Knicks’ options to solve their never-ending point guard crisis
The third-quarter turnover versus Utah didn’t determine Sunday’s recreation however was emblematic of this melancholy Knicks’ season and not using a level guard.
Dealing with his former workforce, place to begin guard Alec Burks threw a brief cross to Julius Randle on the perimeter. Juancho Hernangomez made a simple interception of the telegraphed feed, sprinted downcourt, and bought fouled deliberately as he lifted for a layup.
Playmaking isn’t Burks’ robust swimsuit, nor has it ever been as a bench-scoring wing, courting to his Jazz days when he not often performed the purpose. However the quiet-as-a-mouse Burks has been thrust in that floor-general position, miscast throughout this season of darkness.
Burks’ standing has underscored Knicks president Leon Rose’s failure to handle the franchise’s principal activity final offseason — solidifying the purpose guard place.
Sunday’s cheerless Backyard 108-93 loss to the Jazz was one other impolite awakening to “The Nice Knicks Level Guard Downside of 2021-22.” Burks completed with three assists in 34 minutes and two turnovers, capturing 3 of 9 from the sphere.
Burks’ sputtering amid the loss additional shined a beam of sunshine on the workforce brass’ empty summer season when the free-agent level guard crop was plentiful.
Kemba Walker’s homecoming turned from fairytale to tragedy. The 31-year-old Bronx legend felt so undesirable by coach Tom Thibodeau, he most popular to close it down on the All-Star break to coach in Charlotte, the place the Knicks go to Wednesday within the second leg of a back-to-back.
Sarcastically, Walker made his resolution to give up on the workforce, believing Derrick Rose was about to supplant him as the start line guard and kick him out of the rotation a second time.
Simply because the 33-year-old Rose primed for his return, he underwent a second ankle process on Feb. 25 and could be gone for the season.
When the Knicks hook up with the Hawks on Tuesday on the Backyard in a single last-gasp effort to maintain any play-in hopes alive, Rose will miss his forty second straight recreation.
Thibodeau had been in an upbeat temper lately, feeling the membership had performed nicely because the All-Star Break and never give up on him. They’re ranked within the prime 5 in internet score in 12 video games because the break.
However towards Utah, an absence of expertise — notably at level guard — was painfully evident. When Burks returned halfway via the fourth quarter, the workforce fell aside. No orchestra chief. No playmaker. No likelihood with Randle dribbling an excessive amount of into visitors and fumbling the sport away.
Derrick Rose’s resourcefulness was most missed on Sunday. Rose’s poised fourth quarters throughout their 41-31 season final yr took the warmth off Randle.
Leon Rose could have one other likelihood this summer season to discover a level guard — a quest that’s served as a franchise obsession because the Nineteen Eighties. Derrick Rose can now not be counted upon to be a chunk who performs backup minutes.
The Knicks don’t have cap area any longer however they do have their 2021 second-round Eurostash choose in Rokas Jokubaitis, who has excelled in Barcelona.
The Publish has realized a pair members of the Knicks brass flew out in February to go to with Jokubaitis, who could play for the Knicks’ summer-league workforce, if he’s not tied up with Lithuania within the European championships. The artful Jokubaitis nonetheless is not any lock for subsequent season however it’s a chance.
In free company, the Knicks will both must commerce expiring contracts — and so they have a bunch, together with Burks — or do a sign-and-trade deal to get an elite free agent. Their prime goal is Jalen Brunson of the Mavericks, however there are different free-agent level guards in the marketplace.
NBA sources have lengthy indicated Brunson, due to his many Knicks connections, is within the Knicks however his market worth may need neared $20 million per.
Middle Mitchell Robinson, an unrestricted free agent, has eyed the Mavericks as a vacation spot. Dallas wants rebounding and a defensive inside presence. An indication-and-trade package deal with Brunson and Robinson because the central characters isn’t farfetched.
Regardless of his modest dimension, Rick Brunson’s son out of Villanova is a dogged defender and the playmaker who may also help Randle’s recreation by taking the ball out of his palms. The purpose ahead position hasn’t labored as easily because it did final season and has zapped Randle of his vitality.
If the Mavericks re-sign Brunson, the Knicks could have different choices. A costlier one is Cavaliers combo guard Collin Sexton. The Knicks had commerce discussions with Cleveland coming into the 2021 draft.
The speedball Sexton is a restricted free agent after lacking many of the season with a torn meniscus in his left knee, hurting his market fee. The Cavaliers have soared with out Sexton as Darius Garland has commanded the purpose guard position.
Scouts view Sexton as a tireless employee, a dynamic scorer however no person has ever accused him of being a real level guard like Garland.
Veterans Ricky Rubio, who performed for Thibodeau in Minnesota, Patty Mills of the Nets and Dennis Schroder are additionally free brokers however one youthful, cheaper possibility is Ja Morant’s backup in Memphis, Tyus Jones.
Not like Burks, Jones, 25, is an organizer and good ball-handler.
Jones runs an offense effectively by getting his mates in the best positions and is a stout defender. His analytics are stable and he has one of many league’s finest assist-to-turnover ratios. That he’s a backup looking for starter’s cash will make Memphis fret on whether or not they can maintain him. Jones made $7.5 million this season.
If Rose doesn’t repair the purpose guard mess subsequent season, the previous agent might be gone earlier than Thibodeau.
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