The Knicks are looking to use their revamped 2021-22 roster to take a step forward in a competitive Eastern Conference. Much of the talk surrounding the team has been centered on rumors around a potential trade for Donovan Mitchell, and those recent rumors have overshadowed many of the actual tangible updates that have happened with the team.
This is a team that added an emerging high-level point guard in Jalen Brunson while also tinkering with other parts of the roster. However, the most important development with the team will be how the young players improve next season.
Among the team’s young players, RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson are the two who truly cemented themselves into the team’s future. Barrett has already blossomed into a leader and seemingly “untouchable” piece while Robinson has turned into a legit NBA starting center and was rewarded with a second contract.
Some of the other young Knicks are still looking for defined roles. Second-year guard Quentin Grimes could find himself taking on one of the more valuable roles on the team.
Why Knicks’ Quentin Grimes could have a valuable role
We all saw him dominate the Summer League. I think everyone who has watched Knicks basketball knows that Grimes is a promising young player, but his time on the court last season was too sporadic to get a great read, so it was a good idea for him to play in Summer League. We can now confirm that he is too good for Summer League.
A few attributes to Grimes’ game make him such a potentially valuable player, but let’s start with the defense because that’s the component that could be the most invaluable for this Knicks team. He’s an absolutely suffocating defender. It’s a combination of size, speed, strength, and of course, his instincts.
Here’s why his defensive skillset in particular is valuable to New York — he’s a versatile defender. There are some Knicks who do have underappreciated defense. Barrett has proven very capable as a wing defender. Immanuel Quickley has had flashes of great footspeed and defense against opposing guards. But neither of those players are switchable “Swiss army knife” types of defenders that Grimes has the potential to become.
Barrett is often too flatfooted to keep up with quicker guards. It’s hard to imagine Quickley being able to switch onto wings and keep up with their size/strength.
Grimes has the versatility to keep up with multiple perimeter position players. He has played a ton of guard in recent years, and yet, has taken on a lot of the responsibilities of a 3-and-D wing. He’s got a strong frame to go with his 6’5” height and 6’8” wingspan, along with his quick feet.
That kind of defensive versatility could be important for the Knicks, who have certainly received some criticism about the potential low level of defense that could come from their starting backcourt of Brunson and Evan Fournier.
Heading into his second year, Grimes could help a lot of different rotations by being a defensive specialist. Stick him at a guard spot or the wing, and he can handle it. We’ll see if Grimes’ defense earns him a consistent spot in Tom Thibodeau’s rotation.
3 reasons the Knicks would benefit from a Donovan Mitchell trade
With the New York Knicks looking to trade for Donovan Mitchell, here are three ways that they would benefit from him joining the roster.