nixluva wrote:In truth the minutes distribution Fish focused on made sense. It was mainly about the core rotation guys getting significant minutes. Everyone can't play most nights. Fish is looking to establish chemistry with the core guys. I never thought TA was going to be a core rotation guy. It was enough that he made the roster at this point. He'll have a chance to prove what he can do in practice and whenever he does get to play in a game, but for right now I don't see him as a core rotation guy.

Knicks vs. Wizards
L. GALLOWAY # 2		26:18	
K. O'QUINN # 9		25:28
C. ANTHONY # 7	F	24:49
S. VUJACIC #18	G	24:10
J. GRANT #13		23:50
J. CALDERON # 3	G	21:42
D. WILLIAMS #23		21:01
K. PORZINGIS # 6 F	20:52
C. EARLY #11		20:41
R. LOPEZ # 8	C	19:49
L. THOMAS #42		04:21
L. AMUNDSON #17		02:43
T. ANTETOKOUNMPO #43	02:30
D. ATKINS # 5		01:46
W. SAUNDERS #32	DNP
D. SUMMERS #35	DNP
T. TRICE II #20	DNP

Suppose AA doesn't make it back anytime soon and SV continues to struggle shooting the ball? What then? Very surprised to see so many flat out dismissing TA as a viable option. I think this guy could help us at SG. Not much more I can say on this subject. You guys know where I stand. We'll agree to disagree. Again, if Sasha was playing well OR if we had secured another talented guard in the off-season (say we kept Shved), I could understand TA having to wait his turn. I don't see that though. I see a position that's wide open -- AA's out and Sasha's not producing and may be past his prime--we'll have to see. Eagerly waiting for TA to get his chance...Sounds like it may come Fri and/or Sat.. Hopefully Thanasis can show something if/when he gets his name called.

Finestrg wrote:

martin wrote:

Finestrg wrote:

Knixkik wrote:At this point i am not quite sure what he bring to the table. He is definitely not a better Gerald Wallace or have a shot to be a Iguadala type, he doesn't have any real NBA skill that i saw in summer league. Melo, DWill, and Early offer much more at the 3, and that's about all you can carry at 1 position, but i hope they keep him around and he agrees to continue to play for the Dleague team. But hustle guys are a dime a dozen in the league.

That's fine. I think he's more than a hustle guy. He's got skills offensively that many are overlooking and he has the potential to be a lockdown defender. Big-time NBA athlete too...Our big hurdle from the next several years will be trying to get past LeBron James. I'd love to have a player on board like TA to play James at different times throughout a game, a series, etc.. That could be a huge plus. Andre Iguodala was the Finals MVP -- he got that by having an impact offensively and shadowing James all over the court defensively. That's something I could envision TA doing for us against the Cavs...And I said Gerald Wilkins, not Wallace, although Wallace is an interesting comparison that I hadn't thought of. I like that comparison the more I think about it -- athletic shot-blocking wing that could score it a little...Why couldn't he be as good as or better than Wilkins, Wallace or even Iguodala?? Fish is right when he hints at this being a numbers game right now. That's true. Too bad we still have Calderon -- all this guy really is is a place warmer for when Grant gets in the game. Calderon's the superfluous piece right now. If Jose found himself out of the rotation, we could eventually go Grant/Galloway at the point, Afflalo/TA at the 2 with Calderon and Sasha relegated to 3rd string/spot duty. Would that be a bad thing?? Ideally, that's what I'd eventually like to see. Let's see if that happens. In the meantime, guys have to go out there and earn it, I get that. Grant hasn't shot the ball well but his play in other areas has been great. I'd like to see TA afforded the same opportunity. Sasha hasn't shot the ball well, hasn't really done much of anything else either. Let's see TA get a crack at playing some 2G now. Let's see if he can bring more to the table than Vujacic. This is preseason -- not too much to ask. Fish should want to find out.

Offensive skills? He could barely shoot in the D-League. How did you come up with the overlooking offensive skills part?

Finestrg wrote:Grant hasn't shot the ball well but his play in other areas has been great. I'd like to see TA afforded the same opportunity. Sasha hasn't shot the ball well, hasn't really done much of anything else either. Let's see TA get a crack at playing some 2G now. Let's see if he can bring more to the table than Vujacic. This is preseason -- not too much to ask. Fish should want to find out.

Here's the thing, I am guessing that he is getting a shot in practice, and he's not bringing it. The preseason is for Grant and Gallo and KP to get there feet wet and gel and for the second unit to gel, not for us to be able to see all 15 guys.

He may not have shown the consistency that many were looking for, but he still had many good moments where he contributed offensively in a big way the past couple of years in the DL/SL, including that impact game against MIL in Vegas where he scored 17 pts on 7-7 from the field, one of the last games he had any kind of significant playing time. I don't agree with the 'chicken with his head cut off' stuff at all. That's selling this dude well short. Take a look at some of these clips and tell me if this looks like a guy who can't contribute a lick offensively -- I just don't see it:

In clip 1, 1:17 on is all the SL game against Milwaukee

He shows some bonafide offensive potential here. Think back to players like Iman Shumpert at G-Tech and Gerald Wilkins in the 80s/90s. Shumpert showed potential and a good shooting form but the results just weren't there in college. Still, we drafted him and most were excited about his potential. Why can't we give TA the same chance?? What's the difference? Shump turned out to be a guy who may have reached his ceiling already, a guy we gave up on. I think TA could be a better overall player than Shumpert. Remember G Wilkins -- this dude was always one of my favorite players, yet let's be honest -- he was a mixed bag offensively and that's being polite. Gerald really struggled shooting the ball most nights and had a rather awkward shooting form. Who has better shooting technique, TA or Gerald Wilkins? The answer is TA. I think TA shows much more promise as a jump-shooter over Wilkins. Yet Wilkins was a solid contributor at both ends. I honestly see a similar albeit better talent in TA...And remember, whatever this guy could give us offensively would be gravy anyway -- it's his hustle, his intensity, his grit, his ability to get out and run the floor in transition like a gazelle (and finish strong) along with his stellar defense that could set him apart. We'll see, man. I watched plenty of Westchester games last year -- I know what I saw from him. I think this is a legit topic to bring up. Let's see how TA looks with that 2nd unit, let's see if he can have a positive impact offensively and defensively. I think he could. If Sasha's not gonna do much else than toss up bricks, I don't really care how much time he's spent in the triangle perviously--he won't help us. This guy looked shot a few years ago with the Nets. If Sasha V. isn't knocking down shots consistently, how valuable is he really? If he was shooting well, OK, then I can understand telling TA to wait his turn. Maybe in practice, on the sidelines helping the younger guys, etc., maybe that's where Sasha can still have an impact--but in the games, he needs to knock down shots otherwise, give me a player capable of having more impact. More than half the guys on this roster have no triangle experience. ZERO. What does that really mean? Nothing. This style Fisher wants to play isn't even 100% triangle anyway. It seems to me he's implementing a system which caters to each player's strengths. Look at D-Will -- he's come out and said he's "messing up" and struggling with some of this system's concepts, yet he's still having a positive impact. I think TA brings a lot to the table--I wanna see him get a chance.

trust me man, I want TA to get a chance and succeed. His defensive potential at the 2 is impressive.

I picked out 1 video to watch and see what he can bring at both ends of the court.

The one thing you notice is that all of the highlights are broken plays that end up as dunk or layup. NICE but that's expected of TA, he's athletic. I want to say that the knock on him is IQ, and I translate that into being able to utilize his talent within a team concept. Can he bring that same talent within a half court system? Team defense as opposed to 1-on-1?

Fish has a TON of pressure to win after the disaster of last season. I don't think they would hide a guy with TA's athletic ability, especially with AA down and needing to protect the perimeter.

I am totally down for keeping TA on the team, but am trying to see why he wouldn't be seeing minutes. My guess: individually bringing it occasionally, hasn't figured it out past that. A guy with his athleticism should be KILLING it in the DLeague, and he didn't, and that's telling. I hope I'm wrong.

Finestrg wrote:

clyderules wrote:I think that as fans we want to see the youngsters and hopefully watch a guy develop before our eyes. Same applies to Saunders, Atkins, and Trice. Fisher is correct in getting the team that will actually play the games to get ready for the season. The youngsters will have to develop out of the limelight if at all.

I see Thanasis as a step up from the other 3 you mentioned.

Read something over on the RealGM forums earlier and I wish I could give credit to the poster but have forgotten where I saw it... 3 guys to look for after the season that could compliment the core of the wing positions for the Knicks (and I'm super hopeful for TA but also realistic): Maurice Harkless and Crabbe from Portland, and Evan Fournier of Orlando. I think 2 of those guys are RFA and Allen Crabbe is an UFA. All in the 22/23 year old range, all long, tall, athletic players with range, smart guys who play both sides of the court. Would be good to grow with KP, Grant, DWill, Gallo and add depth to the SG/SF positions.

Knicks gotta find upgrades at the 2 - I don't really have a good feel for what AA brings - and a bouncy big that plays D.

OR, perhaps the Knicks could target Horford and move Rolo to the bench or trade him for a solid wing.

Phil gonna have to pull off one more miracle off season for this team to really compete.

Maybe TA is future SG guy

knicks1248 wrote:
What put's TA ahead of the other 2 guys on the roster in the same exact boat