The New York Knicks have drafted well over the past several years, and they have the makings of a good, young core to show for it.
Quentin Grimes, a late first-round draft pick in 2021, has emerged as a player who is coveted by the Utah Jazz in Donovan Mitchell trade talks, so it’s clear the Knicks have a promising player on their hands.
In an article from Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, he lists every team’s best kept secret, and he lists Grimes as New York’s.
It makes a lot of sense as the majority of the young core was a high lottery pick, so they aren’t exactly unknown players. In the case of Grimes, he was a Summer League star, and he could even find himself starting some games for the Knicks next season.
Best Kept Secret?
Going into his second year, the secret does seem to be getting out about Grimes if he’s on the Jazz’s radar. Back in July, The Athletic’s Tony Jones and Shams Charania reported he was the player Utah was focusing on in a deal.
“The Knicks possess eight future first-round picks — four of their own and four acquired via trades — to use in a package,” Charania and Jones report. “New York also has stockpiled young players, such as Quentin Grimes who is believed to be of interest to Utah, sources said.”
Grimes played in just 46 games last season for the Knicks, so he didn’t quite have a full season to showcase what he can do, and in those games he averaged just six points per game.
However, he has proven to be a pesky defender, and the expectation is that he’ll continued to blossom in that role with Tom Thibodeau as his coach. Grimes is just 22 years old, so his best days are more than likely ahead of him, and if he was to go to Utah, he might even find himself starting there in the midst of a rebuild.
Buckley is high on the guard, and believes his potential can turn him into a bonafide NBA player, whether that’s as a starter or a key bench player.
“He’s an aggressive defender and volume-plus-efficiency shooter, but there are flashes of off-the-dribble playmaking that have you wondering just how much more he can be than an impact three-and-D wing,” he wrote.
Knicks Getting Mitchell?
Stephen A Smith on SiriumXM w/ @RickKamlaSports this afternoon when asked about potential Mitchell deal:
“Utah didn’t want Julius Randle, from what I’m told. They don’t want him. The Knicks were willing to unload him. They want RJ Barrett. They want at least 6 1st-round picks.”
Of course, there’s no sense in raving about Grimes’ potential if he doesn’t remain a Knick. With it looking like he’d have to be given up in a Mitchell deal, it might help to know where the talks currently stand.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said on SiriumXM radio that the Jazz want RJ Barrett in a deal instead of Julius Randle, so it’s looking like the Knicks might have to say good bye to their young cornerstone.
“Utah didn’t want Julius Randle, from what I’m told,” he said on SiriumXM Radio. “They don’t want him. The Knicks were willing to unload him. Utah don’t want him. They want RJ Barrett. They want at least six 1st-round picks.”
The Knicks have what it takes to meet that reported asking price, so now the question is whether they want to do it or not.
READ NEXT: Analyst Makes Wild Prediction on Knicks Pursuit of 3-Time All-Star
Comments
Rising Knicks Prospect Called Team’s ‘Best Kept Secret’