New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson is going to feel what true pressure is like during his first season with the New York Knicks, but the veteran point guard doesn't believe playing in the Big Apple will get to him.

"For one, it's not really pressure to me," Brunson told reporters Thursday. "I'm just going out there and playing basketball the way I've played for a long time. And two, I'm just going to be myself. I'm ready to go. Whatever it takes."

During an appearance on The Old Man and The Three podcast in July, Brunson said that he recognized the added pressure of playing in New York:

"I mean definitely [I've started to prepare myself]. I mean it wouldn't be smart not to. I'm definitely thinking about how everything's going to be; best-case scenarios, worst-case scenarios. But I think no matter what's going on, I just gotta own it.

"If I play bad, I gotta own it. I gotta be better. If I play well, it's because of my teammates who made it easier for me. I just gotta be a person who's authentic and owns everything that he does. That's, I think, the first step to being a guy who can connect with the fans."

Brunson signed a four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Dallas Mavericks, who selected him in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft.

Playing in New York is pressure alone, but Brunson will also be shouldering the load of trying to effectively fill a Knicks' point guard position that hasn't seen a true leader in a long time.

The Knicks have cycled through a number of players at point guard over the last several years, including Elfrid Payton, Kemba Walker, Derrick Rose, Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina. None were able to fill the role effectively enough to hold onto the position for the long haul.

New York is optimistic about the potential of Brunson, hence why it signed him to such a large deal.

The 26-year-old had a breakout 2021-22 season, averaging 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 79 games while also shooting 50.2 percent from the floor and 37.3 percent from deep.

He was just as effective in the playoffs, averaging 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 18 games while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 34.7 percent from deep.

However, Brunson never shouldered much of the load in Dallas, playing alongside superstar Luka Dončić. So, there are some questions about whether he will be able to sustain that success in a larger role.

If Brunson is unable to shoulder that load, the Knicks will be back to the drawing board at the position.

But, if Brunson does find success, the Knicks should make the Eastern Conference playoffs with a roster that also includes RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Evan Fournier.

New York Knicks forward Cam Reddish reiterated he never requested a trade from the team during the offseason.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Reddish explained he came across rumors on social media that he asked out while lifting weights this summer and said it wasn't true.

This marks the second time this month Reddish has denied requesting a trade. He did it on Sept. 1 in response to a comment on Instagram:

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported on Sept. 1 that Reddish was looking for a "change of scenery" with a team that would be able to give him a larger role than the Knicks have been willing to offer.

According to Berman, the Los Angeles Lakers had interest in acquiring the 23-year-old.

New York acquired Reddish from the Atlanta Hawks during the 2021-22 season. Berman reported shortly after the deal happened that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau "didn't want" Reddish, but the team made the trade anyway.

Based on Reddish's usage after the move, it's hard to argue Thibodeau was enthusiastic about the acquisition. The 6'8" forward averaged 14.3 minutes per game off the bench in 15 appearances.

A shoulder injury suffered during New York's 131-115 win over the Sacramento Kings on March 7 ended Reddish's season prematurely.

Reddish is entering the final season of his rookie contract. He is eligible for an $8.1 million qualifying offer as a restricted free agent next offseason.

Since being selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, Reddish has had an inconsistent career. The Duke alum has averaged 10.5 points per game with a 38.7 field-goal percentage, but his 84.1 free-throw percentage suggests there is more shooting potential that can be tapped into.

It could be difficult for Reddish to get extended playing time for the Knicks this season. RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes are ahead of him on the depth chart at wing.

Thibodeau has historically been aggressive with playing his starters a lot of minutes. He will likely be under pressure to get the Knicks back into playoff contention coming off a disappointing 37-45 record in 2021-22.

The Quentin Grimes hype train may already be falling off the rails.

New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that Evan Fournier, not Grimes, is the "front-runner" to start at shooting guard this season.

“With Jalen, with RJ, with Julius we need shooting (at shooting guard)," Thibodeau said.

Grimes has been a favorite of the Knicks fanbase all offseason, drawing buzz as a potential breakout candidate. The 2021 first-round pick averaged 6.0 points and 2.0 rebounds last season, numbers that do not portend any sort of superstar turn, but he was impressive in Summer League and flashed when given extended minutes as a rookie.

Anyone familiar with Thibodeau should have seen this coming. Thibs' modus operandi is to trust veteran talent. This is a coach who has consistently given Taj Gibson extended playing time late in his career over younger talent, and he has, at every stop, leaned on players he trusts and jettisoned players he does not.

That's not to say Grimes is in any sort of doghouse; we won't know that until the season starts. But the hype surrounding him always seemed a little optimistic given the coaching staff we're dealing with.

Fournier will almost certainly draw the opening-night start and remain the starter unless his play dictates a change needs to be made. His contract quickly became the cause of scorn in New York last season, but Fournier's a savvy veteran who knows and fills his role admirably. It's not his fault the Knicks front office decided to lavish him with a contract that was obviously an overpay from the second the ink dried.

Fournier is likely a better player than Grimes at this very moment. Thibodeau has and always will coach for now, rather than two years down the line. It's possible that makes him a bad fit for a team that likely peaks as a play-in contender, but until Thibs' hand is forced or he's given his walking papers, Fournier will get the job over Grimes.

Julius Randle is apparently ready to accept the reactions of the New York Knicks fanbase, whatever they may be.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported Randle is "ready to accept the fans’ fickleness that ruined his head last season" as he heads into the 2022-23 campaign.

Randle spent much of last season bemoaning fan reaction amid a disappointing campaign, issues that culminated with the 2021 All-Star telling fans to "shut the f--k up."

While apologies were made, Randle's standing as a Knicks cornerstone remains very much in question. Trade rumors have persisted since around February's deadline, though it does not appear the team was willing to sell low on a player it inked to a four-year extension 13 months ago.

The more likely scenario—especially in the aftermath of the Knicks failing to land Donovan Mitchell—is everyone walks into the 2022-23 season in "prove-it" mode. Randle and coach Tom Thibodeau will carry the brightest spotlight, as they're both the most high-profile figures on the team and arguably the most expendable big names.

Thibodeau could be on the hot seat if the Knicks start slow, while trade rumors for Randle will almost certainly perk up again if he doesn't return to All-Star form.

It's fair to point out the Knicks' overachievement in 2020-21 set all parties up for failure, but the NBA is not a business that runs on perceptions of overachievement. If you achieve one level in one season, it's generally expected you match or exceed that level the next. Failure to live up to expectations can turn a media darling into a villain overnight, as Randle learned firsthand last season.

We've seen the New York spotlight cause countless athletes to regress. Randle will hope to avoid that fate for himself once play tips off next month.

New York Knicks president Leon Rose said that head coach Tom Thibodeau isn't under any added pressure as he enters his third season running the team.

"I don’t see it that way at all. The way I say it is we’re continuing with the plan," Rose said to Alan Hahn of MSG Network on a recent half-hour special (h/t Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News).

"We’re not making any excuses for anything that happened last year. I love Thibs’ phrase: We’re going to win or we’re going to learn."

Thibodeau's first season with the Knicks ended with a 41-31 record and the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was a tremendous accomplishment for a team that hadn't made the postseason since 2013.

However, the Knicks slid back outside the playoff picture last year when they finished 37-45 and 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Rose was named the Knicks' president in March 2020. He hired Thibodeau, who he used to represent when he worked for Creative Artists Agency as an agent, soon afterward.

Despite a tough season last year, Rose is publicly happy with the team's direction under the former Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach.

"Thibs, two years ago: Coach of the Year," Rose said.

"He’s been twice Coach of the Year in his career. I’m so excited about starting on Tuesday. And one of the reasons I’m so excited is having Thibs lead the group."

The Knicks' big moves this season included extending RJ Barrett, re-signing Mitchell Robinson and adding Jalen Brunson via free agency from the Dallas Mavericks. They will open the season on Oct. 19 versus the Memphis Grizzlies.

New York Knicks president Leon Rose told Alan Hahn of MSG Network that he is "thrilled" with where the team is right now in response to a question regarding the team's pursuit of three-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, whom the Utah Jazz ultimately traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Rose told Hahn that he couldn't speak about players under contract with other teams before shifting the focus on the current squad.

"We went through that process (of trying to trade for Donovan Mitchell) and at the end of the day we made a decision to stay put,” Rose said (h/t Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News).

"And we’re thrilled with where we are. Taking a look at the summer, we feel great about what transpired."

Rose summarized the team's moves and why he's happy with the squad going forward.

“One of our main goals has been to create internal stability. Signed RJ Barrett. First extension of a player since Charlie Ward," Rose said.

"We retained Mitchell Robinson (for four years, $60 million). He’s a player who has developed the last few years and we feel very fortunate that we were able to keep him. We got the No. 1 point guard in free agency this summer in Jalen Brunson (for four years, $104 million). So we feel really good about the summer."

The Knicks made the playoffs in 2021 in Rose's first full year as the president but slid to 11th in the Eastern Conference last year.

Their big addition was ex-Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson, who starred in the playoffs en route to helping guide the Mavs to the Western Conference Finals. He ultimately finished with 16.3 points on 50.2 percent shooting and 4.8 assists per game last year.

New York reportedly coveted Mitchell to pair him alongside Brunson, and Mitchell even admitted that the Knicks were "very close" to landing him.

"Very close," Mitchell said Wednesday on ESPN’s NBA Today (h/t Zach Braziller of the New York Post). "I won’t say more than that, but I know a little more than most. Definitely a little close.”

The Knicks will ultimately move on without Mitchell, but they are still improved with Brunson aboard. They'll look to engineer a return trip to the playoffs starting Oct. 19 when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies to open the season.

Evan Mobley is a young building block for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New York Knicks reportedly thought Cleveland wouldn't go all-in on a Donovan Mitchell trade based on how it could impact its ability to re-sign the big man down the line.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst (h/t RealGM) explained the Cavaliers' decision to trade for Mitchell caught the Knicks off guard:

"Frankly, I think when the Knicks were negotiating against the Cavs, the Knicks knew that the Cavs were bidding against them. The Knicks, I think, thought they were bidding against themselves. And I think one of the reasons why the Knicks weren't 100 percent certain the Cavs were going to go all-in is because they were saying, 'Well, the Cavs can't trade for Donovan Mitchell because it will handcuff them on Evan Mobley.'"

RealGM broke down the situation with Mobley, noting the Cavaliers cannot have three five-year designated rookie-scale max-extension players on the roster at the same time.

Since Mitchell and Darius Garland fit that designation, Mobley will not be able to sign a five-year max extension in 2024 when he is eligible if they are both still on the roster. Cleveland can instead either offer the USC product a four-year max extension in 2024 and potentially see him hit the open market earlier or wait to sign him to a five-year max in 2025 when he is a restricted free agent.

It wouldn't have been surprising if the Cavaliers prioritized the Mobley situation given that he is just 21 years old and coming off an All-Rookie season that saw him average 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field, but the opportunity to pair him with Mitchell proved to be too enticing.

That decision ended an offseason filled with Mitchell rumors that almost made it seem inevitable the former Utah Jazz star would end up on the Knicks.

He even told reporters during his introductory press conference he thought he was headed to the Big Apple:

Instead, the Cavaliers have one of the best young cores in the league as a result of the trade. Garland, Mobley and Jarrett Allen spearheaded a run to the play-in tournament last season, but the addition of Mitchell ensures there is a go-to scorer in place who has proved he can take over in the biggest moments.

The three-time All-Star averaged 23.9 points per game in the regular season during his time with the Jazz but elevated that to 28.3 points per game in the postseason.

The hope in Cleveland is he will have plenty of opportunities to build on those playoff numbers before the team even has to worry about Mobley's contract.

Coming off a strong second season, Obi Toppin could see even more playing time for the New York Knicks during the 2022-23 campaign.

Per SNY.tv's Ian Begley, members of the Knicks coaching staff think Toppin might play a bigger role for the team.

The Knicks used the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft to select Toppin. He played sparingly as a rookie when they were a surprise playoff team.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has been criticized at times in his career for not giving minutes to young players. He has shown a willingness to change during his time in New York, with players like Toppin, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley carving out roles for the team.

Toppin saw his playing time increase from 11.0 minutes per game in 2020-21 to 17.1 in 72 games last season. The 24-year-old made 10 total starts in 2021-22, including eight in the final 11 games. He averaged 19.1 points and 5.5 rebounds with a 44.1 three-point percentage on 5.4 attempts per game during that stretch.

New York made a significant financial commitment to Julius Randle prior to the start of last season. He signed a four-year, $117.1 million contract in August 2021 that kicks in this season.

After being named to the All-Star team in 2021, Randle disappointed in 2021-22. He led the team in scoring (20.1 points per game), but his field-goal percentage (41.1) was the worst of his career in a full season. (He shot 33.0 percent in one game as a rookie in 2014-15.)

If Randle's struggles carry over to this season, Toppin's strong closing stretch at least gives Thibodeau the option to increase his minutes if he doesn't want to move the more-experienced Randle to the bench.

This is shaping up to be an important season for the Knicks. They gave Jalen Brunson a four-year, $104 million contract in free agency, hoping he can provide a spark to the offense at point guard after his breakout year for the Dallas Mavericks.

New York's 41-31 record in 2020-21 is the franchise's only winning season since 2012-13. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Atlanta Hawks. The team missed the playoffs and play-in tournament last season with a 37-45 record.