Going into the preseason, the Knicks will have things to figure out. For the more established teams and players, the preseason can feel unnecessary. For a team like the Knicks, the preseason will be a real evaluator to see where some players stand.
The Knicks will play four preseason games this year, starting at home against the Pistons on Oct. 4 and finishing in New York against the Wizards on Oct. 14.
The Knicks’ three star players going into the season are Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and Jalen Brunson. What will be incredibly interesting to watch is how these three mesh together. Randle and Barrett have played 186 games together since RJ was a rookie and Julius came to the Knicks in 2019. It has not always looked smooth, and at times the two lefties on the floor together can get in each other’s way.
Now, add Brunson, who is also a lefty, and there will be an adjustment period. All are capable of shooting from outside and none are considered to be shooters. The three of them individually work best when driving or being close to the basket. Brunson and Randle both ranked in the top 20 in points per game off drives in 2021-22.
Mitchell Robinson will be the starting center to start the season, and he isn’t exactly a floor spacer himself. The Knicks will need Brunson or Barrett to improve their three-point shooting numbers, or there could be logjams near the basket. Randle will continue to work down low and on the high post where he has proven to be effective.
How will the spacing work? Will there be more off-ball cuts? Can they find a way to overload on the left side and create a huge advantage? There are so many questions to ask with these three and answers will come in the coming months.
Watching how Randle, Barrett, and Brunson play together will be priority number one for the Knicks organization and fan base.
players stand</a>.</p>
<p>The Knicks will play four preseason games this year, starting at home against the Pistons on Oct. 4 and finishing in New York against the Wizards on Oct. 14.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Knicks announce their preseason schedule: <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://t.co/KGGtaE0tyk">pic.twitter.com/KGGtaE0tyk
<p>— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://twitter.com/IanBegley/status/1558121442260275201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>August 12, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<h2>3 things to look out for during the Knicks’ preseason games</h2>
<h3>1. Three lefty lineup:</h3>
<p>The Knicks’ three star players going into the season are Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, and Jalen Brunson. What will be incredibly interesting to watch is how these three mesh together. Randle and Barrett have played 186 games together since RJ was a rookie and Julius came to the Knicks in 2019. It has not always looked smooth, and at times the two lefties on the floor together can get in each other’s way.</p>
<p>Now, add Brunson, who is also a lefty, and there will be an adjustment period. All are capable of shooting from outside and none are considered to be shooters. The three of them individually work best when driving or being close to the basket. Brunson and Randle both ranked in the top 20 in points per game off drives in 2021-22.</p>
<p>Mitchell Robinson will be the starting center to start the season, and he isn’t exactly a floor spacer himself. The Knicks will need Brunson or Barrett to improve their three-point shooting numbers, or there could be logjams near the basket. Randle will continue to work down low and on the high post where he has proven to be effective.</p>
<p>Many teams in the NBA will include at least one left-handed player in their <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://fadeawayworld.net/nba/ranking-the-best-nba-starting-lineups-for-the-2022-23-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projected starting lineups</a>. In some cases, like with the Pelicans, you will see them start two lefties in Zion Williamson and Herb Jones. In the rarest forms seen in the NBA today, the Knicks and Sacramento Kings are the only two teams with three lefties in their projected starting lineups.</p>
<p>How will the spacing work? Will there be more off-ball cuts? Can they find a way to overload on the left side and create a huge advantage? There are so many questions to ask with these three and answers will come in the coming months.</p>
<p>Watching how Randle, Barrett, and Brunson play together will be priority number one for the Knicks organization and fan base.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The second unit </a>
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<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/imagn-images/2018/08/17122438.jpeg">
starting shooting guard</a> spot as an open position.</p>
<p>When asked about it, this is what coach Tom Thibodeau had to say:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tom Thibodeau says Evan Fournier is the frontrunner to start at shooting guard: <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://t.co/CHvJpxmM0h">pic.twitter.com/CHvJpxmM0h
<p>— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://twitter.com/sny_knicks/status/1574804735462412290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>September 27, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>Evan Fournier is the likely candidate to start at shooting guard. The 29-year-old Fournier started 80 games last season for the Knicks and averaged 14 points per game. Fournier brings that outside threat to a starting five that lacks in shooting. His three three-pointers a game last season <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/2022-nba-most-3-pointers-per-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tied for sixth</a> in the NBA. With Fournier at shooting guard, the starting five would be set.</p>
<p>This brings us to the bench unit. Very intriguing with young players, the second unit could provide this team with a spark. The Knicks could go with a full second unit all under the age of 25. Immanuel Quickley (23), Quentin Grimes (22), Cam Reddish (23), Obi Toppin (24), and Isaiah Hartenstein (24) are the five the Knicks could experiment with. Miles McBride (22) and Jericho Sims (23) could also both factor into that second unit throughout the season.</p>
<p>There is depth on this roster, but it will all depend on how it is used. Toppin and Grimes only saw the floor for 17 minutes a game last season.</p>
<p>Reddish, who the Knicks traded a first-round pick for, played a disappointing 14 minutes in 15 games last season.</p>
<p>Immanuel Quickley was a little more trusted by Thibodeau, playing 23 minutes a game. Quickley is almost certain to continue coming off the bench after the signing of Jalen Brunson. A fast and fun guard, Quickley could be in the running for sixth man of the year this season.</p>
<p>The Knicks have options, which is always a good problem to have. This can factor greatly on a night where the starters are not performing well or need a night off. Thibodeau shouldn’t hesitate to call the name of one of his many pieces off the bench.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> What to do with Derrick Rose? </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-133775 size-full" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2215,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1359060916.jpeg" alt="Knicks" width="3200" height="2215" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1359060916.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1359060916-768x532.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Derrick Rose, New York Knicks. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>3. Aged Rose</h3>
<p>The Knicks seem to finally have some direction this season, besides for one piece. They are getting younger, faster, and as pointed out in the two previous slides, have a path to an established starting five and second unit.</p>
<p>At 33 years old, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/09/30/knicks-goran-dragic-infarmous-derrick-rose-play-nightmare/">Derrick Rose</a> doesn’t exactly fit anywhere on this team. Having <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/09/09/3-reasons-derrick-rose-factor-knicks-2022-23/">veteran leadership</a> is great, but not when it could potentially take time away from the other players that need reps to be evaluated.</p>
<p>Rose at six-foot-two and as a non-shooter is unlikely to start or play a lot of minutes next to Jalen Brunson, who is only six-foot-one and is also a non-shooter.</p>
<p>Immanuel Quickley and the younger players should be heading the second unit and developing nice chemistry together. Rose and Quickley next to each other doesn’t make a ton of sense either, as the backcourt would be a big defensive liability. The playmaking could be solid between those two, to point out one positive. Quickley should see an expanded role this season and the Knicks should be looking more in that direction.</p>
<p>If players such as Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride continue to develop, they should see additional minutes and will bring fresh legs and energy to the Knicks. Rose’s best legs and energy are behind him at this point in his career. To further see what this roster holds, Rose probably should not be seeing 24.5 minutes per game like he did in 26 games last season.</p>
<p>Rose will be the fifth-highest paid Knick this season at <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/03/3-things-pay-attention-knicks-2022-23-preseason/"https://www.spotrac.com/nba/new-york-knicks/derrick-rose-6095/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$14.5 million </a>and is still on the books for a $15.5 million club option in 2023-24.</p>
<p>Coach Thibodeau will always want Rose on his squad after those years they spent together in Chicago and Minnesota. Sometimes you have to let things go, and that is what New York should do with Rose.</p>
<p>Rose doesn’t fit the timeline of this current Knicks team, and he could be way more useful on a contending team that has a clearer path for his playing time.</p>
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