get going at some point to see if he has anything in him.
Payton/DSJ/Ntlikina
Barrett/Burks/Rivers/Quickley/Evans
Bullock/Knox/Brazdeikus
Randle/Toppin
Robinson/Noel/Spellman
Harper
Pinson
Powell
Funky looking roster...
I see a trade happening to lessen our guards. Maybe Smith or Frank gets traded for a pick
