Knicks Hot Takes 2 Months into 2022-23 NBA Season
The New York Knicks have already encountered their fair share of ups and downs during the 2022-23 NBA season.
However, they've also shown enough to believe—or, at least, very strongly hope—that they can rebound from a rough 2021-22 campaign and perform more like the 'Bockers bunch that snagged the East's No. 4 seed the season prior.
Now, the Knicks are by no means in the clear just yet. They've battled issues at both ends, they've seen assumed contributors fall out of the rotation, and they haven't always seen the best form of their cornerstone pieces.
Still, there's been more good than bad so far, and that gives them something to build upon. These first two months have also spawned the following three hot takes.
The Leap Isn't Happening for RJ Barrett
New York's path to a true breakthrough featured an obvious starting point: RJ Barrett, the No. 3 pick in 2019, taking a giant step toward stardom.
Sadly, that switch simply hasn't flipped.
There have been some good flashes at both ends, but consistency has always been a tough puzzle for the Duke product to crack, and he appears no closer to solving it.
Despite having more offensive support thanks to the offseason arrival of Jalen Brunson, Barrett's efficiency has waned. His three-point shooting has hit a new low (28.8 percent entering Wednesday night), and his 12.6 player efficiency rating is lower than it's been since his rookie year, per Basketball-Reference.
He can, of course, still become a good player. Maybe even a great one. You don't abandon hope for a 22-year-old with his kind of pedigree.
Having said that, though, the Knicks really needed that leap to be happening by now, and there just isn't enough evidence that it will take place anytime soon.
The Runway Must Be Cleared for Obi Toppin
This is, admittedly, not the easiest time to make this argument. Julius Randle is bouncing back in a big way this season (on offense, at least), and Obi Toppin is working his way back from a knee injury.
Step back to glimpse the bigger picture, though, and you'll see the questionable fit of Randle with RJ Barrett, plus the potential for Toppin to do so much more in an expanded role.
The bouncy big man is two-plus years removed from being the No. 8 pick of the 2020 draft and still awaiting a significant role. His 17.1 minutes per game match last season's total, and his declining production suggests this slow-and-steady developmental plan isn't working. He needs his sink-or-swim chance, not only to potentially grow his game but also so the Knicks can see exactly what they have in the 24-year-old.
It could even help if other teams had a better feel for Toppin, too. While New York is theoretically positioned to make a splashy trade with a good amount of prospects and draft capital, it lacks the blue-chip talent and uber-valuable draft pick needed to broker a blockbuster.
Maybe Toppin is that type of player. Maybe he isn't. The fact the Knicks don't know yet is worrisome.
Tom Thibodeau Is Still Right Coach for This Team
This is Tom Thibodeau's third season at the helm in New York, and he didn't even make it a month without hearing rumblings of a hot—er..."warm"—seat.
Coaches are, of course, evaluated on their results, and they haven't always been pretty this past season-plus. The Knicks have seemingly needed a spark at times, and it's been fair to speculate whether a skipper swap might supply just that.
However, it's not the right path to take. Not yet, anyway.
Thibodeau's team still plays hard for him, and it does some great things defensively. He's also shown a bit of flexibility with his rotations and lineups, giving Quentin Grimes a starting spot while benching the likes of Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish.
As long as the positives keep outweighing the negatives, Thibodeau will remain the right choice for this job.