Starting lineup

[Don Che]

Frank has earned his spot more than Knox has.....and both are equal in regards to our investment

[cragganmor]

JMO, but Fiz is focusing on player development and winning mentality (which isn't always winning actual games). All about the future, not now.

I think he starts Frank, THJ, Lee, Lance and Enes. Knox will get his mins and be allowed to play through his mistakes, likewise Frank. Trey, Zo, Kev, Mario and Von get plenty of mins, the opportunity to improve and break into a starting role. The 3rd stringers are insurance against injury or inconsistency.

[nazrmohamed]

Frank has earned his spot more than Knox has.....and both are equal in regards to our investment

C'mon guys. Both should have a spot. I dont think anybody has recorded a double double yet besides Kanter but Knox did. Then had another decent night and most recently he struggled but it's part of the process. He needs to be starting yall at SF. If we're gonna start Hardaway, Lee, Kanter and Lance then how the hell are we rebuilding?

Unless you're gonna sell me on building up thier value for a trade then idk what they all need to be doing on the court. And sure, they do give us the best chance to win but I'd hate to be picking 10th instead of 5 and below because we spent the season trying to prove something starting 30yr olds, c'mon not again.

Play the youth and let the vets provide leadership on the bench and in practice. They been around long enough to know what it is.

[taowave]

Agreed^^^^

I couldnt bear another season of Lee and Jack part 2,i.e Thomas and Lee....

Play the young guys,and let the chips fall where they may

[NYGM]

How about common sense and consistency do the talking???

If you are going to start Knox and let him develop,how about the same for Frank??e]

This...

But since Frank is not chucking 15 shots a game?

[NYGM]

I'm all in starting Knox..

[nazrmohamed]

Well whatever happens with the starting lineup, I just hope that at point I see the following crew on the court together for a bit:

Frank
Trier
Knox
Vonley
Robinson

A traditional lineup with guys skilled in different but complementary roles who are all you and should have a future with this team in some way or another. And if you notice Vonley has surpassed Herzogna for me at this point. Thats not to say that Herzogna can't overtake him again but you can see that he's a streaky player. I don't think its even that he doesn't give effort, his iq is just really low IMO. So is Vonleys iq but thats the nature of where they are in their careers and pretty much in my view of their potential. They are in that Beasley tier of player and not even there yet. Where you'll always know what they can do and will always have a role on a team but nothing major. Bench offense.

[maxinquaye11]

“What do you call him?” Fizdale said. “You can play him as a two or a three, and now you’ve got three point guards in your rotation. That’s where Frank really gives me a lot of flexibility from what he brings to the table. That’s why I don’t want to label him too much. We know Trey Burke is a point guard. Mudiay is a combo. He can do both. Frank can do both. Instead of labeling them as this is what you’re going to be and putting them in a box, it gives me more flexibility to just call them guards and be able to play them next to each other.”

--------

Love what I'm hearing from the coach so far. Its going to be tough. Frank showed he can shoot and be aggresive. Burke played good defense. Mudiay showed he can run the break well and Baker is baker with the hustle. Whoever the starter is, im here to support. I still want my burke-ntili 2pg winning COMBINATION with either thj or knox coming of the bench. Its about combinations and not about positions anymore. I feel that the pre season tapes will show enough evidence that burke and ntili play well together to which trey and frank themselves agree to. They practiced doing it.

Thj to win 6th man of the year or Knox to be brought into the starting five a bit slowly. I want a line up that will compete to win in the beginning as do most coaches and players do in reality during the starting point.

Its as if Coach Fiz is saying the more point guards the merrier lol. I recall nykfan making a mockery out of my 2pg saying why not have three point guards? Hahaha.

Those were the good ol' days.

[NYGM]

I like it in the sense of last season Pelicans with Holiday and Rondo..

That way could work since both guards can defend and complement each other..

[Quietmoney]

Timmy really needs to go to the bench for the betterment of the team.. all he really can do is score.. so use him a really good 6th man.. that way he can go against other teams second units and Frank and Burke can start together.. they compliment each other very well. The only problem with that is Steve Mills.. he signed Hardaway to that contract.. so Fiz will feel obligated to start him..

[taowave]

Steve Mills..

[maxinquaye11]

Bring in rookie Knox to the 1st unit just like how we did Frank on his rookie year. A little slowly.

THIS so as not to overwhelm their fragile minds.

Frank is doing good now because of THIS.

[gradyandrew]

Timmy really needs to go to the bench for the betterment of the team.. all he really can do is score.. so use him a really good 6th man.. that way he can go against other teams second units and Frank and Burke can start together.. they compliment each other very well. The only problem with that is Steve Mills.. he signed Hardaway to that contract.. so Fiz will feel obligated to start him..

And he's the best guy on the team not named Kristaps.

[NewlyKnicked]

Bring in rookie Knox to the 1st unit just like how we did Frank on his rookie year. A little slowly.

THIS so as not to overwhelm their fragile minds.

Frank is doing good now because of THIS.

Different kids, different methods. Knox may actually need to see he has the complete trust of the staff to blossom. Let him in the 1st unit and give the kid opportunities to score. We have a year off, use it well

[KnicksRUs]

“What do you call him?” Fizdale said. “You can play him as a two or a three, and now you’ve got three point guards in your rotation. That’s where Frank really gives me a lot of flexibility from what he brings to the table. That’s why I don’t want to label him too much. We know Trey Burke is a point guard. Mudiay is a combo. He can do both. Frank can do both. Instead of labeling them as this is what you’re going to be and putting them in a box, it gives me more flexibility to just call them guards and be able to play them next to each other.”

--------

Love what I'm hearing from the coach so far. Its going to be tough. Frank showed he can shoot and be aggresive. Burke played good defense. Mudiay showed he can run the break well and Baker is baker with the hustle. Whoever the starter is, im here to support. I still want my burke-ntili 2pg winning COMBINATION with either thj or knox coming of the bench. Its about combinations and not about positions anymore. I feel that the pre season tapes will show enough evidence that burke and ntili play well together to which trey and frank themselves agree to. They practiced doing it.

Thj to win 6th man of the year or Knox to be brought into the starting five a bit slowly. I want a line up that will compete to win in the beginning as do most coaches and players do in reality during the starting point.

Its as if Coach Fiz is saying the more point guards the merrier lol. I recall nykfan making a mockery out of my 2pg saying why not have three point guards? Hahaha.

Those were the good ol' days.

You say you love what you're hearing. I say it sounds like a bunch of indecisive bullshit to me.

Trey Burke is a PG? In what world? He's not a ball distributor. He's clearly an undersized 2 and is extremely limited.

Mudiay is a fucking combo guard lol? He's one of the worst shooters in the entire league. Why would that guy ever get a look at the 2? That's just handicapping your offense severely.

I'm not saying that Frank is clearly better (well he is over Mudiay, Burke can at least provide an offensive spark), but this team is all about seeing what you have and building for the future. One thing I do know for certain is that Burke and Mudiay ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT role players on championship contenting rosters. So why give them any burn at all? Building trade assets maybe? But I seriously doubt Burke/Mudiay will ever have any trade value.

No, Tao made a good point previously with consistency on your message. If Knox gets the starting nod without clearly earning it then why is the guy who made the most improvement in the off season not getting the same look? If you ask around the league I bet you Frank has more trade value.

[thewatcher]

Now we're throwing trey Burke down the toilet?? dude played GREAT when he got the chance last year; and he hasn't played terribly as suggested by ToysRus; one guy he has played better than is Knox. But see Max, whenever the new guy comes in he favors the guys he brings in with him LOL, the golden boy, and yes teenager Knox is the youngest player in the league, but STILL gets GRANDFATHERED IN???? HAHAHAHA SAME OLD SHIT.

And Nilliki, the only time he's looked bad all preseason was the quarter he started at PG and all the rocket scientists want him starting at PG on wednesday!!!! L Frankie is averaging over 50% from the field and shooting lights out from 3 , but he isn't a SG??? hahaha frankie is the guy you want guarding kawai, DeRozan etc. unfortunately he has to wait till Tim's contract expires before he takes over full time. No hurry.

[Koopa Troopa]

I think Mudiay can still redeem himself. Will he though? I dont know. But hes the only guard on the roster that can attack and distribute. Burke and Trier are Troy Hudson, off the bench chucker types. Frank is Frank.

[spree#8]

With this basically being the rotation thread, here is what I roughly expect Fiz to come up with:

C Kanter 30 - Robinson/Vonleh 18
PF Thomas 20 - Hezonja 24 - Knox 4
SF Knox 24 - Ntilikina 14 - Lee 10
SG Hardaway 32 - Lee 10 - Trier 6
PG Burke 20 - Trier 14 - Ntilikina 14

Mudiay might be in play at the start of the season, but unless he a) improves or b) someone else struggles, I think Lee will overtake his spot in the rotation very quickly.

THJ is in for a big season; Kanter too if he can stay on the floor for 30 minutes, i.e. Fiz continues to have a defensive scheme around Enes that works. If the latter happens, Kanter might even challenge for the top scorer crown in KP's absence (and I still call dips on any "Kanter is better than..." threads). Although at Fiz preferred pace, Kanter's current top conditioning could become an issue later in the season. Lance is just the placeholder until KP comes back or a bench player (Hezonja the first candidate, if we don't go really small) makes a hard push for the starting spot. Knox has the SF spot locked up, because there is no one on the roster coming for his position, but his minutes might vary on his production.

Ntili should get as much playing time, being able to play with anyone, but likely comes in from the wing first, so we can keep the other ball handlers (Burke/Trier) in the line-up. Based on last season and pre-season I expect Burke to get the PG starting spot at first, but so far he hasn't looked as the one being able to log starters minutes at that spot. Trier looks primed to be a sixth man weapon off the bench, but obviously for a rook, consistency will be a question mark. Anyway I see Ntili leaping ahead of the other guards as Burke's potential successor at the one. Robinson and Vonleh will likely compete all season for back-up center minutes.

Everyone else (Mudiay, Kornet, Dotson, Baker) will likely have to hope for a need of change or injuries.

[thewatcher]

^^that works for me Spree

[maxinquaye11]

Bring in rookie Knox to the 1st unit just like how we did Frank on his rookie year. A little slowly.

THIS so as not to overwhelm their fragile minds.


Frank is doing good now because of THIS.

Different kids, different methods. Knox may actually need to see he has the complete trust of the staff to blossom. Let him in the 1st unit and give the kid opportunities to score. We have a year off, use it well

one thing is certain, they are not as strong minded as top 5 franchise player Kristaps " Unicorn" Porzingis who you baptize with fire from day 1.

I could always be wrong about Knox though. They got booed just the same on draft night so..