Things have fallen apart for the New York Knicks in recent weeks. It is hard to believe that this is the same team that began the 2021-22 NBA season 5-1, as they are currently on a four-game losing streak, going 7-15 since that hot start.
Looking to shake things up, head coach Tom Thibodeau decided to remove Kemba Walker from the starting lineup and rotation altogether. The team was 10-8 in the games Walker has started, but it was a move that many people saw as a necessary one.
Walker had the worst plus/minus of anyone on a team with a winning record at the time. New York’s offensive and defensive ratings both improved with Walker off the court compared to being on it, as well.
So, Walker was the sacrificial lamb to try and get the team going. That plan has backfired, as the New York Knicks have struggled mightily even with Walker out of the rotation. Thibodeau made another change to the starting five, replacing Mitchell Robinson with Nerlens Noel.
This one seemed to light a fire under Robinson, who responded with strong performances off the bench. Disappointingly, the team continued to lose games and is still searching for answers on how to get back on track.
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Drawing the ire of fans currently is Evan Fournier, and understandably so. Fournier was brought in, along with Walker, to help elevate the team’s offense knowing that they would slip a little defensively. Fournier signed a four-year, $78 million deal and is currently in the midst of the worst shooting season of his career.
Fournier is playing the fewest minutes per game since his second season in the NBA, but scaling them back, even more, should be a real possibility. If he is not knocking down jump shots, he is a massive negative for the team as he isn’t a strong defender. Why he has received such a long leash at the expense of others is anyone’s guess.
There likely isn’t a person in the world who would have told you that Kevin Knox II would be helping the Knicks out more now than Fournier, but that is what it has come to. Thrust into the rotation because of Obi Toppin, RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes being in the league’s health and safety protocols, Knox has responded well with some nice performances.
In the two games that he has been in the rotation for, Knox has knocked down 7-of-15 from the 3-point line en route to 27 points. He has pulled down 12 rebounds with two assists and two steals as well. Despite being far down the depth chart, Knox remained ready and has responded when called upon.
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Knox may see his minutes disappear once Toppin is ready to return, but Grimes should be giving Fournier a run for some of his minutes. The No. 25 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft had a game to remember in his first start, setting multiple New York Knicks records along the way. Grimes scored 27 points, which was the most points by a Knicks rookie in their first career start. He knocked down seven 3-pointers in the process, which was a franchise rookie record as well.
He should be receiving regular minutes upon his return from the league’s health and safety protocols. When Walker was removed from the rotation, Thibodeau elected to go with only nine players instead of reinserting a 10th. It is time a 10th is reinserted, with Fournier having his minutes cut back.
While Fournier is receiving a lot of flack, and rightfully so, the real issue for the New York Knicks has been the regression of Julius Randle. Last season, when Randle won the Most Improved Player award, he provided the Knicks with superstar-level production. That level of production has been few and far between for Randle this season, which has knocked New York down a few pegs.
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His shooting numbers are what is most concerning, as he had a shooting split of .456/.411/.811 last season and has dropped to .428/.342/.770 this season. The additions the team made were supposed to make life easier for Randle on the offensive end of the floor, but they have been more of a struggle this season than last season.
Turnovers are another area that people point to when it comes to Randle. His turnover numbers are identical to last season. For whatever reason, they just seem to come at the least opportune times this season as they almost always kill a Knicks run and crush the momentum they were building.
While the offensive numbers aren’t ideal, what is most troubling when it comes to Randle is his defense. As the leader of the team, he sets the tone for his teammates and too often he is caught out of position or providing lackadaisical effort on that end of the court.
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If veterans such as Fournier and Randle cannot get their game going, Thibodeau would be better off seeing what he has in some of the young guys. You know when they check into the game you are going to get a ton of energy and effort on both ends of the court.
Miles McBride received his first extended minutes against the Warriors and was the only Knick with a positive plus/minus ratio on the night, even closing the game. He brings everything the Knicks have been looking for to the point guard position and could be making a case for minutes going forward as well.
Ultimately, cleaning things up defensively is what will help the Knicks get back on track this season. Teams knew last season that when they faced the New York Knicks, it was going to be a long night because they got after it on the defensive end. This season, that same intimidation is not present as teams are routinely left wide open for 3-pointers or allowed to waltz to the rim for easy baskets.
