Training Camp Thread (Open practice live on PG.3)

[Starbury3]

Some of thoughts after watching the full practice:

-Herzonja looked pretty complete and in the running for starting imo. Fiz had him running point for a majority of the time and he looked quick, poised, and demonstrated nice court vision. His shot's were falling too and his D wasn't bad.

-Dotson and Trier looked solid and deserve minutes over Baker. Trier was doing typical Iso Zo stuff, getting into the paint at will. Dotson's shot were falling.

-Money Mitch would have fouled out 4 times. Very raw still and Kanter was cooking him. Wish Kanter would have attempted these "3's" he's been practicing all year!

-Knox looks ready to lead the team. He hit his shots, blew past defenders, and drew contact. Summer League did not seem like a fluke.

-THJ looked rusty. Hit his first from downtown and then bricked many after that. 2 spot should be up for grabs

-My man Trey Burke is clearly the best point guard. Frank was MIA and Mudiay was decent but showed flashes of last year with inability to finish a drive to the basket

-We also are desperate for a backup for Kanter. Luke's defense was awful and Mitch isn't ready imo. Shipping Lee for a big would be nice

[thewatcher]

^^great thanks, kind of what I expected.

[NYGM]

Not reading too much in this type of format..

Mario looked like a veteran out there..

Burke's shot was falling, looked really good..

Kanter was abusing everyone..

Knox looked good, very agile and active..

THJ wasn't feeling it, not doing much..

Mudiay's shot looked improved, his finishing not to much..

Frank barely played, is he injured?

Trier looked like a scorer with good handles..

Dotson shot was really good..

[maxinquaye11]

Trey burying treys. Hezonja seems to be in the flow. Kanter is really a monster on the offensive boards. Seems like this other Noah is no joke. He can hit a three lets keep him. I'm cheering for Luke Kornet. He can be our Porzingis-bot. This will make it easier for everyone to adjust once KP comes back.

[H20Knick]

It's really a shame that there isn't a way to cover Kanter's defense. He is really talented offensively and on the glass. REALLY talented

[Quietmoney]

If Fiz is really about who plays the best and earning there minutes.. shouldn’t Alonzo be given a contract and be made a rotational player?? and what about Frank?? I don’t see him becoming nothing more than a serviceable defensive bench player.. and I’m new here so shout out to the entire forum

[maxinquaye11]

^ welcome to best knicks forum Quietmoney. You are right on the money saying that Frank is just that. He has no handles. Placing him at off guard or having him play alongside a trey or mudiay though is best so that he can truly reach his potential-- a starter 3nD. All one has to do is watch how he basket cuts and you'll see how great he is off ball. This talk of still making him the pg is either pure hate of the 2pg or because its just ben simmons sexy.

[shakespeare]

knicks have the exact same talent from spots 1-10, which either means we're awesome or we're terrible.

I’d never looked at it like this, but this makes perfect sense.

I believe:
1) Offensively, we’ll be middle-of-the pack good. THJ, Burke and others should sufffice.
2) Defensively, we’ll be 1 of the worse teams in the league.

[nazrmohamed]

If Fiz is really about who plays the best and earning there minutes.. shouldn’t Alonzo be given a contract and be made a rotational player?? and what about Frank?? I don’t see him becoming nothing more than a serviceable defensive bench player.. and I’m new here so shout out to the entire forum

Welcome.

[nazrmohamed]

^ welcome to best knicks forum Quietmoney. You are right on the money saying that Frank is just that. He has no handles. Placing him at off guard or having him play alongside a trey or mudiay though is best so that he can truly reach his potential-- a starter 3nD. All one has to do is watch how he basket cuts and you'll see how great he is off ball. This talk of still making him the pg is either pure hate of the 2pg or because its just ben simmons sexy.

Well how can it be hate of 2 pgs if you just said he isn't a PG?

I think you guys overreact over one grainy practice on someone's phone. Yesterday Dotson wasn't an NBA player cuz he sucked in Summer league, today he hit a couple 3d, Baker didn't so now Baker sucks and Dotson can play. Tomorrow it'll be different.

But anyway, when a team sucks and there's nothing to look forward to everybody cares about the guy scoring points but nobody cares about the guy playing defense. But when s team is good everybody cares about the guy who plays the best defense. These practices aren't really the best stage for that defense.

But that doesn't excuse Frank, I mean as his personal life coach I definitely get frustrated. Its like fake it till you make it dude. Read the room. Maybe stop playing defense and just get selfish. Take 8 out of rhythm shots, break the play, drive to the rim while flailing your arms. Do something. Cuz otherwise you'll be the best defender in the league whose also a bench player losing your destiny to offensive only d leaguers.

Wise up.

[Don Che]

yeh as a Frank advocate it's hard to defend when reading what u guys are saying...but I'll judge the games I see and go from there.

I still think purely from a development, investment and defense pov he should start. not as if whoever starts over him is leading us to the championship.

burke...tim...mudiay ...idc who wins it but have one of them start with Frank.

he had a full year...had some ups and downs....now it's time to let him roll out there and compete night in..night out and let him learn by fire.

[NYGM]

I'm not pannicking over a open practice like Maxi, we should know better..

Trier looks agressive but can he play defense? I'm tired of people overvaluing some type of offense (who can be shot down by better teams) and disregarding good defensive pay because most of our players re bad at it..

I don't care if Frank is not one of those Uber athletic scoring "PG's".. Burke and Mudiay can't guarantee anyone and that's not winning basketball..

Mario needs to wake up on defense or he's out..

Kanter is really good offensively around the rim and we know he may not be in the long term plan due to his limited defense..

When you are losing looking for a stat sheet is sexy, but unless you start looking for 2 way players you won't win enough..

Trier needs to prove he can play defense too, at best to be another Courtney Lee IMO..

What we love about Mitchell is his potential as a defensive big to play alongside KP (who thank god is a 2 way player)..

Like Knox who has all the tools to be a 2 way player and that would cement our starting line up in the future IMO..

I will reserve my judgement for later because no one can take anything serious about an open practice, let the real games start and see who can produce on both ends..
.

[taowave]

The Tank is ready to roll...

[shakespeare]

The Tank is ready to roll...

Only thing left to do is designate a Tank Commander.

Someone who’ll keep the tank moving forward thru rain, sleet and snow, toward the top of the ‘19 lottery.

[maxinquaye11]

Come arounds happening here after one open practice and I'm the one panicking. Keep looking down on small Trey. You want three pointers? You'll have it. Too small to show up on D? You know by now that he is going to work hard on it and bring it.

I miss grandpa 3nD 2PG Prigioni. I believe in Ntilly as secondary. THJ can go chuck his way to nba 6th man of the year. Mudiay has to play after being promised to get fixed. This set up is what will establish Fiz' preaching on positionless and why i think he even mentioned it in the first place.

The defense will come for everyone depending on how good the coach is at implementing it. This is why head coaches get hired and get fired. I believe Fiz has the magic mouth to motivate anyone especially the young ones. Though I wonder why fiz is talking more about offensively gifted Trier as the 15th rather than defensive specialist Kadeem.

[nazrmohamed]

Well from what I saw Trey is doing everything to extend his game and like I said, that'll totally change his game. Still won't be the best defender but at least amongst those who score he would've taken a step toward the next tier.

[StevoStarks]

It's really a shame that there isn't a way to cover Kanter's defense. He is really talented offensively and on the glass. REALLY talented

I agree! I love the dude, but understand his limitations make it hard to break the bank to keep him. But as you mention, what he said good at, he’s really good at.

[thewatcher]

Yup, Kanter looks really bad on teams just waiting to end the season with lazy guys like Jack and Beasley. With young guys playing for their NBA lives around him, Kanter will thrive. I think Burke or Kanter end up as MVP ( but I hope it's KNox).

[Don Che]

Kanter/Lee/Tim is the perfect core off the bench when we starting getting 2 way players.

I'd take those 3 over most benches in our conference.

Throw in a defensive minded/tough/keep it simple PG with them and 1 athletic high motor forward and we are in business.

[washingtonparkjones]

Yup, Kanter looks really bad on teams just waiting to end the season with lazy guys like Jack and Beasley. With young guys playing for their NBA lives around him, Kanter will thrive. I think Burke or Kanter end up as MVP ( but I hope it's KNox).

Kanter for MVP until the trade deadline looms. Please universe, we've suffered....just give us a first rounder for Kanter, please. Some playoff team needs low post scoring, right? Just one little first round pick. It can be for 2019, 2020 or 2021. I'm not greedy.