Will Knicks Play Quentin Grimes? Tom Thibodeau Provides Update
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Fans of the New York Knicks have waited a while for the Knicks to get Grime-y. Their wish is closer than ever to being fulfilled.
Several reports from the Knicks' practice proceedings have declared that Quentin Grimes, whose preseason debut has been put off by foot soreness that required a medical boot, was a full participant. Head coach Tom Thibodeau is thus "hopeful" that Grimes will be able to appear in New York's final two exhibition games, beginning with Wednesday's trip to battle the Indiana Pacers (7 p.m. ET, MSG).
Grimes was also among those participating at an open Knicks practice held at Columbia University on Sunday. Thibodeau hinted at making a decision about Grimes' status on Tuesday, although he's been pleased with Grimes' summer work (which include lauded appearances in Summer League play in Las Vegas) that he wouldn't be concerned if Grimes was a no-show in the preseason quarter, which wraps on Friday at home against Washington.
"Each day, he’s done more and more, ... there’s a progression to it,” Thibodeau told the New York Post. “He pretty much did everything today in practice, so we’ll see how he feels. We'll just follow the plan. We know what he can do.”
Grimes, the Knicks' first-round pick from the 2021 draft, struggled to maintain a consistent prescience in last year's lineup, but a significant amount of hype has built around him based on his Summer League affairs, as well as the fact that the Knicks kept him away from Utah-based discussions for the services of Donovan Mitchell. Many have lobbied for Grimes to take over the primary shooting guard role, though Thibodeau was quick to name returning veteran Evan Fournier the "frontrunner" for such duties.
The struggles of Cam Reddish have no doubt intensified the call for Grimes: Fournier was held out of Friday's game, a 131-114 win over Indiana, for rest purposes, giving his spot in the opening five to the former Atlanta Hawks first-round choice. Reddish, working with an ankle ailment of his own, struggled in the extended opportunity, shooting 1-of-7 from the field and having trouble on defense, namely with covering the Pacers' Buddy Hield.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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