After logging back-to-back DNPs, New York Knicks wing Cam Reddish was given another shot by Tom Thibodeau on Monday. During the team’s gut-punch of a loss to the Jazz — a game it had led by double digits — the 22-year-old saw 15 minutes of action, his most since joining the Knicks last month.
It didn’t go particularly well for him, though. Reddish was 1-of-4 from the field, 0-of-2 from deep and had two turnovers and zero assists. Along the way, New York was outscored by 21 points when he was on the floor.
Regardless, Reddish needs to be playing for the Knicks after the team coughed up a first-round pick to get him. And he’s not the only one who should be getting more time. As good as he has been, Obi Toppin deserves more than the 15.5 minutes per game he’s currently getting, too.
And the same could probably be said for Immanuel Quickley, even as he has been more trusted by Thibodeau than the aforementioned.
Turns out, Leon Rose and his brain trust have designs on addressing the shortage of minutes for the club’s young guns at the trade deadline.
Windhorst on Knicks’ Deadline Plans
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst broke down some of the latest intel on what a handful of teams are trying to accomplish at the NBA trade deadline. Although fans in the Big Apple would probably like to see the Knicks make a big splash, Windhorst’s sources have them taking a different approach.
“The New York Knicks remain interested in moving one or two of their veteran players as they look to create playing time for younger options, sources say,” he wrote.
“In recent days, they have shown interest in trading for players with expiring contracts in an apparent effort to clear salary-cap space this summer.”
These may not be the droids you’re looking for, Knicks Nation. However, a move to clear time for the team’s upside pieces while creating cap space and maintaining a level of flexibility going forward may be the best move to make.
As it stands, the Knicks probably aren’t making major noise this season anyway. So, the time is nigh to see what you’ve actually got with some of these younger players. And, as ever, Rose must avoid repeating the cap failures of past decision-makers.
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Thibs Sounds off on His Team’s Progress
In the wake of the setback in Utah, which made it three Ls in a row and six in the Knicks’ last seven games, Thibodeau didn’t pull any punches about the game or the current state of the club.
“We played well for three quarters. You got a smaller margin for error on the road. The fourth quarter is different — the intensity of it. Our turnovers put them in [the] open floor and they got easy buckets,” he said.
“There’s such a small difference between winning and losing. Every team is different, each game you have to concentrate on getting better. We’re falling short of that now. It’s got to improve.”
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Knicks Eagerly Looking to Dump Veteran in Deadline Trade: Report