Five things to look forward to in a Knicks second-bubble appearance
Though talks of the NBA starting up a mini-bubble for the teams left out of the Orlando postseason hunt have cooled, the stakes are clear: if it happens, Knicks fans wouldn't have to wait until next season to see their new head coach. If these plans come to fruition and New York ends up “resuming” their 2019-20 campaign in the near future, Tom Thibodeau wouldn’t be the only name worth tuning in to however. Here are five things to look forward to in a potential return to Knicks basketball.
Tom Thibodeau’s debut
Obviously the biggest difference in a Knicks team we’d see play at the “nubble” and the one we last saw beating the Atlanta Hawks on the road will come at the head coaching position. Thibodeau’s hiring was never in much question, but what he does at the helm remains a big one.
A mini-camp trip would allow Knicks fans to take a peek at some of the fundamental choices Thibs makes out of the gate. Namely, what kind of system he plans to implement to best utilize this underwhelming roster. This can always change with new pieces coming in during the offseason and little prep time for Thibodeau, but how he manages some key cogs will provide a glimpse into next season. Will RJ Barrett be more or less of a focal point of the offense, and what looks does he see more or less of? Does Mitchell Robinson enter the starting lineup, and is he expected to use his length and quickness to hedge out or switch on perimeter scorers versus conservatively patrolling the paint?
Questions as to Thibodeau’s rotations will also see some answers. Such a bubble is about as good an excuse as any to throw your young guys out there for 30 minutes and see what you have. How this collides with Thibodeau’s reputation as preferring veterans remains to be seen.
Insta-Mitch
Regular Mitchell Robinson usually provides enough intrigue for Knicks faithful, but after his social media highlight reels began circling the internet, the hype train is full speed ahead. Just the idea of the potential-packed seven-footer putting up jumpers or using his dribble, but a picture of a first step towards being that franchise-altering unicorn prospect, is enough reason to be amped for a return.
Even if Thibodeau and the Knicks fall short of fully unleashing Robinson, just getting to watch him and see where he’s developed after breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s field-goal percentage record for a season will be exciting. He and RJ Barrett were the bright spots of the interrupted season, and are the best reasons to watch Knicks basketball right now. The two showed signs of finding themselves in sync before the cancellation, and individually Robinson put up big numbers, including six consecutive double-digit scoring nights into the shutdown and four blocks per 48 minutes since February.
A higher note to end RJ Barrett’s rookie year on
Just before the season shut down due to the coronavirus, the Knicks third-overall pick in 2019 seemed to finally find his rhythm in the league. After dealing with some injury and inefficiency issues, Barrett was much improved in his final ten games, scoring 17.2 points per game on 45.7% shooting from the field and 36.6% from deep. His free throw shooting ticked up and he brought a better effort defensively. His production led to an impressive Knicks win over the Houston Rockets in which Barrett buried the game-winner.
All this, along with the rookie’s mental makeup and work ethic leaves little doubt he would have looked to close out his first campaign strong, now healthy and accustomed to the tougher competition. But he lost that opportunity, and is forced to see his two peers drafted before him blossom in the bubble after dominating the headlines in this season’s first iteration. If given the chance to close out the year, expect Barrett to come in and put on a show for his new front office, his fans, and the league.
Youth development
Robinson and Barrett may be the standout prospects of this young Knicks core, but names like Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina can still turn into real NBA contributors with more growth. Checking in on their progress is reason enough to watch a mini-bubble, as how they develop could tip the scales of this rebuild one way or another. Although many have written one or both off, there is plenty to be optimistic about.
Knox showed some improvement defensively, and was hot out of the gates from downtown until regressing to some scary shooting numbers. John Calipari reportedly told the Knicks it would take three years for Knox to show tangible results, a fair bet given he is only 20 years old. Going off that rule, Knox showing out at the mini-bubble would put him just ahead of schedule. He’s shown flashes of a nice cutting and passing game, and has been playable defensively for stretches this past season.
Ntilikina is simply one of the best defensive prospects in the NBA right now. He spent two games locking up Luka Doncic last season and put the Knicks in position to win others with his multifaceted game. His offense hasn’t quite emerged yet, he just had his first 20-point outing just prior to the league suspending play. But there’s evidence most of his barriers are mental, and when Ntilikina is aggressive and confident, good things happen.
New arrivals
The coaches’ portion of the bench won’t be the only one with new faces. The Knicks waived Kadeem Allen and Allonzo Trier, opening up roster spots for Jared Harper and Theo Pinson. Though they aren’t certain to be rotation pieces, it’s always fun to see new Knicks and there’s a chance one of the two could turn out to be a diamond in the rough.
Pinson appeared in 33 games with the Brooklyn Nets prior to the stoppage, and is known for his athletic 6’5” build and heady defense. Harper is a pure scorer, averaging over 25 points per game in the G-League per 36 minutes. Both have plenty to prove, and in a second bubble they’d get a chance to instead of waiting until next season. They’ll want to make a big impact in front of Leon Rose and Thibodeau ahead of a summer of roster decisions.
