NY Knicks: Quentin Grimes a great example of bucking NBA draft trends

NY Knicks: Quentin Grimes NBA-level traits

It’s a shame that there haven’t been more consistent opportunities for Grimes on the court this season.

Not only because of his individual talent but because there is so much to his game that can benefit this current NY Knicks roster.

It starts with areas of his game that even for a rookie, aren’t “flashes”, they’re already strengths in his game playing against NBA competition: shooting and defense.

I don’t even need to know Quentin Grimes shooting percentage from 3 this season (It’s 39.8%) to know that he’s a great shooter. His form is fundamentally rock-solid. It’s a lightning-fast release, and he shoots it with extreme confidence.

Then there’s his defense. There are very few rookies who come in the NBA that can play consistently competitive perimeter defense. I think most NY Knicks fans will tell you that he’s already the team’s best perimeter defender.

Those two things alone — shooting and defense… Are there more sought-after traits for players taken in the latter half of the 1st round? Grimes is already so adept in those areas, and that alone will keep him in the league for a long time.

Then there are the other areas of his game that make him truly compelling as a prospect.

He can score at a variety of levels, and he can find his own shot. Who knows what his ceiling as a scorer is?

Grimes also has playmaking chops. He’s played plenty of point guard in his career, and you’d love to see him get some more run as an initiator.

The NBA Draft can be a Rubix Cube wrapped in a maze. There is no exact science to it, and everyone is looking to hit home runs on their picks.

Even still, it feels as though teams have been plunging and throwing darts at the high-ceiling, low floor players instead of taking the slightly older guys who are proven hoopers. Quentin Grimes has already established himself as a great foundational piece for the NY Knicks, and he’s just getting started.