https://www.sny.tv/articles/what-route-should-leon-rose-take-to-fix-the-knicks-point-guard-conundrum
https://hoopshabit.com/2020/04/23/new-york-knicks-pursue-terry-rozier/
But prior to the news of the Rose hire, there was strong support in some corners of the organization to try to acquire Charlotte guard Terry Rozier, per sources.
The framework of one deal that had internal support sent Julius Randle, Smith Jr. and a future first-round pick to Charlotte for a package that included Rozier and Malik Monk, per sources.
Some members of the New York Knicks organization believe that they are “incredibly well-positioned to trade for a disgruntled star” according to SNY’s Ian Begley, and it seems like they view Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier as something of a star even though most do not.....In fact, the Knicks had comfortable offers in place for D’Angelo Russell and Rozier that involved sacrificing future first-round picks before the 2020 trade deadline passed, per Ian Begley.
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Terry Rozier
Position: Point/Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Right
Born: March 17, 1994 (age 26 years), Youngstown, OH
Height: 6′1″
Weight: 190 lbs
Wingspan: 6’8
Standing Reach: 8'2.5
Vertical Max: 38 Inches
NBA draft: 2015 16th Overall/1st Round
School: University of Louisville
Current team: Charlotte Hornets (#3 / Point Guard, Shooting Guard)
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/roziete01.html
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/terry-rozier-17844/
2020-21 Salary: $18,900,000
2021-22: $17,905,263
2022-23: UFA
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-nba-player-projections/terry-rozier/
Wins above replacement projection
Category: ROTATION PLAYER
5-yr market value: $53.4m
Projected RAPTOR Plus/Minus : 0.3 / WAR: 2.5 / 2020 Market Value: 10.6 million / Total Rating: 200th out of 450 total players
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Malik Monk
Position: Point/Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Right
Born: February 4, 1998 (age 22 years), Jonesboro, AR
Height: 6′3″
Weight: 200 lbs
Wingspan: 6’4
Standing Reach: 8'3
Vertical Max: 42 Inches
NBA draft: 2017 11th Overall/1st Round
School: University of Kentucky
Current team: Charlotte Hornets (#1 / Point Guard, Shooting Guard)
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/monkma01.html
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/malik-monk-23606/
2020-21 Salary: $5,345,687
2021-22: QO: $7,318,245 (Qualifying Offer/RFA)
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-nba-player-projections/malik-monk/
Wins above replacement projection
Category: OFFENSIVE SPECIALIST
5-yr market value: $21.7m
Projected RAPTOR Plus/Minus : - 2.6 / WAR: 0.1 / 2020 Market Value: 2.0 million / Total Rating: 241st out of 450 total players
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Context
https://swarmandsting.com/2020/04/27/charlotte-hornets-terry-rozier-trade-knicks-coming/
Charlotte Hornets: Could a Terry Rozier trade with New York Knicks be coming?
by River Rhodes
Could a swap between the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks involving Terry Rozier and Julius Randle from the trade deadline reemerge this Summer?
Previous tweets from SNY TV reporter Ian Begley have revealed trade talks between the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks.
Some names that came up in recent talks concerning the Hornets and Knicks included Julius Randle, Dennis Smith Jr., Terry Rozier and Malik Monk, per SNY sources. Ringer first reported that Knicks and Hornets had recently discussed Julius Randle.
This was tweeted on February 3rd, three days before the trade deadline. Of course, negotiations between the Hornets and Knicks have since ceased as no trade was made at the deadline. Begley later clarified that.
However, the tweets came with days of the Knicks letting long-time president Steve Mills go. Could this management change-up restart trade discussions this Summer? New president, Leon Rose, might be more open to discussion with the Charlotte Hornets.
Rumors from before the deadline described swapping Terry Rozier and Malik Monk for a package including Julius Randle, Dennis Smith Jr., and a first-round pick. One would guess that the pick detailed in this transaction would not be the Knicks own, considering its value....
Another asset the Knicks could potentially elect to send would be the Clipper’s 2020 pick. Currently, it is projected to fall to the 27th spot. Not as enticing as Dallas’s pick, but maybe more realistic and in line with the value being traded....
It is unclear if James Borrego has the intention of theoretically fitting Julius Randle into the center spot as a stretch five, or trying to fit him into the team’s power forward rotation. Charlotte is in dire need of a center, the team’s rotation of Cody Zeller, Bismack Biyombo, and Willy Hernangomez leave a lot to be desired.
Julius Randle stands at only 6-feet-8-inches, making him much smaller than a traditional center, but the player has shown some flashes of being a devastating small-ball anchor. Still, it is unclear how many minutes Randle would be able to soak up in that position.
However, Charlotte already has Miles Bridges and PJ Washington at the 4. Two young and talented players who need developmental minutes and have awkward fits at positions other than power forward.
Forcing Randle into the stacked rotation might not be the best use for him. If the Hornets do acquire Randle, it will leave the team with more questions than answers, but there is potential for some really fun lineups.
The other Knicks player mentioned, Dennis Smith Jr., is a little more worrying. Smith Jr. grew up in Fayetteville, NC, and attended North Carolina State University. The point guard would instantly be a fan favorite returning home to the Carolinas. But Smith Jr. is a project, and maybe a failed one at that.
After being taken in the lottery by the Mavericks in 2017, Smith, failing to perform, was traded to New York in the middle of the 2018-2019 season. Since then, Smith Jr.’s minutes and production have steadily declined. If he is to be included in a potential trade, it should just be as a filler and not as an over-valued piece romanticized by his hometown.
On Charlotte’s end, the potential package being sent out doesn’t look like an overpay, to long-time fans’ relief. Rozier is finishing his first year of a three-year, 56.7 million dollar contract signed by the Charlotte Hornets this past Summer. A deal that was rightfully criticized as being an overpay at the time has since looked slightly better.
Rozier has produced more than expected, but make no mistake; this contract is still inflated. If Devonte’ Graham had not emerged to take on the “floor general” responsibilities of the point guard position, the signing would look a lot worse right now.
Charlotte should not look at this as a happy outcome, but instead, breathe a sigh of relief and try to move Rozier while his value is inflated in a deal like this one. Getting that contract off the books would be a big move towards gaining front-office flexibility.
The more questionable asset would be a young shooting guard Malik Monk. Monk is a polarizing figure to the fan-base. Taken by the Charlotte Hornets, a few picks later in the lottery than Smith, Monk has followed a similar career arc, albeit with more upside.
Overall, Monk has had disappointing production; not being nearly the shooter, he was lauded as coming out of college. However, Monk has shown glimpses of a higher ceiling with several stretches averaging 20 points when given proper minutes.
Monk is also an elite athlete. While Monk certainly has more upside than Smith, would the team be right to cut their losses now and trade him before his value dropped lower? Or have the guards’ value hit rock bottom, and the team should keep Monk instead of settling for the scraps he will command on the current market?....
It is unclear if Leon Rose wants to continue taking the Knicks in the direction of acquiring contributors like Rozier, but a deal like this would make sense for both sides and should be something Mitch Kupchak pursues further when the time comes.
https://www.otgbasketball.com/post/what-hiring-kenny-payne-away-from-kentucky-does-for-the-new-york-knicks
https://coachcal.com/news/2017/4/4/malik-monk-declares-for-nba-draft_44922.aspx
What Hiring Kenny Payne Away From Kentucky Does for the New York Knicks
by Alder Almo
Updated: Aug 13
Kenny Payne’s reputation as a player’s whisperer, outstanding recruiter, and a solid big man’s coach will be put to test in New York.
The Knicks announced on Tuesday that Payne, 53, will join Tom Thibodeau’s staff. Aside from his strong ties with Leon Rose, William Wesley, and Scott Perry, Payne fits the bill as a prototypical Thibs guy.
“I’m thrilled that Kenny has joined my staff as an assistant coach,” Thibodeau said in a statement. “He has an outstanding ability to forge relationships with players and improve their skills...He knows what it takes to win and has learned from one of the best coaches there is in John Calipari. Kenny will be a tremendous addition to our organization.”
The move is seen as a concerted effort by the new Knicks front office to avoid the pitfalls that led to Thibodeau’s firing in Minnesota.
Payne, a former small forward for the Philadelphia 76ers, joined the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team coaching staff in 2010. There he worked under the legendary John Calipari.
OTG spoke to Nick Roush of Kentucky Sports Radio about the relationship the two men shared.
“[Payne] acted as the good cop to John Calipari's bad cop,” Roush said. ”I don't know Thibs well, but from everything I've heard he needs to have a good cop around to keep the players happy. Payne is the consummate players coach. When former guys like Karl-Anthony Towns returned to UK's campus, he was the first person they would go see.”
Payne’s track record speaks for itself: four Final Four appearances with Kentucky, including winning the 2012 National Championship. One year after being promoted as an associate head coach, he helped Calipari lead the Wildcats to the first 38-0 record in college basketball history in 2015.
Payne was widely credited for the strong recruitment and player development programs at Kentucky.
“His ability to develop big men is obvious,” Roush said. “Towns and Bam Adebayo were not sure-fire lottery picks in the fall of their freshmen seasons. By late January, they were consistent contributors, almost automatic offense in the post.
A critic would argue that each of those players was destined to become a star. The same could not be said for Nick Richards. For two seasons he looked more like a lost cause than an SEC player of the Year candidate, but Payne never gave up and helped transform him into an All-SEC player as a junior.”
The 6-11 Richards withdrew from the NBA Draft last year after getting little interest from pro teams. This year, however, Richards is projected to fall in the second round following a breakout junior performance. Under coach Payne’s guidance, Richards posted 14.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks per game and was an efficient 64 percent from the floor last season.
If drafted, Richards will join the many NBA big men who have worked with Payne over the years. This includes Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel, Julius Randle, Karl Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Skal Labissière, Bam Adebayo, and PJ Washington.
Payne also worked alongside and helped develop some of Kentucky’s other stars, from Devin Booker and De’Aaron Fox to Malik Monk and Tyler Herro.
Current Knicks Randle and Knox figure to benefit from this hiring. The Wildcats, meanwhile, have a big spot to fill on the sidelines.
“Kenny's approach with his players, his knowledge of and his experience in the game, and his work ethic will serve him well on the professional level,” Coach Calipari said in a press release. “I have high expectations for him in the NBA. For Julius Randle and Kevin Knox, it will be immediate, but as other players get to know and trust him, they'll know he's about one thing: their improvement and their success. I have no doubt that Kenny is going to be a great asset to Coach Thibodeau's staff.”
While it pains Payne to leave the Calipari and the Wildcats, the opportunity was too good to pass up.
“This decision wasn’t easy for me,” Payne said. “I have a great job at Kentucky, and to think about leaving has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. But I have also been offered an incredible opportunity with the New York Knicks and a chance to help restore what I believe should be the premier organization in the NBA.”
Part of that restoration starts with Kevin Knox. The lottery pick who regressed in his sophomore year in the league was thrilled to be reunited with Payne.
It remains to be seen whether Payne’s strong relationship with the former Wildcats around the NBA could draw them to New York when they hit free agency. But one thing for sure: this hiring reinforced the Knicks belief on the 21-year old Knox.
“After taking some time with my family and reflecting on this season, I have decided to enter my name into the 2017 NBA Draft,” Monk said. “As a little kid, these are words that I could only dream of saying. For that I am very grateful and thank God. I would like to thank Coach Cal for helping me evolve my game and become a more complete basketball player. You pushed me all season to be my best and taught me the true meaning of team and sacrifice. KP (Kenny Payne), thank you for mentoring me on and off the court and helping me perfect my craft while guiding me through the entire process."
https://celticswire.usatoday.com/2020/06/17/nba-boston-celtics-terry-rozier-al-horford-john-hollinger-10-worst-contracts/
There was no path to a starting role for Rozier in Boston.
As bad as their current situations are, it seemed quite plausible remaining would be worse.
With that said, the deals team president Danny Ainge and the rest of the front office probably wouldn’t have looked like these did, and that’s okay.
You almost always have to overpay to land a free agent — unless the situation has been leveraged a la Kemba Walker — and the teams that signed Horford and Rozier did.
To that end, Rozier found himself the fifth-worst value in the league for Hollinger. Why?
“The Hornets made a bad problem worse when they responded to Kemba Walker’s free agency by sending their 2020 second-round pick to Boston and turning it into a sign-and-trade for Rozier. Rozier was unlikely to live up to his three-year, $57 million deal, and the Hornets almost immediately discovered that they already had a better point guard lying around in Devonte Graham.”
The Athletic analyst sees Rozier as a minimum player, though admittedly because of his rough fit with the Hornets and rougher exit from the Celtics.
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Analysis: I don't think a first round choice is needed here. I can see Rozier/Monk for Randle/DSJr being the baseline for an ugly deal. This looks like a potential "Challenge Trade" i.e. my problems for your problems, maybe a change of scenery will help everyone involved. Charlotte will want to tank hard to try to get Cade Cunningham in 2021 Draft. Rozier only makes that harder for them. Knicks need a point guard. They get rid of Randle, who is not going to fit with Thibs and pick up a defender in Rozier ( albeit one who seems to have his defensive discipline turning on and off) The Knicks have to eat that extra year of Rozier but get positional need and a flier in Monk for the offset cost. Hornets have to eat that 4 million Randle buyout. Kenny Payne has history with Malik Monk, maybe he can fix him a little. Dennis Smith Jr might do well to be near his hometown, maybe he needs a change of scenery too.
I don't see Randle and/or DSJr having a future with the Knicks. I suppose it will come down to how folks will see Monk as a recovery project and how they feel about that extra year of Rozier. I don't feel strongly either way but maybe it's worth a deeper discussion.
Thoughts?
10/10/2020 3:47 AM