We’re now at the point where talking about the New York Knicks is something many certified cardiologists may advise you against doing. The pain is simply that sharp.
Currently sitting at 25-34, the Knicks are holding onto the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference tightly with minimum hopes of any improvement in the near future. With the end of the regular season just a couple of months away, a play-in spot is now a long shot.
It is perfectly clear that this isn’t the same team that used to overflow us with joy last season, and the worst thing is, nobody knows what went wrong.
What a Derrick Rose return means for the struggling Knicks
Derrick Rose has been out for two months now, and the team has fallen apart in his absence. Crucial turnovers are being made, leads are being blown on a nightly basis, as no one can handle the ball like Rose does come clutch time.
Tom Thibodeau says Derrick Rose hasn’t yet been cleared for contact. He’s running/shooting but no contact yet. Unclear if he’ll be available for Knicks’ next game on 2/25.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 16, 2022
Truth be told, the Knicks weren’t doing all that good when Rose was around either, but they were just under .500 and amongst the teams fighting for a play-in spot, at the very least. It’s safe to say that things have gone downhill since then.
If you ask most Knicks fans what the main problem is right now, a big chunk of them would name Alec Burks as the culprit. Burks is currently occupying quite a few minutes on the court, and his return is not analogous.
In his defense, he never really played as a point guard, and Tom Thibodeau has given him this role with Rose out. But the million-dollar question is, given that the team is already losing, wouldn’t it be better if the young guys were given these minutes instead of Burks?
The obvious choice would be Quentin Grimes, a rookie that has definitely exceeded expectations this season. Shooting 40 percent from three-point range, Grimes has already had his fair share of moments in the league, despite his lack of experience.
Immanuel Quickley has not yet taken his sophomore leap after becoming a fan favorite last year, but still screams improvement over Burks as a point guard. Heck, even getting started on Miles McBride’s development might be a better way to go than starting a 30-year-old shooting guard at the point.
Then, of course, you have Kemba Walker, an All-Star that the Knicks took a flyer on during the offseason by signing him to a team-friendly deal. It’s fair to say that this little experiment hasn’t quite panned out so far, as both sides might be looking for an early way out.
What Derrick Rose’s return immediately brings to the team is some sort of stability, an element that this group of guys desperately needs, as the New York Knicks were slowly starting to fall apart after his injury. (Adrian Wojnarowski stated that Rose will likely return after the break.)
Prior to his ankle injury in December, Rose was averaging 12.0 points and 4.0 assists per game as the team’s 6th man. Even though Walker was the guy to start the games, Rose was always called upon to close out the games in the fourth quarter. And he usually delivered.
With so many rumors flying around prior to the trade deadline, the New York Knicks elected against making any last-minute moves on the roster. It is still unclear whether they tried and failed, or they just liked the roster as it is.
This team desperately requires a shot-creator, someone to take a portion of the scoring duties from Julius Randle. RJ Barrett has stepped up during this period of Rose’s absence, and the return of the former MVP could be the push that this team craves.