Quentin Grimes ready to step forward knowing his role with Knicks
Knicks guard Quentin Grimes looks on against the Nets in the first half of an NBA game at Madison Square Garden on March 1. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A year ago, Quentin Grimes’ place with the Knicks was an unknown. He was recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him for much of the preseason and early season, ruining his hopes of competing for a starting job. But Monday morning Tom Thibodeau dismissed any notion that Grimes is battling for a job this time.
Last year it was the incumbent, Evan Fournier, who held the starting job until Grimes was placed in the lineup and — as Thibodeau now notes in retrospect — the team went 37-22 after adjusting the rotation. Now, Grimes saw the team make one move in the offseason, signing Donte DiVincenzo. But with reassurance from Thibodeau Grimes is confident he is ready to take another step forward.
“I feel like you’ve got to do what’s best for the team,” Grimes said after the Knicks’ second day of training camp at The Citadel. “I feel like, nobody’s coming in here with a huge ego. Nobody’s coming in here like they’re the main guy, they’re better than everybody. We’re all coming in with one common goal and that’s to win. I feel like Donte, he’s been great. we’ve been cool on the court, off the court. Josh Hart], Julius [Randle], everybody, I feel like we have a really good group this year that’s really connecting.”
It’s more than just words and more than his production on the floor last season when he took on the task of defending the opposing team’s best perimeter threat every game as well as averaging 11.3 points and shooting 38.6% from three-point range. He spent 10 days with former NBA star and current University of Memphis coach Penny Hardaway and then two with JJ Redick just ahead of training camp.
“I kind of reached out to him because I knew coming into the season kind of what my role would be,” Grimes said. “And Thibs and my guy [assistant coach Darren Erman], they talked about the shots that I would be getting this season. I know JJ Redick was one of the best shooters ever in this league. His conditioning was otherworldly, stuff like that. So I just tried to get in the gym with him, learn little things, how he would come off screens, pin-downs, because I knew that would be some of the plays that were going to be run for me this season. So hopefully I’ll be prepared for them when I get my number called.”
Getting his number called is a secondary act with Randle, RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson serving as the primary offensive weapons, but his two-way play was a valuable part of what the Knicks did last season and there has been a belief that he is just beginning.
“Well, not only for him,” Thibodeau said. “For all our players, you’re never a finished product. Whether you’re first year, second year, third year, 10th year doesn’t matter. Keep getting better, and understand how it fits into the team, make our team better. Team success is paramount. And how can you help the team be successful? That’s the most important thing. So we’re asking everyone to sacrifice their individual goals for the team first. We want them to have individual greatness but within the context of the team succeeding.”
“You learn from experiences, going through things,” Grimes added. “My first playoff experience, you can learn from that. All the film. I just feel, a new team, no one really expected us to go as far as we did. I feel like this season, we’re not going to be able to sneak up on anybody. Everybody has kind of earned their respect from a lot of teams. So I feel like, going into this season, I learned a lot starting, learning from guys. Jalen’s first time here. Playing with guys I’m comfortable with, Julius and stuff like that. So it’s definitely a big help playing with those guys for so many games.”
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.
