RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Photo by Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports)
RJ Barrett: C
Despite some very solid performances, including his most recent game against the Thunder on Monday, RJ Barrett has had a very disappointing start to the season. While it is becoming more and more obvious that the slump Barrett went through was due to his illness, he simply should not have played.
In addition to this, Barrett was painfully forcing his offense at times during this stretch, and it hurt the team. Now that Barrett is healthy again, we will hopefully see more of what we saw on Monday, but if he continues to play poorly, the Knicks may have to consider making a move.
Through 18 games, Barrett is averaging 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 40.2% from the field and 27.3% from three on 5.5 attempts per game. A big reason for this very disappointing stat line was Barrett’s sick slump, but even before that, he had some very disappointing performances.
I love Barrett as much as the next fan, but it is time to start holding him accountable for his poor play. It is year four and Barrett signed a four-year, $120 million contract. While he’s only 22 and has plenty of time to improve, he has not met the expectations he had coming out of Duke in 2019.
Yes, the situation surrounding Barrett has been far from perfect, but the big-time players learn to adapt and overcome. I’m not saying that Barrett hasn’t done this to a certain extent, but there is no doubt that he needs to be better.
Hopefully, we see an explosion out of Barrett in the coming games now that he is healthy again, but for now, he has absolutely disappointed this season and must improve soon.
Julius Randle: B
Outside of a rough five-game stretch earlier in the season, Julius Randle has been playing some of the best offensive basketball of his career. However, the fact that he is a complete liability on defense, combined with his at times very poor shot selection and leadership makes it hard to grade him much higher than a B.
This season, Randle is averaging 20.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 33.3% from three on 6.0 attempts per game.
It is very clear that taking the ball out of Randle’s hands more often has done some pretty great things for the offense. However, I can only imagine how much better he could be if he didn’t shoot so many threes.
Randle may not be a necessarily “bad” three-point shooter, but his shot selection in terms of when and where he shoots his threes has hurt his efficiency. However, considering what we had from Randle last season, we’ll take what we can get.
In Randle’s last 10 games, he averaged 23.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game, shooting an impressive 49.4% from the field and 39.2% from three on 7.4 attempts. This is some very impressive offense even with his occasional poor shot selection and tunnel vision.
What is really hindering Randle’s impact this season has no doubt been his defense. Randle was never a great, or maybe even good defender, but this season he has undoubtedly been one of the worst defensive players in the league.
Regardless, this version of Randle is undoubtedly better than what we had last season. I’d much rather have some very good offense with no defense as opposed to no offense and no defense. Hopefully, as the season goes on Randle can continue his good offensive play in addition to working on his defensive struggles.
for “overpaying”</a> the 26-year-old. However, through the Knicks’ first 18 games, that crowd has been awfully silent.</p>
<p>This is due to Brunson’s great level of play, as in this time span he is averaging 20.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 49.6% from the field and 29.7% from three on 4.1 attempts.</p>
<p>The only knock anyone can give on Brunson’s offensive game this season is his lack of an efficient three-point shot. Despite this, Brunson has always been a league-average or better shooter throughout his five-year career, so I’m sure he’ll start knocking them down at an efficient rate soon enough.</p>
<p>Outside of this, the only other knock I can give Brunson is that he has not been the best defender this season, but that was expected. Everything he does offensively he does at a great level and the starting lineup has reaped the benefits.</p>
<p>What has been my favorite part of Brunson’s game this season has definitely been his playmaking. Outside of Julius Randle’s magical 2020-21 season, the Knicks have not had a legit playmaker for quite some time.</p>
<p>Brunson is averaging 6.7 assists per game to just 1.7 turnovers per game. While playmaking is obviously more than just assists and turnovers, this stat is great to see.</p>
<p>The Knicks have been waiting for a player like Brunson for so long now. There are no doubts that he has surpassed almost any expectation people may have had for him before the start of the season.</p>
<h3>Cam Reddish: B</h3>
<p>Before the season, many were unsure if Reddish would even have a <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/13/knicks-cam-reddish-rotation/">spot in the rotation</a>. Surprisingly enough, Tom Thibodeau made Reddish the starting shooting guard before his groin injury.</p>
<p>In this new role, Reddish has performed rather well, averaging 9.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 32.7% from three on 3.1 attempts.</p>
<p>These stats may not impress many, but the big moments Reddish has had, as well as his much-improved defense, have shown just how valuable he is to this team. While many of the starters have failed on the defensive end this season, Reddish has stood tall and has provided some rather impressive defensive prowess.</p>
<p>In addition to this, Reddish has already had multiple big offensive games and clutch moments this season. Considering how poor former Knicks starting shooting guard Evan Fournier performed to start the season, Reddish has really been a savior.</p>
<p>Reddish’s grade would be much higher if he could be a tad more consistent on offense, but with the defense he brings to the floor, I’ll take the big-time moments when they come. I don’t like to do this, but Knicks fans have to give Thibodeau props for pulling Fournier out of the rotation in favor of Reddish. This move, while obvious, has benefitted the team.</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/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Two key members of the starting lineup </a>
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disappointing start</a> to the season. While it is becoming more and more obvious that the slump Barrett went through was due to his illness, he simply should not have played.</p>
<p>In addition to this, Barrett was painfully forcing his offense at times during this stretch, and it hurt the team. Now that Barrett is healthy again, we will hopefully see more of what we saw on Monday, but if he continues to play poorly, the Knicks may have to consider making a move.</p>
<p>Through 18 games, Barrett is averaging 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 40.2% from the field and 27.3% from three on 5.5 attempts per game. A big reason for this very disappointing stat line was Barrett’s sick slump, but even before that, he had some very disappointing performances.</p>
<p>I love Barrett as much as the next fan, but it is time to start holding him accountable for his poor play. It is year four and Barrett signed a four-year, $120 million contract. While he’s only 22 and has plenty of time to improve, he has not met the expectations he had coming out of Duke in 2019.</p>
<p>Yes, the situation surrounding Barrett has been far from perfect, but the big-time players learn to adapt and overcome. I’m not saying that Barrett hasn’t done this to a certain extent, but there is no doubt that he needs to be better.</p>
<p>Hopefully, we see an explosion out of Barrett in the coming games now that he is healthy again, but for now, he has absolutely disappointed this season and must improve soon.</p>
<h3>Julius Randle: B</h3>
<p>Outside of a rough five-game stretch earlier in the season, Julius Randle has been playing some of the best offensive basketball of his career. However, the fact that he is a complete liability <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"https://twitter.com/IQfor3/status/1591989467141013505" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on defense</a>, combined with his at times very poor shot selection and leadership makes it hard to grade him much higher than a B.</p>
<p>This season, Randle is averaging 20.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 33.3% from three on 6.0 attempts per game.</p>
<p>It is very clear that taking the ball out of Randle’s hands more often has done some pretty great things for the offense. However, I can only imagine how much better he could be if he didn’t shoot so many threes.</p>
<p>Randle may not be a necessarily “bad” three-point shooter, but his shot selection in terms of when and where he shoots his threes has hurt his efficiency. However, considering what we had from Randle last season, we’ll take what we can get.</p>
<p>In Randle’s last 10 games, he averaged 23.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game, shooting an impressive 49.4% from the field and 39.2% from three on 7.4 attempts. This is some very impressive offense even with his occasional poor shot selection and tunnel vision.</p>
<p>What is really hindering Randle’s impact this season has no doubt been his defense. Randle was never a great, or maybe even good defender, but this season he has undoubtedly been one of the worst defensive players in the league.</p>
<p>Regardless, this version of Randle is undoubtedly better than what we had last season. I’d much rather have some very good offense with no defense as opposed to no offense and no defense. Hopefully, as the season goes on Randle can continue his good offensive play in addition to working on his defensive struggles.</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/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Knicks' two big men who have provided some very solid play </a>
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<p>— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"https://twitter.com/KnicksMuse/status/1595125804018839552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>November 22, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>The RAPTOR statistic only means so much, but even just watching Quickley play you can see how good he has been defensively. This is great to see, especially when his shots aren’t hitting, so he is at least providing something on the floor at all times.</p>
<p>In addition to this, Quickley’s playmaking has been quite good this season, as he is averaging 3.2 assists to only 1.3 turnovers per game. While 22.8 minutes per game is a relatively small sample size, Quickley is averaging 7.2 assists to 2.1 turnovers per game according to his per 36 numbers.</p>
<p>Take that with a grain of salt, but there are no doubts that Quickley is a very solid playmaker when given the opportunity.</p>
<p>Regardless, Quickley’s offense has been extremely disappointing this year, and one can only hope that he can manage to save the season, or else he could very easily <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/11/23/knicks-trade-immanuel-quickley-stronger-push-star/">be traded</a> before the deadline.</p>
<h3>Obi Toppin: C+</h3>
<p>After starting the season off unbelievably hot, Obi Toppin has recently cooled down and has looked a little rough in recent games. While I’m sure he’ll pick up his offensive steam soon, it has still been tough to watch him struggle to hit his shots.</p>
<p>Toppin is averaging 8.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.5% from three on 4.1 attempts. While Toppin may not always be used properly, he has not been the most effective on the floor in recent games.</p>
<p>However, considering how well he was playing at the beginning of the season, I’m quite sure he will turn things around soon. Through the first 10 games, Toppin averaged 10.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 49.2% from the field and a ridiculous 41.9% from three on 4.3 attempts.</p>
<p>While Toppin certainly has a rather impressive offensive skill set that is not necessarily being used properly, he is not the best at anything else, especially on defense. That means that when Toppin’s shots are not hitting, it is tough for him to find an efficient role on the team.</p>
<p>Regardless, we have seen just how effective Toppin can be when he is hitting his shots, so at this point, we have to hope he can go back to playing as well as he was earlier in the season. When he is playing at that level, the bench can really get rolling and become one of the best units in the league.</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/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> A player who has underperformed and overperformed </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-136390" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1443627540.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1443627540.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1443627540-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Derrick Rose, New York Knicks. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Derrick Rose: D+</h3>
<p>As much as it pains me to say this, Derrick Rose has been arguably the most disappointing player on the Knicks this season outside of RJ Barrett. Despite claiming that he was in the best shape of his life and coming in at the lowest weight since his rookie season, Rose has not played particularly well.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>It doesn’t help that Rose is receiving the lowest amount of minutes of his entire career, but in that time, Rose hasn’t produced much. He is averaging 6.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 41.2% from the field and 37.2% from three on 2.5 attempts.</p>
<p>Rose has not been performing well at all this season, and considering the aforementioned lack of minutes, it seems like <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/11/24/grading-key-knicks-players-start-2022-23-season/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/11/18/knicks-fans-make-immanuel-quickley-derrick-rose-trade-rumors/">a trade</a> may be in the future for the 34-year-old.</p>
<p>In prior seasons, Rose played an integral part in the Knicks’ success, which is why many people put the lack of success in last year’s season on the fact that Rose only appeared in 26 games. This year, however, has been the opposite of that case.</p>
<p>While this may not necessarily be the worst thing as this frees up minutes for younger players in the rotation, Rose’s play has still been unfortunate.</p>
<p>Hopefully, Rose can improve his level of play as the season goes on, but as things stand currently, it seems more and more likely that Rose may no longer be a member of the Knicks in the near future.</p>
<h3>Jericho Sims: B</h3>
<p>This grade, for the most part, is based on the expectations surrounding the 24-year-old big man. Not only has Jericho Sims played a pretty important role for the Knicks following Robinson’s injury, but considering he was the 58th pick of the 2021 NBA draft, his play is rather impressive.</p>
<p>With a player selected that low, most teams hope for literally just a player that can at least make it in the league itself. However, in his first two seasons, Sims has carved himself out a very solid career in the NBA.</p>
<p>In 13 games this season, Sims is averaging 4.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting a ridiculous 74.3% from the field. What is most impressive about this is that Sims is doing this in just 14.5 minutes of play per game.</p>
<p>Sims has been an extremely solid two-way player for the Knicks this season, filling in very nicely for the injured Robinson. It was clear the Knicks had plans for him after they signed him to a three-year contract, but I believe he may be outperforming any expectations the front office had for him.</p>
<p>If he keeps this up, he could force his way into a full-time starter and could possibly cause one of the big men ahead of him to be traded.</p>
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