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Knicks: 3 ways to unlock New York’s offensive potential

By Brad Dressler

Jan 15, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lamar Stevens (8) during the fourth quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lamar Stevens (8) during the fourth quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 22, 2021; Sacramento, California, USA; New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley (5) dribbles past Sacramento Kings guard Cory Joseph (9) in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

1) Hand Quickley the keys to the offense

The time is now. I’ve seen enough of what Elfid Payton is capable of as the starter. Immanuel Quickley has shown flashes of greatness this season and I think if the training wheels were taken off, he could elevate this offense to new heights it has yet to see this year.

Sure, we lose a bit on the defensive side of the ball, but we gain a player that might already be a better finisher at the rim, has an incredible floater, and defenses must respect on the perimeter. I am tired of seeing Payton standing behind the 3-point line while the closest defender is standing 12 feet away from him. In 2021, a player shouldn’t be in the starting lineup if they only shoot 30% from deep unless they are an elite-level finisher at the rim or plays center. I think Elfrid Payton would maybe become even more valuable if the Knicks allowed him to work against 2nd unit players.

While Quickley did have a subpar performance against the Warriors, it was largely due in part to playing less than 11 minutes, as Coach Thibodeau chose to keep Payton on the court in favor of Quickley for over 37 minutes to keep the better defender of the two on Steph Curry. Before the Warriors game, Immanuel Quickley went berserk for 4 straight games in somewhat limited minutes, averaging 17.5 points and just under 4.5 assists per game.

The Knicks should look to surround their star players in Julius Randle and RJ Barrett with as much shooting as possible if they plan on staying in the playoff race. Making the switch between Payton and Quickley should be a no-brainer come the midway point of the season as long as IQ continues to prove that he belongs in the starting five.

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