Kemba Walker, Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
This New York Knicks season has reached a level of rock bottom that has officially become unnerving and dire.
You can keep telling yourself (as I have) that it’s still a long season, that they’re just a few games back of the playoffs, that they’ll get it together soon and just need more time to mesh.
Yet, it’s gotten to the point where this feels as though it’s about a lot more than player chemistry and giving it time. Not only that, it feels like there are some issues that go beyond this season and what happens on the court.
The New York Knicks are lacking an identity
The blame has been passed around quite a lot, and rightfully so. The New York Knicks have had multiple key players go on horrendous stretches of play throughout the season. Perhaps none has been more in the spotlight than Julius Randle’s play, which has boiled over into visible frustration and questionable leadership.
I wrote about Julius Randle’s pivotal role in the New York Knicks shortcomings just yesterday, but there is something that has been on my mind for a while now that is much bigger than just the individual play of certain players.
It’s a rift between Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks front office.
First, I want to make two things clear.
Number one is that this isn’t a report with any kind of insider information. This is simply something that I’ve picked up on in the last few months and have started to piece together some clues as to why the Knicks, with largely the same roster, are not just losing games, they cannot find a shred of consistency or semblance of the energy they had last year.
Number two is that when I say a “rift” it doesn’t mean any kind of personal beef — I’m talking about clashing basketball philosophies between two very influential parts of the organization.
Many of us expected the Knicks to finish lower than the 4th seed this season, but I’m not sure anyone saw the team spiraling and losing their identity, culture, and brand of basketball from last year.
First, let’s look at some of the clues as to why there might be a disconnect between Thibs and upper management.
New York Knicks</a> season has reached a level of rock bottom that has officially become unnerving and dire.</p>
<p>You can keep telling yourself (as I have) that it’s still a long season, that they’re just a few games back of the playoffs, that they’ll get it together soon and just need more time to mesh.</p>
<p>Yet, it’s gotten to the point where this feels as though it’s about a lot more than player chemistry and giving it time. Not only that, it feels like there are some issues that go beyond this season and what happens on the court.</p>
<h2>The New York Knicks are lacking an identity</h2>
<p>The blame has been passed around quite a lot, and rightfully so. The New York Knicks have had multiple key players go on horrendous stretches of play throughout the season. Perhaps none has been more in the spotlight than Julius Randle’s play, which has boiled over into visible frustration and questionable leadership.</p>
<p><a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/21/simple-new-york-knicks-need-better-play-julius-randle/">I wrote about Julius Randle’s pivotal role in the New York Knicks shortcomings just yesterday,</a> but there is something that has been on my mind for a while now that is much bigger than just the individual play of certain players.</p>
<p>It’s a rift between Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks front office.</p>
<p>First, I want to make two things clear.</p>
<p>Number one is that this isn’t a report with any kind of insider information. This is simply something that I’ve picked up on in the last few months and have started to piece together some clues as to why the Knicks, with largely the same roster, are not just losing games, they cannot find a shred of consistency or semblance of the energy they had last year.</p>
<p>Number two is that when I say a “rift” it doesn’t mean any kind of personal beef — I’m talking about clashing basketball philosophies between two very influential parts of the organization.</p>
<p>Many of us expected the Knicks to finish lower than the 4th seed this season, but I’m not sure anyone saw the team spiraling and losing their identity, culture, and brand of basketball from last year.</p>
<p>First, let’s look at some of the clues as to why there might be a disconnect between Thibs and upper management.</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/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Clashing philosophies? </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-117869" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1309837497.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1309837497.jpeg 1600w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1309837497-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>New York Knicks: Questions constructing the 2022 roster</h2>
<p>The New York Knicks are an organization with well-documented problems in the 21st century. It seems like the goal of hiring Tom Thibodeau was to bring in an established coach who brings their own brand of basketball and culture with them.</p>
<p>It worked beautifully in year one. No one knew what to make of the roster, but it quickly became a Tom Thibodeau team — hardnosed, and physically grueling.</p>
<p>Thibs and his staff squeezed out a ton of output from that 2020-21 roster, and then the playoffs came and the New York Knicks were overmatched.</p>
<p>I think the idea heading into the offseason was almost unanimous. The Knicks need more shot creators.</p>
<p>Julius Randle and Derrick Rose were the only players able to generate their own shot in that playoff series, and the idea was simple: Add more offensive talent, and the defense will stay the same because it’s a Tom Thibodeau team.</p>
<p>This is where the disconnect seems to start to happen.</p>
<p>This is what we <em>know</em>:</p>
<p><a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"https://nypost.com/2021/09/28/knicks-will-have-hard-time-duplicating-their-stingy-defense/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tom Thibodeau wanted to bring Reggie Bullock back and he “lobbied hard”</a> for the veteran enforcer, but was overruled by the front office.</p>
<p>Although the main decision makers at the top stayed the same, we know the Knicks beefed up their analytics team even more in the offseason.</p>
<p>I don’t want to say that Thibodeau is “anti-analytics” because that’s simply not true.</p>
<p>However, after watching this Knicks team closely in every game this year, it does feel like there’s an even stronger emphasis on shot selection. And a lot of the time, it’s to a fault.</p>
<p>New York’s shooters had a much quicker trigger last season, and it was working. For whatever reason, it feels as though players are passing up wide-open catch and shoot 3s and taking extra dribbles in search of other shots.</p>
<p><a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"https://www.teamrankings.com/nba/stat/three-pointers-attempted-per-game?date=2022-01-21%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Knicks 3-point attempts are up</a>, and even in today’s NBA, it feels like a Tom Thibodeau team should be more aggressive going to the rim, with 3-pointers being a product of rim penetration instead of being forced.</p>
<p>Bringing in Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker made sense from that standpoint of bringing in more “shot creators”. I was onboard with signings.</p>
<p>However, we have the power of hindsight now. Maybe these weren’t the right decisions?</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/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Did the Knicks get the offseason right? </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-121620" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1334702741.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1334702741.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1334702741-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, New York Knicks. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>The New York Knicks roster is discombobulated</h2>
<p>Again, this is all hindsight, but you have to remember that shot creation wasn’t the only issue for the New York Knicks in their playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks.</p>
<p>The Hawks’ offense was overpowering for the Knicks’ defense — they had 4-5 perimeter players who could create off the dribble, and the Knicks weren’t athletic enough to keep up.</p>
<p>Maybe, adding better offensive players who also bring some size and physicality would have been a better approach. Guys who more closely fit Tom Thibodeau’s brand of basketball.</p>
<p>A few free agents from this past offseason who could have fit this mold:</p>
<ul>
<li>Spencer Dinwiddie</li>
<li>Josh Hart</li>
<li>Reggie Jackson</li>
<li>Lonzo Ball</li>
<li>Alex Caruso</li>
<li>Cameron Payne</li>
</ul>
<p>While young players like RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, and Immanuel Quickley have all flashed ability as being solid defenders, this issue of not having athletic defenders on the perimeter wasn’t addressed whatsoever.</p>
<p>Again, this is all hindsight and hypotheticals, but it’s worth pointing out because the Knicks <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/defense/?sort=DEF_RATING&dir=-1%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">defense has plummeted. </a></p>
<p>The defense was supposed to be the constant. Even though Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker aren’t great defenders, Thibodeau’s system and the culture set in place were supposed to be enough to keep it solid. That hasn’t been the case.</p>
<p>Everyone was excited for Kemba to be back playing in New York. It’s a great story, but I mean, could Kemba Walker be any less of a Thibodeau-style point guard?</p>
<p>A small guard who struggles on defense and can’t get to the rim? I just have a hard time believing that was his first choice for a new guard this offseason.</p>
<p>Personally, I am someone who loves using basketball analytics and incorporating them into how I see the game.</p>
<p>Yet I feel that in this day and age of anybody being able to “analyze” a game with a computer, traditional basketball terminology, or sports talk from people who have played the game will sometimes get an eye-roll or not be taken as seriously.</p>
<p>Terms like “enforcer”, “grit, “setting the tone”, while they may be cliches, are very much a part of the fabric of a basketball team.</p>
<p>Last season, the roles were defined with the New York Knicks. There was player chemistry.</p>
<p>The starting lineup would set the tone. They were big, strong, physical players who get in your grill.</p>
<p>It was a slow offense, and sometimes it was to a fault. Even with the flaws of the starting lineup last season, everyone knew their roles, and they knew what was expected of them. That kind of comfortability matters.</p>
<p>The 2nd unit of Rose, Quickley, Toppin, and Burks — they were bringing the energy. They were a sparkplug unit. It was a beautiful yin and yang between the starts and the bench, and the Knicks had a working ecosystem.</p>
<p>Now, I really couldn’t tell you a lot of the roles on this current Knicks team. Is there a “2nd option”? Do Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley have clearly defined roles?</p>
<p>It all feels discombobulated, and you see it in the on-court production. Every single player it seems has had horrible dry spells.</p>
<p>There is good reason to not want to play Obi Toppin at the 3 or the 5 with significance when you’re trying to win games. While Toppin has been a fantastic sparkplug from the bench, we have to be honest, he does really struggle on defense and he hasn’t shot the ball well whatsoever. In fact, his shooting has regressed.</p>
<p>With Julius Randle and Obi Toppin on the same team, there just isn’t that much space for Toppin to develop on the court. Toppin was an 8th overall pick, fan-favorite, who isn’t developing properly. That should be a story all too familiar for the New York Knicks.</p>
<p>This team doesn’t have an identity like they did last season.</p>
<p>For a player at any level of basketball, knowing your role and your spots and your responsibilities is so important to finding your rhythm throughout a season.</p>
<p>It feels like that lack of rhythm has resulted in the team being wildly inconsistent, and I’m not sure you can fix that midseason.</p>
<p>It’s just a lot of confusion, disorganization, and uncertainty. Even more important than the current season is what these things may mean for the future.</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/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Is Tom Thibodeau's time limited? </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-122557" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1102,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1353923539.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks" width="1600" height="1102" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1353923539.jpeg 1600w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1353923539-768x529.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">New York Knicks Tom Thibodeau (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>New York Knicks: Does Tom Thibodeau have a long-term future?</h2>
<p>Tom Thibodeau isn’t going anywhere… right now.</p>
<p>I am certainly not a proponent of firing Tom Thibodeau midseason, I’m not sure that does anything but cause more chaos. We’ve had enough 1 1/2 year coaches on this team.</p>
<p>Thibs certainly has had some questionable rotations, <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/01/22/this-new-york-knicks-most-alarming-issue/"https://theathletic.com/2868387/2021/10/05/knicks-immanuel-quickley-details-year-2-expectations-and-harmonious-relationship-with-tom-thibodeau/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">but Tom Thibodeau seems to have great relationships with the New York Knicks younger players, </a>despite some fans thinking that he’s allergic to them.</p>
<p>Last season’s success has led to this accelerated rebuild.</p>
<p>There are conversations that take place between Tom Thibodeau and the front office that we just don’t know about.</p>
<p>In terms of the general long-term approach, I think everyone is on the same page. Develop a young team, but do so by playing winning basketball and establishing a winning culture. We can’t afford to just be “young and tanking”. We’ve done that song and dance so many times already.</p>
<p>The formula was right on track last season, but this year, that culture has vanished. It’s not just about being better than last season, it’s the fact that they look like a completely different team.</p>
<p>What happens next? I have no idea… Does anyone?</p>
<p>The team <em>just </em>signed Julius Randle. Are they going to try and trade him? They just locked up Evan Fournier for 3 years.</p>
<p>Now, the team just traded for Cam Reddish.</p>
<p>I don’t think a single soul on this earth has any idea what’s going to happen when Reddish is healthy. Clearly, they signed him because they believed in his potential, but where is going to fit in this rotation? Is he going to have a bench role? Part of his wanting out of Atlanta was seeking a larger role.</p>
<p>Did they spend a first-round pick for a young player so he could play behind Evan Fournier? A player who they will have to re-sign soon?</p>
<p>I’m not even saying this in a negative connotation — I loved the Cam Reddish trade and what he could possibly bring. I’m saying this all in a <em>confused </em>connotation.</p>
<p>I think everyone is just confused. That chip-on-your-shoulder, underdog mentality from last season is completely gone and no one knows what to expect from this team on any given night.</p>
<p>Forget about individual player performances for right now, — The whole “culture building”, making New York an attractive destination, building long-term success, that is what is in question right now.</p>
<p>There is something off about the chemistry of the team right now from top to bottom, and I’m not sure anyone knows what the formula is to get back on track.</p>
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