The New York Knicks have a lot of questions to answer going into the All-Star Break after collapse against the Brooklyn Nets.
In their last game before the break, the Knicks blew a 28 point lead against their crosstown rivals, and they enter a week-long vacation on a low note.
There has been chatter all year about how coach Tom Thibodeau doesn’t play his young guys, but that noise has only grown louder as players like Obi Toppin and Cam Reddish both see less minutes than journeyman Taj Gibson.
Once the All Star Break is over, Thibodeau has hinted that changes could be on the horizon and they could be fast.
It’s not clear if Thibs is hearing the outside noise, but it does appear that he’s open to playing some of the youngsters based on his recent comments.
Thibs Changes His Tune
GettyIs Thibodeau having a change of heart?
With the Knicks finding themselves in a deeper and deeper hole by the day, it makes sense that the team would want to find out if they have some diamonds in the rough by playing some of their young guys.
Even a player like Cam Reddish, who came over in a trade from the Atlanta Hawks, hasn’t really gotten a chance to show what he can do with the Knicks. He’s gotten some playing time here and there, but it’s been very sporadic.
In comments to the media, he revealed that it might be time to see how the young core can develop.
“We’ve got a young team that can get better and that’s where we have to concentrate,” Thibodeau said via the New York Post. “Get these guys better. Look, [Mitchell Robinson’s] development, RJ’s development, Quentin’s development, [Quickley], Obi — that’s where our focus is, right, and Julius [Randle] is still young and can still grow.”
This is a major change of plans from how Thibodeau usually operates, so it could actually mean fans will get to see Toppin on the floor a lot more often than he currently is. These players are the future of the Knicks, so it does make sense the team would want to see what they can do.
One notable name that is missing from that list is Miles McBride, somebody who Knicks fans are dying to see play. He’s been putting up big numbers in the G-League, but that’s the only place he seems to get opportunities.
Is the Tank On?
GettyCam Reddish still isn’t getting consistent playing time for the Knicks.
While it might not seem like it, the Knicks are trying to win games by relying on their veteran players like Taj Gibson, Alec Burks, Kemba Walker and presumably Derrick Rose when he returns.
After reports indicated they were trying to free up playing time for players like Cam Reddish, the Knicks didn’t make a move at all before the deadline, which means playing time was never freed up.
If McBride or Reddish want to get minutes, it would have to come at the cost of somebody currently in the rotation, but the Knicks might not be left with a choice if the season continues to go the way that it has as of late. This would definitely mean the team won’t be winning many more games down the stretch, but that’s likely a given no matter what they do.
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Knicks Coach Hints At Big Change Following All-Star Break