Preview of the NBA 2021-22 season on the New York Knicks. Data, results from the previous season, a look at their squad and future free agents, the objectives of the course, the player to watch and a forecast on the franchise.
New York Knicks
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- Market movements: Signings of Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and Dwayne Bacon; Alec Burks, Derrick Rose, Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson renovations (all moves here).
- Backcourt: Dwayne Bacon, R.J. Barrett, Alec Burks, Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, Immanuel Quickley, Derrick Rose, Luca Vildoza, Kemba Walker, M.J. Walker.
- Frontcourt: Taj Gibson, Kevin Knox, Nerlens Noel, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Jericho Sims, Obi Toppin, Amir Simmons.
This is how they face the season
Tom Thibodeau’s New York Knicks face their second season with the aim of returning to the playoffs after revealing themselves as the great revelation of the NBA. The New York team was placed among the best defenses in the championship and went from obtaining just 21 victories in the 2019-20 campaign to the 41 that they added last year.
Thibodeau’s excellent work at the helm of the Knicks was well-deserved, winning the Best Coach of the Year award ahead of the top favorites: Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns) and Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz).
Thibs catapulted the Knicks to 4th place in the Eastern Conference and made the playoffs for the first time in eight years. However, the deposit fell short in the postseason, falling in the early trades by a clear 4-1 against Nate McMillan’s Atlanta Hawks.
The next objective will be to return to the playoffs and pass the first round if you cross them, or the classification, they are favorable. The defense will once again be the main hallmark with Julius Randle and RJ Barrett as two of his main offensive weapons, to which ex-Boston Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier have joined this summer.
Julius Randle captured all the limelight by establishing himself as a rising star in the league. The power forward garnered the best of his professional career (24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6 assists), and this performance was well-deserved with the Most Improved Player award and included in the Second Best Quintet in the NBA. .
The evolution of his teammate RJ Barrett was also quite noticeable, improving in practically all facets of his game and, above all, in his shooting percentages. The Canadian went from 40% to 44% in field goals; from 32% to 40% in triples; and in free throws from 61% to 74%.
Both were benefited by the arrival of a remarkable coaching staff formed among others by Johnnie Bryant, Andy and Larry Greer; Kenny Payne and Daisuke Yoshimoto, who the latter has led the Knicks in Las Vegas Summer League 2021.
Leon Rose laid a good foundation to establish a winning culture and through his movements he has given some continuity to his initial project. The manager has closed the renewals of Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, Derrick Rose and veteran Taj Gibson; however, he has let forward Reggie Bullock escape.
Since the 2021 Draft he has been reinforced with Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride and center Jericho Sims (dual contract); and the great signings of the summer have been the aforementioned Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker.
The Frenchman lands in the Knicks after leaving very good feelings at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where he hung the silver medal after losing in the final against the United States.
For his part, Walker signed as a free agent after terminating his respective contract with the Thunder, and previously being involved in a trade by Al Horford. The point guard trained at UConn will finally play in his native New York as many fans claimed.
Kemba is called to command the new starting quintet with Fournier and Barrett interspersing the guard and forward positions; and as an inner couple will be Julius Randle, and Nerlens Noel as Rim Protector in the absence of the injured Mitchell Robinson, who will not be ready to start the new course.
Other pieces to consider will be the exteriors Derrick Rose and Alec Burks. Both starred in an excellent performance contributing points and experience from the bench. Also in this select group will be Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Mitch Robinson when he recovers and Gibson.
Meanwhile, Kevin Knox and his ‘unsecured’ partner Dwyane Bacon are playing for a spot in the rotation; and rookies Grimes, McBride, and to a lesser extent Jericho Sims, the latter on a dual contract.
The technicians will closely follow the evolution of a Toppin that did not meet the expectations of a draft number 8; and Quickley will continue to contribute as a microwave player while improving his organizational game.
The Knicks want to continue to grow as a winning culture while gaining victories and accommodating their new signings. Offensively they will have a very good repertoire with the additions of Kemba and Fournier, but the difficult thing will be to supply Reggie Bullock’s defense march.
The player to watch
Kemba Walker will play in his native New York after exiting Boston’s back door and later terminating his senior contract with the Thunder. In the Knicks he will seek to recover his best version and forget the physical problems that so many headaches gave him in Boston. Together with Randle and Barrett he will be the main offensive reference, and the organization of the team will come out of his hands.
In the past course he touched 20 points per game; He also had 4 rebounds and almost 5 assists per day. Anything that contributes to those numbers or matches them will already far surpass former starting point guard Elfrid Payton. In addition, it brings seniority, character and a clutch in your hands. Some very important qualities for the future playoffs.
NBA preview 2021-22 New York Knicks, prediction
Elio Martínez, director of nbamaniacs, leaves a personal and subjective forecast on what he thinks each franchise will do during the season in the NBA 2021-22 preview.
Having finished last year in fourth position and counting in their ranks with the news of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, it is possible to think that the team is better. I think so, actually. But I also believe that this year there are other teams in the East that will go up and that can complicate the regular season more. I think they will end up with a valid mark to get into the playoffs directly by being fifth or sixth, but in this prediction I am going to put them in seventh place.
Previous team reviewed: Los Angeles Clippers. Next team: Milwaukee Bucks.
(Cover photo: Dustin Satloff / Getty Images)
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