Yes.

But, guys, many of the problems we are seeing, we saw them last year ant they were'nt all related to KAT.

Mikal is back to the same vanishing act that provoked bunches of posts questioning him and regretting the trade. The problem is that this passive, ghost-like version of him has been the most consistent one since he's been here. Do things need to work perfectly for him to show up in a way? Then we're fudged, because the NBA isn't about the perfect moment, but the effort and battle you do when everything is against you. Every team has talent. Any team can beat you if you let them and Mikal is part of this no-resistence crew.

O.G. has also been a problem but from another perspective. It's been reported that he wants to be one of the main guys and he certainly wanted to be paid like one. Well, he did because the Knicks knew he was a huge part of their defense and believed in his offensive potential, like we have seen many times. But not enough. Not enough AT ALL. He is way too inconsistent in BOTH ENDS.

These three players are heavily underachieving, but honestly, even at his overpaid price, O.G. still seems like an integral piece of the puzzle.

But KAT and Mikal? They are very expendable right now, and they shouldn't. The Mikal trade looks like the trade we shouldn't have done. The KAT trade, I think the risk was worth taking because I remember the dark times where many wanted to trade Randle for a bag of chips. But I'd do the trade again for the trade value. KAT's, even right now when he sucks terribly, is still higher. But I think the moment to trade him is either now or in the offseason. Will it be Giannis? Will it be Morant? I don't know, but these two players have consistently shown that they aren't what we need to be truly a contender.

We have some pieces, but this stretch has confirmed many things we have seen many times before.

Playing defense requires lots of coordinated energy across 5 guys, and KAT is the one guy who really ****s that up. And then it trickles down from there.

The Knicks were 23-9. They're now 25-18, struggling to find any level of consistency on the floor. What's been going on, and what can they do to fix it?

From SNY's Ian Begley:

"In digging around on this, one theme has come up consistently over the past couple of weeks:

This group is not tied together in the way that their early season success would suggest. Players haven't fully bought into their roles under head coach Mike Brown. Those reasons are cited often when you talk to people about the Knicks’ flaws.

Now, these issues aren’t unique to this year’s team. They existed to a degree in the locker room last season. But the Knicks coaching change hasn't rooted them out."

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/sny_knicks/status/2013610967179903200

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/BenRitholtzNBA/status/2013648359593013725

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/AnsonW_1/status/2013397145076777363

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/blames_/status/2013627484948910573

It always comes back to this.

martin wrote:Don't know the context here but yikes

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/krispursiainen/status/2013681908719210681

I hope Brunson as the captain is telling this to the guys face to face. No need to use the media to send a message.

martin wrote:Prob why the Kolek minutes felt OK for a while too.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/BenRitholtzNBA/status/2013648359593013725

Both Hart and Kolek go out of their way to try to get Kat going.

Aside from all the Kat blame (I concur) you are starting to see/hear some commentary regarding THE CAPTAIN being an issue.

- not distributing enough
- not defending much at all
- gets all the glory - none of the blame

Think it was CP the Franchise going off last night (which he never does on the Captain) --- basically saying it's now 2 different coaches and playing with 2 different VERY TALENTED 2nd scorers in KAT/JULIUS and Jalen still hasn't shown much interest in really creating a 2-man game in either scenario.

I mean me personally I feel like 3 or 4 times a game there are easy opportunities to get Kat an easy look and Jalen ignores for his own look. On the flip side I think both Julius and Kat both shared the ball well with Jalen.

Plus Jalen is THE CAPTAIN right - not even sure if we have another guy (hopefully Kat isn't a captain) but somebody or Jalen preferably has got to get this ship in order.

LivingLegend wrote:

martin wrote:Prob why the Kolek minutes felt OK for a while too.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/BenRitholtzNBA/status/2013648359593013725

Both Hart and Kolek go out of their way to try to get Kat going.

Aside from all the Kat blame (I concur) you are starting to see/hear some commentary regarding THE CAPTAIN being an issue.

- not distributing enough
- not defending much at all
- gets all the glory - none of the blame

Think it was CP the Franchise going off last night (which he never does on the Captain) --- basically saying it's now 2 different coaches and playing with 2 different VERY TALENTED 2nd scorers in KAT/JULIUS and Jalen still hasn't shown much interest in really creating a 2-man game in either scenario.

I mean me personally I feel like 3 or 4 times a game there are easy opportunities to get Kat an easy look and Jalen ignores for his own look. On the flip side I think both Julius and Kat both shared the ball well with Jalen.

Plus Jalen is THE CAPTAIN right - not even sure if we have another guy (hopefully Kat isn't a captain) but somebody or Jalen preferably has got to get this ship in order.

For the most part Its not like KAT not trying. Its Almost like he trying too hard? The thing about Thibs was he was not making things easy and the players were not playing in an offensive system. Brown had that going and Jalen/Kat/OG/MIkal had easier looks.
Where did that go? Is this on the players? This team is not the 1990's with a defensive personality. Its offensively charged and while KAT is not a defensive stopper, he is a weapon himself others have to contain.

Ok, so there is somthing not coehisive about this group collective personality. I think there is plenty of blame to go around. There is much we don't know as fans so we can speculate.

SergioNYK wrote:

martin wrote:Don't know the context here but yikes

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/krispursiainen/status/2013681908719210681

I hope Brunson as the captain is telling this to the guys face to face. No need to use the media to send a message.

Yes. Man to Man, not Phil Jackson style

BlueKnickers wrote:

SergioNYK wrote:

martin wrote:Don't know the context here but yikes

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/krispursiainen/status/2013681908719210681

I hope Brunson as the captain is telling this to the guys face to face. No need to use the media to send a message.

Yes. Man to Man, not Phil Jackson style

Brunson: How’s it goink?