C: Nerlens Noel.
PF: Obi Toppin.
SF: Alec Burks.
SG: Immanuel Quickley.
PG: Derrick Rose.

(Miles McBride (PG) and Quentin Grimes (SF) as developing youth).

I personally think it's disgusting. Sick. Dynamic. Exciting.

What I love most about this Kemba Walker addition (outside of improving all 4 of R.J. Barrett/Evan Fournier/Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson as not only a 4x All-Star but also an absolute Trae Young killer) is the fact that Derrick Rose gets to (once again) become our sparkplug off the bench.

Because against Atlanta? After benching Elfrid? While removing Derrick Rose from our 2nd unit and into our starting 5? Our bench production, just wasn't the same.

I also love and appreciate how all 5 of Rose/IQ/Burks/Toppin/Nerlens will all have another year of experience together during year #2 under coach Tom Thibs along with more team chemistry amongst one another.

How potentially dangerous is our NY bench/backup unit come 2021 and how many other NBA teams have 2nd units as powerful as this one?

EwingsGlass wrote:The Hawks have a pretty deep bench. Wizards bench is now flush. That's off the top of my head.

Yes you're right about Atlanta's depth too.

C: Onyeka Okongwu.
PF: Danilo Gallinari.
SF: Cam Reddish.
SG: Lou Williams.
PG: Sharife Cooper.

I have no idea who Onyeka Okongwu is but I do like everyone else.

I guarantee you though, that if you were remove Clint Capela from ATL's starting 5 and add Mitchell Robinson into ours; ATL doesn't eliminate us last year.

And I know I created this thread about our bench but you mentioning ATL has me tight.

C: Mitchell Robinson.
PF: Julius Randle.
SF: Evan Fournier.
SG: R.J. Barrett.
PG: Kemba Walker.

Vs.

C: Clint Capela.
PF: John Collins.
SF: Kevin Huerter.
SG: Bogdan Bogdanovic.
PG: Trae Young.

Our starting 5 is much better and you couldn't pay me enough to trade/switch starting 5's and Kemba Walker is an absolute Trae Young killer and is 4-1 @ .800% against him (for a reason).

They do have a sick bench though and I really hope we get to play them during the playoffs for a rematch next year. But this time at full strength. We'll demolish them.

NYKMentality wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:The Hawks have a pretty deep bench. Wizards bench is now flush. That's off the top of my head.

Yes you're right about Atlanta's depth too.

C: Onyeka Okongwu.
PF: Danilo Gallinari.
SF: Cam Reddish.
SG: Lou Williams.
PG: Sharife Cooper.

I have no idea who Onyeka Okongwu is but I do like everyone else.

I guarantee you though, that if you were remove Clint Capela from ATL's starting 5 and add Mitchell Robinson into ours; ATL doesn't eliminate us last year.

And I know I created this thread about our bench but you mentioning ATL has me tight.

C: Mitchell Robinson.
PF: Julius Randle.
SF: Evan Fournier.
SG: R.J. Barrett.
PG: Kemba Walker.

Vs.

C: Clint Capela.
PF: John Collins.
SF: Kevin Huerter.
SG: Bogdan Bogdanovic.
PG: Trae Young.

Our starting 5 is much better and you couldn't pay me enough to trade/switch starting 5's and Kemba Walker is an absolute Trae Young killer and is 4-1 @ .800% against him (for a reason).

They do have a sick bench though and I really hope we get to play them during the playoffs for a rematch next year. But this time at full strength. We'll demolish them.

The Hawks got Delon Wright, so Cooper is likely heading to the G-League. Also, I think Lou is still a FA.

Jimbo5 wrote:Initially I thought ok, we upgraded 2 players, Bullock to Fournier and Payton to Kemba but even just looking at the numbers the upgrade in terms of production for the starting line up doubled already. Then you look at Rose, Noel, Burks and IQ.

Essentially these three players were part of the starting 5 last year and played a major role(IQ) and now they will be part of the Knicks second unit! The knicks will definitely compete next year. They got sneaky stronger.

Something like that

C Mitch Noel Taj Sims
PF Randle Obi Taj Knox
SF Barrett Burks Knox Grimes
SG Fournier Quickley Burks Grimes
PG Walker Rose Vildoza Mcbride

shinmen wrote:We should improve tremendously on offense but I'm wary of the state of our defense. Payton and Bullock were not elite but they are miles better than Walker and Fournier.

You never have to worry about Defense when you've got Coach Tom Thibs.

We were the NBAs #1 Defense last year because Tom Thibs not "Reggie Bullock".

Reggie Bullock was on our 2019-2020 tank team and our Defense was mediocre.

Tom Thibs is a defensive mastermind and we'll always be top 1-3 under him on Defense.

#1 Defense last year despite only year #1 under his Defensive system. Just imagine how much better we'll be on D due to team chemistry alone come year #2...

Also, no matter how much the team is better on paper, it does not mean that we will be better placed. The Nets, Bucks and Sixers are simply stronger teams. I’d say the Hawks are too, and it remains to be seen what the Bulls and Heat will look like. Of course that doesn’t mean we should be written off, but it’s a realistic bet that we won’t be the top 4 seed.

CleaverGreene wrote:Taj should be on the list...He will get some minutes.

Wildcards...

Will Villdoza get consistent minutes?

IQ & Obi- How have they improved their games (especially Obi)?

McBride & Grimes- can either of them crack the rotation and contribute this year?

Are IQ and McBride competing against each other for time? If IQ's game is at the same level it was last year (No major improvements)...which was good enough to get consistent minutes on last year's roster, will he get the same minutes this year? Can McBride take minutes from him?

Does Knox have a realistic chance of being more than a garbage time player?

He needs to show up looking like a beast in pre season is his only hope