Knicks could look to trade for a bench scorer to bolster second unit
From left, Miles McBride, Donte DiVincenzo, OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein of the Knicks walk to the bench during the fourth quarter against the Magic at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Knicks got what they wanted when they made the trade for OG Anunoby two weeks ago, bolstering the team's defense and creating the fit and function in the offense among the starting five that just worked better by uncluttering the demand for the ball to just two players, Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle.
But in the eight games since Anunoby arrived another truth has been revealed. The bench isn’t what it was when RJ Barrett would remain on the floor with Immanuel Quickley and the rest of the second unit. They sped up the pace of play and provided not just a changeup in the speed of the attack but also put established scorers on the floor while the stars got their rest.
Now, particularly with Brunson sidelined the last two games with a left calf contusion, the absence of those threats has been even more evident. With Deuce McBride starting in place of Brunson, the Knicks have suddenly lost the advantage they had when teams went to their bench. The depth that they had has been lost with last year’s Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Quickley gone.
The Knicks struggled to beat a depleted Memphis Grizzlies squad Saturday and then squandered a fourth-quarter lead Monday against Orlando at home, a five-point advantage turning into a frustrating 98-94 loss.
“End of the third, start of the fourth.” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I thought their bench came in and hurt us.”
“Try to play better. Play faster,” said Josh Hart, who has struggled with his shooting in recent games (36.7% overall and 27.3% from three-point range since Anunoby arrived). “That’s about it. Probably a little bit of both so we’re not stagnant. Probably having a couple, especially the second unit, a couple plays that we feel good about that we run and kind of get guys into positions to be successful.”
Last season, when Brunson sat it was Quickley who stepped in, averaging 22.6 points and 5.1 assists per game as a starter. But it’s not just stepping into the starting lineup that matters. As a second-unit piece Quickley was a shot creator, someone who could carry an offense almost by himself. While McBride put up 19 points in Memphis and 20 Monday, he doesn’t lead an offense yet. Instead he serves as a catch-and-shoot threat while Randle runs the offense and draws two or three defenders.
Part of the problem is that the bench has already changed this season with Mitchell Robinson sidelined, pushing Isaiah Hartenstein into the starting lineup and taking away another ballhandling piece from the bench. And with Donte DiVincenzo heading to the starting lineup earlier this season and Quentin Grimes moving to the second unit the Knicks have a solid shooter but not the aggressive creative player DiVincenzo is.
What these games have done is focus a glaring spotlight on the next move, one the Knicks were searching for even before completing the Dec. 30 deal for Anunoby: Finding another backcourt piece who can create and hit open shots. There are high-profile players available — Portland’s Malcolm Brogdon, Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray and Charlotte’s Terry Rozier among them. The Knicks are still searching for a star to acquire with their pile of assets, but for now may settle for a less high-profile piece like the Pistons' Alec Burks, who was already a favorite of Thibodeau during his time in New York.
According to a report in The Athletic, Grimes could be moved in the right deal, a drastic change from the tight grip the Knicks held on him in trade talks before last season.
For now, they have to hope Brunson gets back soon and that Thibodeau can find a rotation that holds the game in check when the bench unit comes into the game.
“If you look at the players you have, you try to figure out what their strengths are,” Thibodeau said. “You want to play to their strengths, cover up their weaknesses. And you do that as a team. It’s also important for their teammates to understand what each other's strengths are. So you want to play smart, you want to play together. You’ve got to play hard.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
