Miles McBride assigned to Knicks' G League team to get more playing time
Miles McBride #2 of the Knicks runs upcourt against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Knicks assigned rookie Miles McBride to the G League Westchester Knicks Wednesday, allowing him to play with that team in Bridgeport, Connecticut - the first opportunity he’s had to get major minutes at game speed this season.
McBride has played just four minutes in five brief appearances for the Knicks this season and has yet to convert a field goal. While the Knicks and Tom Thibodeau have high hopes for the 21-year-old point guard, getting him time on the court right now with the crowded NBA backcourt was most important.
"I love him, I love him," Thibodeau said. "I think it’s important for him to be with us but every opportunity we get where we can have him play some, we want to try to take advantage of that as well. But he’s got a great future, great kid, hard worker. And when you come into this league, it’s all about – you’ve got to learn first. And that’s what he’s doing.
"It’s just day-to-day. When we have an opportunity to send him, we’ll send him. I love the proximity of it where it’s right there, it’s in our [training center]. So I think it’s important for him to be with us in practice, games, but anytime we have a situation where he can do both, ideally, that’s what we would like to have. There will be some where he goes back and forth. I love who he is. He’s a big part of practice every day for us."
McBride is the first roster player to make the move, but not the only one who can use a bit of run. Kevin Knox has totaled just seven minutes of action in three games and McBride’s fellow rookie, Quentin Grimes, has played 18 minutes in four games. Jericho Sims has just 25 minutes on the floor but is valuable with Nerlens Noel sidelined.
"You take each situation individually," Thibodeau said. "That’s probably it more than anything. This year is a little bit unusual because they’re playing in Bridgeport, but when we’re in White Plains and they practice in our building, it’s a great setup. We want to take advantage of it as much as we can."
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.
