NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 11: Quentin Grimes #6 of the New York Knicks high fives his teammate during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on February 11, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Evan Yu/Getty Images)
Quentin Grimes has great perspective on reduced role after Josh Hart trade
The New York Knicks made only one trade ahead of the deadline, but it has proven to be an excellent move. New York sent Cam Reddish, who hadn’t played in over two months, to Portland with a protected first-round pick for Josh Hart.
The trade marked Hart’s fourth team since entering the league in 2017. He was part of the Lakers-Anthony Davis trade that sent him to New Orleans and he was dealt to Portland ahead of last year’s deadline as part of the Pelicans-CJ McCollum trade.
Hart has a $12.9 million player option for next season that he’s expected to opt out of for a larger contract, which is something that the Knicks are seemingly willing to give him. It’s looking as if the 27-year-old could spend at least a few seasons in New York.
He was a starter in Portland but has been coming off the bench in his first few games in New York. However, he’s played more than starter Quentin Grimes, who has been going through a shooting slump. If you think that Grimes is bothered by his reduced role thanks to Hart, you’re wrong.
Quentin Grimes talks about his reduced role after Knicks-Josh Hart trade
Josh Hart’s performance thus far with the Knicks has led to many wanting to see him in the starting lineup, but not in place of Quentin Grimes. RJ Barrett has been wildly inconsistent for the Knicks this season, going from shooting 13-of-23 from the field one night to 6-of-21 the next.
Here’s the thing, though, it’s hard to see Tom Thibodeau benching Barrett in favor of Hart. If there’s a player that’s going to be moved from the starting lineup to the bench, it’d likely be Grimes. The Knicks gave Barrett a four-year extension over the offseason, signaling that they’re building around him, so what would it say if he were to come off the bench? That logic may infuriate you as a fan, which is understandable, but that’s likely how it would play out if Hart were to start.
For now, Grimes is being a true professional by recognizing why Thibodeau has opted to play Hart over him in crunch-time minutes. It’s not similar to the situation where Evan Fournier was removed from the starting lineup and benched in favor of Grimes, because Grimes is still a starter and is going to continue to receive minutes.
It’s all about what’s best for the team. For a squad that has struggled to close out games, Josh Hart has proven that he’s the type of player that the Knicks have needed. With there being only a couple of months left in the regular season, every win counts. Quentin Grimes knows that.
