New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are reportedly a team to watch if the Indiana Pacers trade center Myles Turner.

According to Peter Botte of the New York Post, the Knicks have expressed interest in Turner amid rumors that the Pacers are looking to enter into a rebuild.

Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz of The Athletic reported Tuesday that the Pacers are "moving toward a rebuild" and "receptive" to trade offers involving guard Caris LeVert and one of their top big men in Turner or Domantas Sabonis.

Indiana selected Turner with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2015 draft, and the Texas product has developed into a defensive force since then.

In 2018-19, Turner led the NBA in blocks for the first time with 2.7 per game and he also posted the second-best scoring and rebounding figures of his career with 13.3 points and 7.2 boards per game.

After a down year in 2019-20, Turner bounced back in a big way last season, leading the NBA in blocks again and setting a career high with 3.4. He also averaged 12.6 points and 6.5 rebounds.

Turner has been even better from an all-around perspective this season, and he is still the NBA's leading shot blocker with 2.8 per game.

The 25-year-old is also putting up 12.9 points per contest and is matching his career high with 7.3 rebounds per game. Additionally, the 6'11" Turner continues to expand his range with a career-best 1.8 three-pointers made per game, and his field-goal percentage of .531 is his best since shooting .511 in his second season.

Given his defensive prowess, age and the fact that he is under contract through next season (with only an $18 million salary-cap hit), Turner would likely net the Pacers a significant package in return via trade.

If the Knicks trade for Turner, it could be a sign they are ready to move on from starting center Mitchell Robinson, who has not reached his potential as quickly as hoped.

Injuries have hampered the 7-footer throughout his career and limited him to 31 games last season, but even when healthy, he has shown there are some holes in his game.

The No. 36 overall pick in the 2018 draft is averaging 6.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest in 25.0 minutes over 22 games this season.

After shocking the basketball world and reaching the playoffs last season as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks are off to a slow start this season at 12-13, which leaves them in 11th place.

On Wednesday, they fell 122-102 to the Pacers and got a firsthand look at Turner, who recorded 22 points, four rebounds, three three-pointers made and two blocks.

The New York Knicks lost to the struggling Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, 122-102, dropping them to 12-13 on the season and handing them their fourth loss in the past five games.

After the disappointing result, Evan Fournier was at a loss when asked about how the Knicks could become a more consistent team.

"That's the challenge for us, to find consistency. ... We're all aware of it, we all know what we need to do, and yet we keep being inconsistent," he told reporters. "I don't know, I wish I had the answer. Like I said, you know, it starts individually. How do you approach the game and how do you get yourself ready to play? There's nights where you're gonna miss shots. It's just basketball. But from a focus standpoint, and execution, I think that's the biggest area where we have to get better."

Evan Fournier spoke at length about the Knicks' inconsistencies this season:

"We're all aware of it, we know what we need to do, and yet we keep being inconsistent. I don't know, I wish I had the answer" pic.twitter.com/2ql3IWeONv

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 9, 2021

The Knicks started the season well, going 5-1, but are just 7-12 since, and it's been a bizarre year.

The team's premier offseason acquisition, Kemba Walker, has been taken out of the rotation. Julius Randle, who averaged career highs in points (24.1 PPG), rebounds (10.2) and three-point percentage (41.1 percent) has come back to earth, somewhat, averaging 19.9 points and shooting 33.3 percent from three this year. And 2019's third overall pick, RJ Barrett, hasn't taken the next step into stardom in his third year, averaging just 14.8 points per game this season.

Despite being taken out of the Knicks' rotation, Kemba Walker is keeping a positive attitude about it all 👏 pic.twitter.com/OhgInqP6GL

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 6, 2021

This isn't good, of course, but in spite of this and Fournier shooting 41% from the floor, the Knicks have been a near-top-10 offense. The problem's the defense: from no. 4 last season to no. 22 this season. There's the ballgame. https://t.co/UiRi8CsMi5

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) December 9, 2021

There’s no point in piling on the Knicks, but if you didn’t see Randle’s ridiculous 2020-21 season for what it was, that’s on you.

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) December 9, 2021

The Knicks had a busy offseason, adding players like Walker, Fournier and re-signing Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel. But the result has been a team that feels like a solid collection of players who would provide the perfect foundation for a superstar, rather than a team that is a true contender on its own. 

That, of course, leads to the natural question of whether last year's 41-31 squad simply overachieved.

Given that Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks dismissed the Knicks in five games in their first-round matchup last postseason—and given Tom Thibodeau's reputation for overtaxing his players during the regular season by giving them huge minutes, a style of coaching that reportedly wore out its welcome in previous tenures—it isn't completely shocking to see the team regress this year. 

Perhaps perfectly emblematic of the gulf between the perception in New York of what the Knicks could be versus the reality of what they actually are was Obi Toppin's between-the-legs dunk in the first half, a brief flash of sizzle in a game the Knicks would go on to lose against a beleaguered Indiana team that has lost five of its past seven coming into Wednesday and already has rumors swirling that it will be a seller ahead of this season's trade deadline:

Thibs is gonna be hottt if they lose this game lol. https://t.co/Q6uQLqRIR9

— 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) December 9, 2021

It's all well & good in real time but the Knicks' next film session is going to be this play on a loop & Thibs going ballistic about showboating while getting your tail handed to you pic.twitter.com/4BNHR7M2q6

— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) December 9, 2021

Perhaps the Knicks will figure it out. But last year's optimism is quickly being replaced by disillusionment in New York. That descent into dread had been a near-yearly inevitability during the James Dolan tenure, with only last season serving as the briefest of respites.

New York Knicks forward RJ Barrett is among a group of players who have struggled to adapt to the new basketballs being used by the NBA this season. 

On the Crossover Podcast (starts at 43:30 mark), Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix noted that Barrett is "one of those guys that right now is having a little bit of trouble adjusting to the new ball."

Much has been made so far this year about the differences between the Spalding ball that the league used for the previous 37 years and the Wilson ball that has been implemented for the 2021-22 campaign. 

Mannix explained some of the issues plaguing players thus far:

There's a lot of those guys out there that are having some issues with the grip on that new basketball. What I was told by one coach was that because the ball hits the rim differently and bounces differently, guys are adding a little bit more arc to their shots. They're literally changing their shots because of the composition of the basketball and that's been screwing around with some guys.

Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, who is also president of the National Basketball Players Association, told reporters in November he would talk with other players to "get feedback" about the basketballs. 

It is not the balls fault I missed shots lol. That’s the shooters fault. For the record https://t.co/pEQbYt3bVk

— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) November 2, 2021

Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers addressed the contrast between the balls after a 99-94 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 1. 

"Not to make an excuse or anything, it's just a different basketball," George told reporters. "It doesn't have the same touch or softness as the Spalding ball had. You'll see this year, there's going to be a lot of bad misses."

Wilson general manager Kevin Murphy told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News in October the only real difference is the new ball contains more pebbles to enhance grip. 

Based on the results from approximately two months of games, there has been a noticeable dip in shooting efficiency throughout the NBA. 

Per Basketball Reference, the league's collective shooting percentage of 45.1 this season is on pace to be the lowest since the 2014-15 campaign (44.9 percent). 

Three-point shooting numbers are even worse, with the current 34.7 percent success rate on track to be the lowest since 2003-04 (34.7). Teams are attempting 35.5 threes per game, which would be the most in a season in NBA history. 

Barrett's shooting stats have plummeted after his breakout 2020-21 season. He's made 40.7 percent of his attempts (34.7 from three) in 23 starts after shooting 44.1 percent overall and 40.1 percent from beyond the arc in 72 starts last season.

Kemba Walker doesn't know if he wants to remain with the New York Knicks after being benched the last four games. 

"I'm not sure. We'll see," Walker told reporters Monday.

The point guard signed a two-year deal with the Knicks in the offseason, but head coach Tom Thibodeau benched him in favor of Alec Burks last week, and he has fallen out of the rotation.

Despite his unclear future, Walker showed respect to Thibodeau.

"I've always been a team guy first," the 11-year NBA veteran said. "It's not about me, it’s about the team. So if he feels that's what’s going to make the team better, then so be it. I'm just going to be here for my teammates. I’m here to help in any way, shape or form that I can."

Walker has averaged 11.7 points and 3.1 assists per game this year in 18 appearances, the lowest numbers of his career. The four-time All-Star averaged 19.9 points and 5.4 assists during the 10 previous seasons with Charlotte and Boston.

Burks impressed with 23 points in a Nov. 27 win over the Atlanta Hawks that Walker sat out, spurring the Knicks' lineup switch, but New York has lost its last three games as Walker watches from the bench.

Though Burks has averaged 17.3 points over those three games, he has only made 37.8 percent of his shots while averaging 2.7 assists.

That could allow Walker to return to the rotation to help a team that sits 11th in the Eastern Conference with an 11-12 record. The Knicks had high expectations entering the year after last season's 41-31 record secured the fourth seed in the East, but the poor start in 2021-22 has raised question marks.

In the meantime, the 31-year-old will wait patiently for the next opportunity to arise.

"I love being around my teammates," he said. "I'm going to cheer them on until I can't anymore. That's what it's about."    

The New York Knicks dropped under .500 for the first time this season after losing 113-99 to the Denver Nuggets at home Saturday.

After the game, head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that changes may be on the horizon:

Tom Thibodeau said in his postgame press conference that “there may be more changes coming,” but he did not specify what. Doesn’t necessarily mean lineup changes. Could mean schematic stuff, too. But it’s something to watch for.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) December 4, 2021

New York already made one big change when Thibodeau inserted Alec Burks as starting point guard in favor of Kemba Walker, who is now out of the rotation.

The Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 99-90 in the first game after that move, but they've since lost three straight.

The nadir of that stretch occurred Saturday, when the Knicks let the Nuggets go 20-of-43 shooting from three-point range en route to a 21-point edge after three quarters.

The Knicks started this season 5-1 but have since dropped to 11-12 (5-8 at home). After the game, Knicks forward Julius Randle said the team had to do some soul-searching.

"We gotta look ourselves in the mirror and decide what we want the season to be," Randle said, per Fred Katz of The Athletic.

"I know what I want it to be. I know what the guys want it to be. But we have to commit to it."

Last year's Knicks got off to a rough start that lasted well into the second half of the season, and the team had a 25-27 record after 52 games. However, New York went 16-4 the rest of the way to finish 41-31 and earn the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks hope they'll be able to engineer a similar turnaround in 2021-22. They'll look to get back to .500 on the road Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs.

If Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard looks for a trade out of town, the New York Knicks would be his prime destination, per ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.

On Friday's edition of NBA Countdown, Smith provided a report on Lillard's preferred destination (h/t Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice). He also noted that people close to Lillard want him to also consider the Philadelphia 76ers.

Stephen A. Smith just said on NBA Countdown that New York is the one place Dame Lillard would angle for if he eventually wanted/asked out. Adds, “There are people in his camp who would like him to give Philadelphia stronger consideration.”

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) December 4, 2021

The 31-year-old Lillard is in his 10th NBA season. He has played his entire career with the Trail Blazers. The six-time All-Star is averaging 21.5 points and 7.8 assists this year. 

Lillard has repeatedly said that he does not want to leave the Trail Blazers despite plenty of rumors and speculation connecting the point guard elsewhere.

"Everybody is saying what they think I'm thinking and what they think I'm going to do, but like, I'm not leaving Portland, you know?" Lillard said in an interview with Jason Quick of The Athletic in October.

Lillard did admit to Quick that he was internally contemplating leaving Portland after a hard-fought playoff series loss to the Denver Nuggets last season, but he reiterated that he never said he wanted to leave.

"Yeah, I was upset," Lillard said.

"We lost to a team (Denver) I thought we should beat. I wanted us to show we really want to win. But I never said, 'Oh, I'm leaving.' I said, 'If that's what it comes to—if this is not what our real focus is—then maybe I will be forced to say all right, it's not going to work.'

"But I never said I was leaving. And I never said this is not where I want to be. I never said that."

This year's Blazers team is off to a rough start at 11-12. A shorthanded Blazers team just fell to the San Antonio Spurs 114-83. Lillard is also struggling, with his 39.7 percent shooting rate a career-worst mark. The team is also in flux with president of basketball operations Neil Olshey recently being fired for violating the club's code of conduct.

Now might be as good a time as any for Lillard to angle for a trade, as a fresh start for the player and the team could be best for both sides.

Lillard has three years left on a supermax deal (including this season), and he also has a player option for the 2024-25 season. A hypothetical trade involving his contract may not be easy, but Lillard is one of the game's greatest guards at his best, and he could help change the trajectory of any team that acquires his services.

On the flip side, Lillard has made his loyalty to Portland very clear, and its season still has 59 more games on the schedule. The Trail Blazers have the same amount of wins as the fourth-place Dallas Mavericks, so the landscape of the Western Conference is such that the ninth-place Blazers could turn quickly move up the rankings if they can build any momentum.

For now, Lillard is working on returning from lower abdominal tendinopathy, which will force him off the court through at least Dec. 11, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic. Portland will look to get back to .500 Saturday when it faces the Boston Celtics at home.

Julius Randle is apparently too strong for his own good.

Following his team's 112-110 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, the New York Knicks star said he was told he didn't draw more fouls in part because of his ability to play through contact:

Julius Randle said he got this explanation from a referee tonight for missed calls on fouls and it "pisses [him] off even more"

"They said because certain contact doesn't affect me, like it affects other players because I'm stronger, they miss the calls" pic.twitter.com/uwgqHP0pBQ

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 1, 2021

Randle attempted two free throws, making both, in the defeat. That's a somewhat low number considering he took seven shots within two feet of the basket, per NBA.com.

Jules. Will. Not. Be. Denied. pic.twitter.com/FjP35Wf2Wi

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 1, 2021

The 6'8", 250-pound forward's complaint isn't all that common for players who either match his physical profile or demonstrate a similar ability to be undisturbed as they attack the basket.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said in February 2018 the game was "at a point now where we protect the shooter more than the driver." New Orleans Pelicans executive David Griffin drew a $50,000 fine when he complained in May that Pelicans star Zion Williamson "has absolutely been mauled in the paint on a regular basis" without drawing an appropriate number of fouls.

To some extent, one can see the referee's perspective because it's easier to blow the whistle when it's obviously clear a player has his shot altered inside or path to the basket impeded. Randle, for example, got a call when he was bumped by Nets star Kevin Durant in the second quarter.

GROWN MAN MOVE.

💪🏿 @J30_RANDLE pic.twitter.com/lj6LBzGRCw

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 1, 2021

And when a player is bigger and stronger than his opponent, detecting the contact can be a little trickier if he ultimately gets the bucket anyway.

But Randle's frustration is understandable because a foul is a foul regardless of the outcome and any physical disparity between the offender and the victim. The Knicks forward shouldn't, in effect, be penalized.

As is often the case when a player or coach criticizes the referees from given game, Randle may have been laying down a marker for how he wants to be officiated going forward.

James Harden had 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as the Brooklyn Nets defeated the New York Knicks 112-110 in Barclays Center on Tuesday.

Kevin Durant scored 11 of his 27 points in the final six minutes of the game for the 15-6 Nets, who lead the Eastern Conference by 1.5 games over the second-place Chicago Bulls.

Julius Randle guided the 11-10 Knicks with 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Derrick Rose had 16 points and nine dimes off the bench.

Knicks guard Evan Fournier's three-pointer tied the game at 110 with 17.7 seconds left.

EVAN FOURNIER FOR THE TIE. pic.twitter.com/RkacUlQME7

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 1, 2021

New York then played good defense on Brooklyn's final possession, doubling Durant to get the ball out of his hands.

KD passed the ball to Nets forward James Johnson, who drove the lane and got fouled by Knicks center Mitchell Robinson with 2.2 seconds left.

Johnson nailed both free throws following the shooting foul, giving the Knicks one last chance from full court without any timeouts.

Rose unleashed an inbounds pass to Fournier, who got a good look from inside half court. However, the ball bounced off the back rim.

Alec Burks scored a team-high 25 points for the Knicks in his second straight start at point guard for the benched Kemba Walker.

---

Notable Performances

Nets G James Harden: 34 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals

Nets F Kevin Durant: 27 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds

Nets F/C LaMarcus Aldridge: 8 points, 3 blocks

Knicks F Julius Randle: 24 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists

Knicks G Alec Burks: 25 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds

Knicks G Derrick Rose: 16 points, 9 assists

---

KD Takes Over Down Stretch

The Nets opened the third quarter with a 14-0 run to give themselves a 74-61 lead. It wouldn't have been a surprise to see Brooklyn pull away and turn this into a rout by the fourth quarter.

That didn't happen, as the Knicks bench came to the rescue again to make this a game. New York even took a 98-95 lead after an Obi Toppin dunk.

Obi really said 🏃🏽‍♂️💨 pic.twitter.com/LHcsfUcCNW

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 1, 2021

That's when Durant took this game over.

The Nets scored 17 points after the Toppin bucket. KD scored 11 of them and assisted on another bucket.

While he isn't credited with an assist on the Nets' final possession, Johnson found himself all alone in the paint because the Knicks didn't want the scorching-hot KD to beat them, so Durant's pass indirectly led to the game-winning free throws.

The only bucket that didn't have Durant's fingerprints on it was Patty Mills' game-tying layup on a Johnson feed to knot the score at 105.

As for KD's fourth-quarter work, a silky 14-foot jumper over Toppin gave the Nets a 101-98 lead:

KD. pic.twitter.com/JbrtelwkPh

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 1, 2021

Randle was the next victim of a smooth Durant move, as KD crossed him up before drilling a mid-range jumper for a 107-105 lead.

Kev will not be denied. pic.twitter.com/uEnv5iKc27

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 1, 2021

For good measure, KD added a free throw following a Randle technical foul.

The 33-year-old Durant, who is in his 15th NBA season, has played 37 or more minutes in each of his past five games after playing 41 more Tuesday.

He doesn't seem to mind:

Kevin Durant on his minutes picking up: “I’m a basketball player. I enjoy to play. I could play 48 minutes.”

Durant said his basketball life is not that long and he wants to make the most of it while he’s here.

— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) December 1, 2021

Nor do the Nets, who are benefiting greatly from KD's MVP-esque play as he continues his dominance over the league.

---

Knicks Bench Excels Again

The Knicks' starting lineup has been a point of consternation all season as the team tries to figure out the best rotation.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau made a seismic change by benching Kemba Walker for Alec Burks, and the move seemed to work in a 99-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks that saw the new starter drop 23 points in 37 minutes.

On Tuesday, the Knicks were forced to make a change to their starting unit midgame when RJ Barrett left after eight-plus minutes with a non-COVID illness.

That forced the bench to play more minutes, but the second unit delivered as it has all season.

The aforementioned Rose played nearly 35 minutes, finishing with a plus-11. He pulled off some vintage moves, crossing up Paul Millsap and curling around Patty Mills for a layup:

Still thinking about this 🌹 pic.twitter.com/Oxm35nHB6w

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 1, 2021

Immanuel Quickley played 38 minutes off the bench and drilled a huge fourth-quarter three to give the Knicks a 92-90 edge:

COLD-BLOODED QUICK pic.twitter.com/2jMH2B5DCU

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 1, 2021

Meanwhile, Obi Toppin continued to show why he's one of the most improved players in the NBA with eight points in 11 minutes. He and Quickley linked up on this pick-and-roll, leading to another high-flying dunk:

Sophomores running the pick n' roll to perfection.@IQ_GodSon ➡️ @obitoppin1 pic.twitter.com/TCoQlRLasR

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 1, 2021

The four primary bench players in the rotation (Rose, Quickley, Toppin, Nerlens Noel) all finished at plus-four or better against the Eastern Conference's top team.

It was another sensational performance for the second unit. Despite the loss, the Knicks can be happy knowing they went blow-for-blow with the Nets and that their early-season struggles could be behind them with the new rotation.

---

What's Next?

New York will host the Chicago Bulls on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.

Brooklyn will welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to town on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Kemba Walker's return home as a key offseason addition to the New York Knicks roster was supposed to be one of the feel-good NBA stories this year. 

The megawatt smile of his that never seems to dim was supposed to light up Madison Square Garden akin to what he did as a youth at Rice High School and the New York City Gauchos AAU team. Or when he took over the Big East tournament at MSG when he was a star at UConn on his way to leading the Huskies to a national title in 2011. 

But the dreamy return of the highly productive native son has become a nightmare for all involved, resulting in the unimaginable: Walker out of the New York Knicks' playing rotation altogether. 

"It's a tough decision to make, but you always have to do what you think is best for the team," Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters following the team's practice on Monday.

Moving Walker out of the rotation is in response to a Knicks team (11-9 this season) that opened the season with wins in five of its first six games only to be a sub-.500 team since then. 

The reasons are plentiful for the Knicks' latest in-season struggles, but the play of Walker (particularly on defense) has stood out for all the wrong reasons.

That is telling when you consider Walker's defense has been widely considered his biggest weakness as a player. 

So what do the Knicks do now with their prized offseason addition?

Multiple league sources believe the Knicks will look to trade Walker, whose value on the trade market, much like his production, is at an all-time low.

However, league sources believe Walker's value has the potential to change as the Knicks get closer to the Feb. 10 trade deadline and teams get more desperate to add a veteran who, despite his defensive shortcomings, has shown he can still make shots, albeit in a more limited capacity. 

A source close to the Knicks indicated New York may also have a potential trade partner in the Houston Rockets, who are eager to move John Wall. 

Like Walker, Wall has had his share of injuries that have factored heavily in him not playing at the level that made him an All-Star from 2014 to 2018.

In fact, Wall hasn't played in an NBA game since April 23, 2021.

And while Wall not playing in Houston was agreed upon by both sides earlier this season, he and the Rockets are reportedly having conversations about a return to the active roster.

The trade market for Wall is non-existent now, but returning to play may open the eyes of potential trade partners interested in acquiring the five-time All-Star who has two years and $91.7 million remaining on the four-year, $171.1 million contract he signed (then with the Washington Wizards) in 2017.

The key to a deal with New York will be the compensation agreed upon beyond those two marquee players. 

"It's so tricky because you're talking about two players who are never going to get back to where they were and, to be frank, aren't going to live up to the contracts that are on the books for them now," said an Eastern Conference executive. "You can't just add them and be good with that."

Walker's future may also hinge on how the Knicks respond to this rotation shake-up. 

Making the decision a little easier for Thibodeau has been the play of 6'6" guard Alec Burks, who now moves into the starting lineup after he scored 23 points in 39 minutes to help the Knicks knock off the red-hot Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. 

He joins a Knicks guard rotation that includes Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley and Evan Fournier, all of whom are taller than the 6'0" Walker. 

While Thibodeau says he still views Walker as a starter, the roster isn't ideal for Walker's attributes. "It'd be tough to play three small guards together. I gave it consideration, and I've got great respect for who Kemba is as a person and all he's accomplished in this league.”

There are a number of issues that have flared up since the Knicks' fast start, but few stand out more than New York's defense with Walker in the mix. 

Thibodeau-coached teams have consistently been among the league's best defensively. 

This season?

Not so much. 

Not including games played on Monday, the Knicks rank 17th in the league in defensive rating (108.0). Last season, their first time making the playoffs since 2013, New York's defensive rating ranked fourth. 

But here's where it gets interesting. 

The Knicks have what would be the league's best defensive rating (99.0) this season when Walker is off the floor, a data point that only reinforces Thibodeau's decision to take him out of the rotation altogether.

Walker's defensive deficiencies have been well documented throughout his career. But his struggles at that end of the floor have reached new depths this year, with a career-worst defensive rating of 116.3. 

The Knicks signed Walker to a two-year, $17.9 million contract to provide the team with added scoring punch to complement rising All-Star Julius Randle as well as one of the league's top defenses.

It was clear that New York needed more scoring to build off last season's playoff appearance, a first-round elimination by the Atlanta Hawks. 

But instead of having a bounce-back season, Walker has struggled much more offensively in New York than he did in Boston last season when he appeared in a career-low 43 games.

This season, the 31-year-old has started 18 games while averaging 11.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists, all of which are career lows. Walker has had just two games in which he has scored 20 or more points, a clear indicator that the high-scoring expectations the Knicks had for him have been unfulfilled.

But more problematic than his scoring has been his defense, which Thibodeau alluded to in his comments addressing Walker's demotion. And the data overwhelmingly backs up the coach's decision. 

Opponents are shooting 50.8 percent against Walker this season, 6.5 percentage points better than their combined average. This would be the second straight season opponents have shot better than 50 percent from the field against Walker, a concerning trend.

New York's usual starting five consists of Walker, Evan Fournier, R.J. Barrett, Randle and Mitchell Robinson. It is the most-used five-man lineup in the NBA this season, having played together for a league-high 287 minutes, and it has a minus-15.7 net rating. 

And Walker was the weak link, as the Knicks were being outscored by 13.3 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor, the lowest of the starting five. 

Offensively it's a somewhat different story. Although his scoring average has dropped to a career low, Walker still knows how to knock down the deep-ball, as he's making a career-best 41.3 percent of his three-pointers this season. 

Still, that's not enough to keep him on the floor in New York, turning what had the makings of a feel-good fairy tale for Walker into a story that doesn't appear will have a happy ending.