New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have been among the most disappointing teams in the league this season, but head coach Tom Thibodeau reportedly will not be fired as a result.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said Thibodeau is "safe" in his role for the 2022-23 campaign during Tuesday's episode of NBA Countdown:

People have speculated about the Knicks and Tom Thibodeau, who was just Coach of the Year last year. I'm told he is safe in New York. He's got the support of ownership, Leon Rose the GM, and largely the locker room—the important players in the locker room. And one more thing, I'm told: He signed an original five-year deal to be coach of the Knicks. The fifth year was a team option, wasn't guaranteed. I'm told that the Knicks picked up that fifth year over the summer after he won Coach of the Year

Expectations were high in New York after it finished with the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference last season and battled the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs.

After all, its roster picked up key postseason experience and had Julius Randle and RJ Barrett returning. The second round seemed like a reasonable goal, especially given the raucous crowds that showed up at Madison Square Garden.

So much for that.

New York is 35-44 and eliminated from contention for the play-in tournament for the Nos. 7-10 seeds. Instead, it is battling for draft position and will go another season since its last playoff series win during the 2012-13 campaign.

It seemed as if Thibodeau was in charge of an impressive turnaround when the Knicks made the playoffs in his first season at the helm in 2020-21. It was their first postseason appearance since that 2012-13 season, and there were enough young pieces in place to feel optimistic about the immediate future.

Yet New York was unable to take the next step, even though Barrett has shown flashes of his potential while scoring a career-best 20.1 points per game in his third season.

Randle has taken something of a step back and is averaging 20.1 points per game on 41.1 percent shooting from the field and 30.8 percent shooting from deep after he was an All-NBA second team selection last season while averaging 24.1 points per game on 45.6 percent shooting from the field and 41.1 percent shooting from deep.

Whether he can return to form in 2022-23 will be key, and it appears as if he will have the same coach on the sidelines despite this season's struggles.              

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters Tuesday that he doesn't expect Derrick Rose or Julius Randle to return before the end of the season:

Rose has been out since December with a right ankle injury. He had a procedure on the ankle at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery that same month.

Randle has been out for all of April with a quad injury. Thibodeau told reporters Saturday that Randle would "most likely" be out for the remainder of the year.

There's no reason for either veteran to return this season even if they were healthy.

The 35-44 Knicks, who are 11th in the Eastern Conference, have already been eliminated from a spot in the play-in tournament. They have three regular-season games remaining before their 2021-22 campaign ends Sunday.

It's been a disappointing season for the Knicks, who made the 2021 playoffs after missing out on the postseason for seven years.

A 41-31 campaign ended with a five-game loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, but expectations were that the Knicks would be back in the playoffs this year.

That did not happen.

The Knicks' defensive rating dropped from third to 11th, per Basketball-Reference. They also had a bad habit of blowing big leads, including three of 20 or more in an 11-day span prior to the All-Star Break.

Kemba Walker was brought in as the team's new starting point guard, but he played just 37 games and shot just 40.3 percent from the field.

Randle had a down year. He went from scoring 24.1 points on 45.6 percent shooting (41.1 percent from three-point range) to 20.1 PPG on 41.1 percent shooting (30.8 percent from three).

Rose, who was one of the biggest reasons why the Knicks made the playoffs the year before, suited up for just 26 games.

There was one notable bright spot, as RJ Barrett continued his improvement and currently averages 20.1 points per game in his third NBA season.

But the Knicks are simply playing out the string of a lost season at this point. They'll close out the year with a home game against the Brooklyn Nets, a road matchup with the Washington Wizards and another home matchup versus the Toronto Raptors.

New York Knicks star Julius Randle will miss at least one game with a quad injury.

The team announced Randle won't play on Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks because of a sore right quadriceps tendon.

This will be just the third game Randle has missed all season. He sat out back-to-back games on Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 after entering the league's health and safety protocols. 

While Randle suffered a broken leg during his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers, he has been fairly durable since. He appeared in 64 or more games in the following six seasons heading into the 2021-22 campaign.

When healthy, he is one of the focal points of New York's offense.

Randle is averaging 20.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 30.7 percent from deep this season after he made his first career All-Star Game during the 2020-21 campaign.

The University of Kentucky product was also an All-NBA second team selection last season while helping lead the Knicks to the playoffs.

New York will miss Randle's presence if he is sidelined, but look for the combination of Jericho Sims, Cam Reddish and Alec Burks to see more playing time.          

The Knicks are barely hanging on in the race for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference. Their 30-41 record is tied with the Washington Wizards for 11th in the east. They are five games behind the Hawks for the 10 seed with 11 games remaining. 

The New York Knicks are running out of time to make a push into the play-in tournament. With 11 regular-season games to go, they're 30-41 and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, and all the teams behind them have already been eliminated from contention.

At this point, the Knicks are five games back of the Atlanta Hawks, who are currently the final team in the play-in tournament, and 1.5 games behind the Washington Wizards. But regardless of how things unfold, New York could undergo plenty of change this offseason.

Last year, the Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2013, but they still haven't won a postseason series over that stretch. So they'll again be looking to make moves this offseason to change that soon.

Here's some of the latest buzz regarding New York as the NBA season winds down.

Could Walker Return to Charlotte This Offseason?

Kemba Walker's first season with the Knicks didn't go as well as he or the team would have hoped. He averaged a career-low 11.6 points in 37 games, and he's currently not with the team as it was agreed he would sit out the rest of the year while getting his left knee healthy.

When the 31-year-old returns to the court in the 2022-23 campaign, it may not be with New York. It's quite clear that things haven't worked out, and he might not return to the team, even though he's signed through the end of next season.

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Walker has been training in Charlotte, going back and forth between there and New York. He noted that it's possible the point guard could return to the Charlotte Hornets, after spending his first eight NBA seasons with the organization.

"The likeliest scenario is the Knicks trading Walker’s expiring contract in a deal on draft night in late June. No buyout talks have taken place," Berman wrote.

The Bronx native had his best seasons in Charlotte, before he was dealt to the Boston Celtics in July 2019. He was then traded last June to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which waived him two months later. Shortly after, he signed a two-year deal with the Knicks.

A four-time All-Star, Walker has been a quality player in the league for the past decade. Will a return to the Hornets or a fresh start help him get back on track next season? It should be interesting to see, if he ends up getting moved.

Knicks Could Target Brunson in Free Agency

If Walker leaves, the Knicks will again be looking to add a point guard this offseason. Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley have been filling the role in his absence, but it's unlikely either will be the long-term answer at the position.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Knicks are "expected to target the point guard market" this offseason, and Jalen Brunson is "widely known to be at the top of New York's wish list." And for good reason.

Brunson is having a breakout year for the Dallas Mavericks. He is averaging a career-high 16.1 points and 5.1 assists in 68 games in his fourth season in the NBA. He has continually gotten better over his time with the Mavs, which should land him a sizable contract in free agency this offseason.

New York could fill its point guard role for the long-term future if it's able to sign the 25-year-old and he continues to build off his impressive showing this season. There could be a bit of risk, considering he hasn't had sustained success, but he has been terrific for Dallas of late.

If the Knicks miss out on Brunson, they'll likely need to search for another solution, whether that's by signing a different free agent or by making a trade. But with Walker likely to be gone, they'll have to do something to address the position.

The New York Knicks announced big man Mitchell Robinson was ruled out for the remainder of Monday's game against the Sacramento Kings with an illness.

Fred Katz of The Athletic clarified that it was a non-COVID-19 illness.

The 23-year-old has missed time this season with an ankle injury, and he also suffered a fractured hand and foot last season.

While the injuries have prevented him from fully living up to his potential, he is still an important part of New York's rotation in large part because of his interior defense. His ability to protect the rim and help control the boards is key, especially when the Knicks are competing against the best teams in the league.

He averaged 8.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game last season while shooting 65.3 percent from the field and has followed with per-game averages of 8.5 points, 8.8 boards and 1.6 blocks while shooting 77.0 percent from the field in 2021-22.

If Robinson is sidelined following this setback, look for Taj Gibson to see more playing time.

The 2021-22 Philadelphia 76ers have finally conquered the hapless New York Knicks.

Philadelphia defeated New York 125-109 in Sunday's Eastern Conference game at Madison Square Garden and improved to 37-23 with a third straight victory. James Harden, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey led the way for the visitors, who lost the first two meetings against the Knicks this season but controlled crunch time in this matchup.

Solid showings from Evan Fournier, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle weren't enough for New York, which fell to 25-36 overall and 1-9 in the last 10 after a fifth consecutive loss.

Notable Player Stats

• James Harden, G, PHI: 29 PTS, 16 AST, 10 REB, 5 STL
• Joel Embiid, C, PHI: 37 PTS, 9 REB, 4 BLK, 3 AST
• Tyrese Maxey, G, PHI: 21 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
• Evan Fournier, G, NYK: 24 PTS, 6-of-11 3PT
• RJ Barrett, G, NYK: 24 PTS, 6 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL
• Julius Randle, F, NYK: 16 PTS, 10 REB, 7 AST
• Immanuel Quickley, G, NYK: 21 PTS, 5 REB

Harden and Embiid Put on a Show in Win

The Harden show came to New York on Sunday, and it came with plenty of hype.

After all, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters there's "no question" the 76ers have one of the best lineups in the league after adding the 10-time All-Star, and Embiid said, "That was probably the most wide open I've ever been in my career" after playing with Harden during Friday's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The show continued against the Knicks with Harden notching a double-double in the first half alone with step-back threes, dimes to Embiid and Maxey and even multiple steals on the defensive end.

Never was Harden's impact clearer than a sequence in the first quarter when he created dunks for Embiid on back-to-back possessions first with a pick-and-roll and then with a behind-the-back pass in transition. Throw in the big man drawing MVP chants on the road as he went to the line for 15 free throws in the first half, and it was largely smooth sailing for the 76ers in the early going.

It wasn't all great thanks to Tobias Harris' struggles that turned into frustration and a technical foul in the second half, but Maxey helped make up for it as a third star with his shooting and motor on both ends of the floor.

Still, Harris' issues and the overall lack of offensive depth outside of the Harden, Embiid and Maxey trio was a concern as was the defense as the Knicks came charging back to take the lead in the fourth quarter.

Yet talent won out in dramatic fashion in crunch time as Embiid continued to get to the line and took advantage of Harden's passing with a transition dunk. Add in monster threes from Harris and Maxey while Harden was in full control of seemingly every possession, and the 76ers left no doubt who the better team was at winning time.

Comeback Effort Falls Short for Knicks

Urgency was to be expected from the Knicks on Sunday considering they entered play four games back of the final spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with an upcoming seven-game road trip looming.

And they provided some quick reason for optimism, including Jericho Sims' willingness to battle Embiid on the defensive end. The rookie had double-digit rebounds in the first half, blocked Embiid at the rim and provided a source of energy that has largely been missing from the rotation.

Fournier found his stroke from the outside, Cam Reddish provided a spark off the bench, and Barrett and Randle at least got to the free-throw line in attack mode even if they didn't consistently take advantage on the stripe.

Still, New York was down nine at the half and fell behind by double digits in large part because its defense had no chance for extended stretches against the star power on the other end.

It would have been easy to fold in the middle of a losing streak as the Harden, Embiid and Maxey trio continued to play well, but the Knicks battled back instead. Fournier took over as a scorer at times, Quickley extended the momentum with a steal and three, Randle started facilitating, and the deficit was down to just two heading into the fourth quarter.

Quickley continued to roll by attacking the rim as New York took the lead in that final frame, but that momentum came to a screeching halt when Sims and Mitchell Robinson both fouled out as the frontcourt failed to contain Embiid without contact.

The Knicks suddenly didn't have even a resemblance of an answer for Embiid and couldn't contain the big man down the stretch as the lead and game slipped away.                     

What's Next?

These Atlantic Division teams play again in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Mitchell Robinson and the New York Knicks are reportedly continuing to discuss a contract extension ahead of free agency, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said Sunday on NBA Countdown.

“For the Knicks, Greeny, the looming free agency of their 23-year-old starting center, Mitchell Robinson—it’s a concern for New York. They’ve had talks throughout the season with his agent, Thad Foucher, about an extension. The Knicks can pay Robinson, under the collective bargaining agreement, four years and upward of $48 million before June 30. They’ve not reached an agreement on that, and it’s unclear that they will before free agency when Robinson will be unrestricted.”

Wojnarowski's report comes after Robinson said earlier this month that he was not thinking about a contact extension.

“I’m just going to continue to play hard, see what happens,’’ Robinson told reporters. “I don’t think about it that much. I just want to hoop. That’s what I’ve got an agent for. He handles that so I can focus on basketball."

The Knicks selected Robinson in the second round of the 2018 draft and signed him to a four-year, $5.8 million deal. Despite missing most of the 2020-21 campaign with a broken hand and foot, the 23-year-old has been a bright spot for the Knicks this season. 

Robinson is averaging 8.3 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 75.9 percent from the floor in 54 games as New York's starting center. If he were to become a free agent, it's unclear who the team would turn to to fill the vacant position. 

The Knicks currently have Taj Gibson, Nerlens Noel and Jericho Sims all fighting for time on the court. However, it's uncertain if head coach Tom Thibodeau would be willing to start any of those players next season.

As for Robinson, it's unclear what type of deal he would be looking for. However, Heavy.com's Sean Deveney revealed that an NBA general manager believes he could command a three-year, $33 million contract in free agency. 

“I was asking around, I asked a GM about Robinson and what he thought might be a fair deal for him, a likely deal and he said, around the midlevel. This is what I was told, three years, $33 million would be a likely contract. It’s not a breaker of the bank necessarily, but it is a significant contract and it is one I’m not sure the Knicks really want to take on with Julius Randle’s extension kicking in.”

If Robinson were to remain with the Knicks, he could sign a deal worth up to $55 million over five years. At this point, it seems he'd be better off taking his chances as a free agent, though it's uncertain which teams might be interested in signing him. 

The New York Knicks will face the new-look Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, and Tom Thibodeau knows it won't be easy to come out with a win. 

While speaking with reporters ahead of the matchup, Thibodeau said the addition of James Harden in Philadelphia gives the Sixers one of the best lineups in the NBA: 

The 76ers traded Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks to acquire Harden from the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline. Their lineup now consists of Harden, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle and Tobias Harris. 

The three-time scoring champion made his Sixers debut in a 133-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, and he did not disappoint, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists. 

He also elevated the play of his teammates as Embiid and Maxey contributed heavily in the win. Embiid even said after the game that having Harden in the lineup made him "probably the most wide-open I've ever been in my career."

If the Sixers can replicate the success they found against the Timberwolves, they'll be one of the most difficult teams to play against down the stretch. 

Philadelphia enters Saturday's game third in the Eastern Conference with a 36-23 record. The team is just three games behind the first-place Miami Heat.