With eight minutes left, Quentin Grimes was playing well, but lackluster.
Also.
When the Knicks had a 6-point lead against the Magic on MLK Day, Miles McBride committed a turnover that apparently had nothing to do with Grimes, but Tom Thibodeau replaced Grimes with Julius McBride.・Reacted by summoning Randall.
Clearly frustrated after being substituted for just four minutes, Grimes ran through the Knicks bench and straight into the Garden tunnel. Grimes returned about a minute later and sat near the end of the bench, where he soaked up the rest of the 98-94 loss, according to replays.
He played a total of 14 minutes, scored eight points, and left the locker room before the media was allowed in.
This was another example of Grimes' situation in New York not working out and his frustration exploding.
Despite hopes that the front office would solve the Grimes conundrum by releasing RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, Thibodeau was unable to find additional playing time for the 23-year-old 3-and-D wing.
Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, and even McBride have benefited the most from the departures of Quickley and Barrett. After scoring 11 points in 16 minutes, 43 seconds in Wednesday's win over the Rockets, Grimes is actually averaging fewer minutes per game since the trade (versus 20.5 points per game before the trade). (only 17.4 points).
Sources say the Knicks are aware of Grimes' frustration and are actively trying to move him before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
Teams in talks with New York say a blockbuster deal isn't likely to materialize until the summer, so the Knicks have a ball-handler (McBride has made a good impression, but is considered more of an undersized two-guard). The team is said to be focusing on acquiring a big man. , among other reasons, Mitchell Robinson's near future remains in flux.
Sources say he is also willing to take on a multi-year deal that could be packaged into a later blockbuster.
Sources say the Mavericks are interested in Grimes. If the Hawks are in a position to make an impact at the trade deadline, a likely candidate would be to trade Dejounte Murray. There's no shortage of teams looking for his plug-and-play 3-and-D wing.
Grimes was certainly a valuable asset for the Knicks last season, starting in place of Evan Fournier and helping the Knicks win their first playoff series in 10 years.
He played in 71 regular season games, averaging 30 minutes, dropped 27 points in the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend, and was named to the Team USA selection squad in the summer.
However, this season, that good atmosphere quickly crumbled. The obvious reason is that the Knicks acquired DiVincenzo to play the same position. There's also speculation that Thibodeau was angry with Grimes, who missed the final two games of the playoff series against the Cavaliers with a shoulder injury.
Grimes remained a starter from the beginning of training camp through the regular season, but his playing time and opportunities quickly dwindled.
He finally vented his frustrations to the media in early December, and was quickly benched when it was decided that he would have a better chance for offensive creativity away from the ball-dominant starters (particularly Jalen Brunson, Randle, and Barrett). Ta.
Grimes had some encouraging games off the bench, but he never regained the playing time or production he had last season. That wasn't the solution he or the Knicks wanted.
DiVincenzo has played well as a starter and has the advantage of a natural connection with Brunson, his college roommate. Hart has been a roller coaster, but regardless of his shooting adventures (or misfortunes), Thibodeau sees value in the forward's size and rebounding.
Grimes was supposed to take over Quickley's role after the trade. That didn't happen either. Grimes' frustrations began to affect his defense, which is usually his mainstay.
So here we are.
The fundamental issue here is (surprise, surprise) money and cap space. Grimes is eligible for a contract extension after this season, but reserve players who play 17 minutes tend not to earn much. That's a big reason why the Knicks released Quickley, a restricted free agent, in the summer for a $125 million contract.
Things are going well for Quickley, at least so far, as it appears the Raptors intend to build the team around him, Scottie Barnes, and Barrett.
Hart's summer $81 million contract reset the New York market. If a 28-year-old can earn $20 million a year, it's certainly reasonable for Grimes to expect that money from the team that drafted him and held him tight during Donovan Mitchell trade talks. .
Now they are ready to let go of their grip.
Two ideas for a Grimes trade.
Here are two purely speculative trade ideas involving Grimes.
What the Knicks get: clint capella
What the Hawks get: grimes and fournier
Why does this make sense? The Hawks are trying to rebuild their team around Trae Young and take away Capela, who is guaranteed more than $22 million next season. They add a defensive-minded guard next to Young in Grimes and decline the team option to send Fournier to free agency in 2024. Robinson returns from surgery and Isaiah Hartenstein becomes a free agent, giving the Knicks a top-tier rim-protecting center.
What the Knicks get: Kyle Lowry and Haywood Highsmith
Heat acquisition: grimes and fournier
Why does this make sense? Thibodeau loves Lowry and will covet his veteran presence in the playoffs. Grimes in a Heat uniform seems to be effective.
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memory lane
As Barrett and Quickley return to the Garden for the first time as opponents on Saturday, here are their top three moments as Knicks.
valet
1. January 6, 2022: Victory Buzzer Beater vs. Celtics
Despite an otherwise disappointing season, the Knicks rallied from a 25-point deficit to defeat the championship favorite. Barrett scored three points against MSG and was mobbed by his teammates and fans.
2. May 10, 2023: Beat the Heat in Game 5
It wasn't just Barrett's production in this particular game. It was the culmination of a redeeming performance in the 2023 playoffs by a forward who was perhaps the Knicks' second-best player in the postseason behind Jalen Brunson. In the Game 5 win, Barrett had a team-high +17 points, 26 points, and 7 rebounds.
3. September 1, 2022: Signs four-year, $107 million contract extension.
It's been a bit of a strange day since Donovan Mitchell was traded to the Cavaliers a few hours ago and the Knicks have been dangling Barrett in their own trade talks. But in the end, Barrett became the first Knicks first-round pick to sign a contract extension since Charlie Ward. Just a few months after that extension, he was gone.
quickley
1. March 4, 2023: Double OT Win vs. Celtics
With Brunson injured, Quickley got the ball and ran with it, leading the Knicks to a thrilling victory that ended their winning streak at nine. Quickley had a whopping 38 points, seven assists, eight rebounds, four steals and one turnover in 55 minutes.
2. January 29, 2021: Victory vs. Cavaliers
Quickley's NBA future as a late first-round pick wasn't clear until he started putting in high-scoring performances (pun intended) fairly early into his rookie season. This game included 25 points, 5 treys, and a 4 point swim celebration after his play. There was a 31-point game five nights ago, and a 25-point game two nights later. The Knicks knew they had the player.
3. March 27, 2023: Win vs Rockets
At this point, Quickley was on a roll, scoring a career-best 40 points on a ridiculous 14-of-18 shooting from the field. The Rockets had a bad experience, but this solidified his Sixth Man of the Year candidacy. Quickley added nine assists in 30 minutes. Overwhelming performance.
