Knicks Insider: "All Things Knicks"

mafra

Legend
Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

On the first day of training camp, Knicks team president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry told fans that they'd put together a team that New Yorkers would appreciate.

But they shied away from making any playoff predictions.

"We're not in the prediction business. I'm not here to predict records," Perry said that day. "But I expect us to be better, an improved basketball team."

Privately, though, expectations for the 2019-2020 Knicks were set during the team's first official meeting. Members of the front office addressed the players in the meeting and conveyed two distinct messages, according to SNY sources familiar with the discussions:

1. They said, in no uncertain terms, that they believed that the Knicks were a playoff team and anything less than that was a disappointment.

2. Players who were entering free agency in the summer of 2020 were told that they would be judged much more heavily on the team's win-loss record than their individual play.

By delivering the playoff edict, management may have been trying to motivate a roster with several new faces and a young, untested core.

But if the expectations set in the meeting were earnest, the Knicks have fallen well short of those preseason goals.

Entering Friday's game against Toronto, the Knicks are 12-33, 7.5 games outside of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The season, obviously, has been a disappointment on many levels thus far. It began with a 4-18 stretch that led to David Fizdale's firing.

After a 6-6 start under interim head coach Mike Miller, the Knicks have dropped nine of their last 11. They have the third-worst record in the NBA.

Because of the Knicks' modest success under Miller, some fans and analysts have concluded that New York's poor start was almost entirely Fizdale's fault. That theory, though, ignores a few significant factors: the Knicks played an easier schedule shortly after Fizdale was fired; starting point guard Elfrid Payton -- and more recently, Reggie Bullock -- returned from lengthy absences after Fizdale was let go.

The theory also ignores some external factors that contributed to the situation, factors that show the responsibility for New York's 4-18 start were shared among management and the coaching staff.

Based on interviews with agents, executives, players and coaches, we take a look at some of those factors below:

PLAYERS FEELING INTERNAL/EXTERNAL PRESSURE

As the losses mounted early in the season, the preseason playoff expectations weighed heavily on some of the Knicks.

"They were definitely playing tight," one person in touch with those players at the time said. "(Some of the players eligible for 2020 free agency) were already worried about next summer."

Those early-season losses also led to immediate speculation about Fizdale's job security. The speculation increased, of course, after Mills and Perry held their impromptu press conference in early November.

Fizdale was addressing his players in the locker room when Mills and Perry spoke to the media, unaware of the proceedings. The coach met with reporters after Mills and Perry's press conference and took responsibility for the team's shortcomings.

"None of us are happy with it but ultimately that falls on me as head coach," he said. "I have to figure out a way to build some consistency with this team."

Several coaches and execs around the league were surprised at the front office's post-game evaluation, a feeling echoed publicly by Clippers coach Doc Rivers earlier this month.

"That was bad," Rivers said of the Mills-Perry press conference. "I think we all know that."

In the days and weeks after the front office's press conference -- which was the last time management spoke to the media -- several players relayed to Fizdale that they were concerned about his potentially getting fired, according to people in touch with the players at the time.

That element -- plus the preseason playoff edict - took a toll on some in the locker room, people around those players say.

"It's hard enough to win in New York. The failure to meet those (preseason playoff) expectations and the noise around Fizdale certainly wasn't helping," a source in touch with multiple players early in the season said. "Some guys felt like every loss was going to cost Fizdale his job."

At the time, several Knicks said that they didn't want to see Fizdale blamed for the team's shortcomings.

"At the end of the day, Fiz is putting us in the best position to be successful," Marcus Morris said after a November loss. "?. He's been nothing but a great coach for us, he's been giving us what we need."

In the days before Fizdale's firing, Mills and Perry met with players to talk about the reasons for the team's struggles, according to an ESPN report. Some of those meetings, per sources, included conversations about Fizdale's performance. Mills and Perry meet regularly with their players over the course of the season.

But the subject matter in these meetings was troubling to one ex-NBA coach, who saw the discussion of Fizdale's coaching as a breach of trust between the front office and Fizdale.

"It's certainly not a sign that everyone's rowing in the same direction," that coach said.

THIS WASN'T THE PLAN

As you know, the Knicks were hunting for two stars in the summer of 2019. At the time of the Kristaps Porzingis trade, the club felt that it had a strong chance at landing Kevin Durant and another star in free agency.

Presumably, that's part of the reason Knicks owner James Dolan said in a spring interview on ESPN Radio, "New York is the mecca of basketball. We hear from people, from players, from representatives about who wants to come. From what we've heard, I think we're going to have a very successful offseason when it comes to free agency."

Of course, the Porzingis trade wasn't part of the Knicks' original plan in for 2018-19.

Initially, the expectation was that Fizdale would have a healthy Porzingis and one or two significant free agents on his roster in the 2019-2020 season, per league sources in touch with Knicks management at the time.

Obviously, none of that came to fruition.

Instead, the Knicks last summer signed several veterans to team-friendly deals to maintain future cap flexibility and, they hoped, put a wining product on the floor.

(As an aside: Some media reports/commentary suggested in the wake of the Porzinigs deal that the All-Star big man had an issue with Fizdale. But both Fizdale and Porzingis have said that they got along well. Fizdale, it's worth noting, was the lone member of the Knicks organization to visit Porzingis in his home country of Latvia.)

Even after striking out on stars in free agency, Knicks management felt that it had put together a team with enough talent to make the playoffs. So when the Knicks lost to Milwaukee and Denver by a combined 81 points and fell to 4-18 in early December, no one around the NBA was surprised that Mills and Perry decided to fire Fizdale. The team wasn't progressing fast enough and Fizdale wasn't winning enough.

But the way in which Fizdale was fired surprised some veteran NBA coaches.

PLAYERS/COACHES CAUGHT OFF GUARD

The day after the Knicks' blowout loss to Denver, the players met privately before practice to discuss lingering issues. Among them: selfish play, player-to-player accountability and a general sense of urgency to turn things around for their embattled head coach.

Some players, according to sources in touch with them at the time, emerged from the meeting optimistic that they had ironed things out and could save Fizdale's job.

Fizdale coached practice that day -- a high-energy session that featured the ball movement players discussed in the meeting, according to people in touch with the players. After practice, Fizdale talked to the media about potential lineup changes he wanted to make in the next game. He also shook hands with several members of the front office who attended the practice.

Shortly thereafter, Fizdale was fired.

Several veteran executives observing from the outside were surprised at the way things unfolded. "I don't think I've seen a coach address the media, coach practice and get let go," one exec said. "Terrible optics."

When reached by SNY for comment on the information in this story, Fizdale declined to discuss the specific details. But he did say that he hopes Miller gets "a chance to stay on as head coach after this year."

"I hope Mike, who I remain in touch with, and the players there can continue to build on what we started together," Fizdale added.

Fizdale added that he hired Miller as an assistant to his staff prior to the season because he felt it was important to promote from within, an organizational practice he'd learned during his time with the Miami Heat.

"I'm very proud of the job Mike and the staff are doing," he said.

In addition to speaking with Miller, Fizdale also remains in touch with several Knicks, sending them regular messages of encouragement. As he noted in a recent interview with ESPN, Fizdale said that he isn't bitter over his firing. He declined to discuss the circumstances, but Fizdale is well aware of the lifespan for NBA head coaches. So he couldn't have been caught off guard when he was fired after a 4-18 start.

That's not to suggest that Fizdale is at peace with everything that's transpired.

Two people close to the head coach said that he is bothered by the suggestion, from some media reports, that he was content with being fired because he'd be collecting the money remaining on his $22 million contract.

When asked about that theory after Miami's recent game in New York, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra strongly refuted the idea.

"That's total BS. That's not him at all," said Spoelstra, who worked with Fizdale for 10 years in Miami. "I've worked with Fiz for a long period of time and he's a great teacher and committed to his craft. Being content with anything is not in his DNA."

To underline that point, those around Fizdale point out that he was aware that his close friend, top assistant Keith Smart, would be fired with him if he were let go. "Why would he want that for his best friend?" one of the Fizdale associate said.

The two Fizdale confidants also say that he's irked by the idea that his 21-83 record with the Knicks is viewed as a reflection of his ability as a coach. They point out the fact that he came to the Big Apple with a 50-51 career record that included a trip to the playoffs in Memphis. "He sacrificed his record to tank" last season when the Knicks prioritized player development -- and lottery odds - in the 2018-19 season, the Fizdale associates noted.

To be clear: None of the above is an attempt to discredit Miller. The interim head coach has done well in difficult circumstances. The Knicks are organized on both ends of the floor and they've been mostly competitive in losses under Miller. So the interim coach certainly deserves credit for the way New York has played since he's taken over.

It's also fair to point out that some players cite the players-only meeting on the day of Fizdale's firing as a catalyst for their improved play.

"We had a team meeting before whatever happened. So we were going to step our game up anyway," Mitchell Robinson said shorty after Fizdale's dismissal.

Fizdale and the players also said repeatedly early in the season that they'd need time to gel because of all the new faces on the team. Echoing Fizdale, Wayne Ellington cited similarities between the Knicks' roster and the 2016-17 Miami Heat, which went 30-11 following an 11-30 start to the season.

"It takes a lot of character to make a flip like that," Ellington said after a loss in late November. "I think we've got that in this locker room. We've got the guys for it."

Would the Knicks have made that kind of turnaround if Fizdale were still coaching? Would they be 12-33 today if Fizdale were leading the group instead of Miller?

That's impossible to know.

And no one familiar with the NBA would raise an eyebrow if a team fires its head coach following a 4-18 start. So there's no reason to question the Knicks' decision to fire Fizdale from a bottom-line perspective.

But the circumstances surrounding Fizdale's firing were unorthodox. And factors beyond Fizdale's control - some of which are described above -- contributed to the Knicks' early season struggles.

So, at the very least, the responsibility for what went wrong in those first 22 games shouldn't be put solely on Fizdale. It should be shared among everyone with decision-making power in the organization.
 

mafra

Legend
Knicks Will Get Makeover From Firm That Helped Make the Nets Hip

By Scott Soshnick (Bloomberg 1-23-20)

? Steve Stoute will become special adviser to Knicks franchise

? Goals are to boost Knicks brand and bolster ties to fan base

The New York Knicks, the National Basketball Association?s most valuable team despite a string of losing seasons, are getting a makeover.

The franchise known for stars like Walt ?Clyde? Frazier, Willis Reed and Patrick Ewing -- and off the court for polarizing owner Jim Dolan -- is partnering with Steve Stoute?s Translation agency in an attempt to bolster its brand and strengthen its ties to the fan base.


Stoute, a lifelong Knicks fan whose clients have included the Brooklyn Nets, the NFL, AT&T, Anheuser-Busch and State Farm, will be a special adviser to the franchise that Forbes says is worth a league-high $4 billion. The team is 12-33 this season, better than only the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference.

?We have a ways to go,? Stoute said in an interview. ?People can say what they want, but the world knows when you get it right -- when the New York team is winning -- basketball is better. When the New York Knicks are right, the NBA is a better place. That is the opportunity.?

Translation said it will utilize data and analytics -- along with the team?s history, alumni, fans and iconic arena -- to develop campaigns aimed at bolstering the brand. Stoute also will work to support the club?s executive team, including Dolan, in its branding and fan-engagement efforts.


Translation?s initiatives have included State Farm?s ?Cliff Paul? and Budweiser?s ?Made in America? campaigns.

Controversial Owner

Sometimes referred to as the worst owner in sports, Dolan has engaged in high-profile disputes with fans, journalists and even former players. He went so far as to have fan favorite Charles Oakley tossed from Madison Square Garden after an incident with security.

When asked about Dolan?s brand, Stoute said it must be separated from the team.


?His brand, and the New York Knicks brand, and MSG, stand on their own,? he said. ?That?s the way it has to be.?

From an attendance standpoint, the brand has held up well amid all the losing. The Knicks haven?t had a winning record or made the playoffs since the 2012-13 season.

The Knicks are averaging 18,880 fans a game at MSG, placing them 11th in the 30-team NBA, according to ESPN. They remain a strong draw on the road, averaging 18,419, which trails only the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.


The sports idiom is that winning cures all ills. Stoute said that isn?t true, and that there?s a better formula.

?Winning cures a lot of problems. Great marketing and exciting entertainment cure all problems,? he said. ?The brand has to be strong regardless of the final score. When people are hopeful that things are going to be better, and it brings excitement, all of a sudden that becomes the brand.?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-01-23/knicks-will-get-makeover-from-firm-that-helped-make-the-nets-hip
 

tiger0330

Legend
HOF big man Dwight Howard is a fan of MRob.

[FONT=&quot][h=1]Why Dwight Howard is a fan of Knicks center Mitchell Robinson
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By Mike Vorkunov 52m ago
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[FONT=&quot]In the hours before the Lakers took down the Knicks at Madison Square Garden Thursday, Dwight Howard and a few teammates were discussing their opponent that night. Mitchell Robinson became a focus of the conversation.
Howard has become familiar with Robinson’s game and impressed by the young center’s potential and how he might be able to be the anchor of the Knicks defense. Howard, of course, would know a little something about all that. For years, he was among the NBA’s best big men, an annual MVP candidate who took the Magic to the Finals on his broad shoulders. He has found a second life in Los Angeles this season as an efficient bench player for one of the league’s best teams. He’ll even get to reprise his feats of flight in this year’s dunk contest during All-Star weekend.
But Howard, at 34, is in a different stage of his career and it’s interesting to pick his brain about the players that have come after him. Centers were conventionally burly, bruising tall men who ate up space near the basket (with some exception); Howard was a dynamic force, especially in his early years in Orlando and then Los Angeles, who brought verticality to the position.
Robinson, 21, is part of the new guard of centers who screen, dive, leap and defend at a high level, stretching their offenses up as much as some shooters can create a threat out on the perimeter. There is no comparison between Robinson now and Howard as a young player, though Howard does seem some similarity in one aspect: “He’s got some good bounce.”
“His game is perfect for how the game is played now,” Howard told The Athletic. “He doesn’t have to spend a lot of energy but blocking shots, rebounding and being a presence on the defensive end and also a lob threat. That’s a little different than the era that I came in. You would’ve been asked to score in the post, play defense — that’s a heavy load. I think the cards he’s been dealt with he’s doing an amazing job.”
In his second season in the NBA, Robinson is averaging 9.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, while hitting a league-leading 70.6 percent of his shots. He is one of the best shot-blockers in the NBA (seventh in block percentage) and one of its greatest threats at the rim (his 115 dunks are tied for fourth-most in the league with the Nets’ Jarrett Allen). For the 12-33 Knicks, Robinson counts as a bright light.
Robinson has had his ups and downs this season, his production oscillating like his minutes. He has tried to keep his fouls in check and become a more enduring force on the floor. Yet, he already counts as one of the best steals of the 2018 draft. The 36th pick would surely be a first-rounder if it were done again and likely a lottery pick — he’s second only to Luka Doncic in his class in box plus-minus and Value Over Replacement Player.
Howard is a fan as well.
“I really like him a lot,” he said. “He has a lot of potential … He’ll be great. Just gotta make sure he stays healthy. If he’s staying healthy, he’s doing all the right things away from the game, he’ll have a very long career and he’ll be very successful.”
Robinson has become one of the few true foundational pieces for the Knicks and a fan favorite.
Still, there is room for Robinson to grow. His offensive game is limited — 208 of his 231 field goal attempts this season have been at the rim. He has just four post-up possessions this season, according to Synergy Sports, and all after he sealed off his defender (guards on three of the occasions) in the restricted area. He has been shooting 3s after practice and in pregame warmups but has not launched one in a game.
Howard says as a young big he was asked to post-up but that is not a burden for Robinson, which has its benefits and its downside.
“It’s both,” he said. “It’s very tough because I know as a big, you want to get the ball in the post … and all those things. I’m pretty sure he works on his game extremely hard. Just for him doing what he’s doing, I really like him. He’s physical, doesn’t talk trash, goes for every rebound. He got bounce. He’s one of the bigs that I would say can really jump. He’s tall but he’s a big that can get off the ground, so for him, man, I want him to stay healthy, stay humble and stay hungry because he got a chance to play until he wants to retire. That’s what type of talent and what type of game I see from him.”
The Knicks, too, are surely banking on that. The franchise has several question marks for the future — some small, some immense — but Robinson is one of its reasons to be optimistic.



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paris401

Starter
The Knicks are averaging 18,880 fans a game at MSG, placing them 11th in the 30-team NBA, according to ESPN. They remain a strong draw on the road, averaging 18,419, which trails only the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

attendance is meaningless.... how much $$$ is brought in ... i'll bet they take in more then the cav's for sure, prob more then boston... its the $$ that counts..
 

mafra

Legend
Mike Vacarro - NY Post

1. Though Dolan has on several occasions hinted he might someday listen to offers to sell either the Knicks or his whole Garden operation, he will never do that based on chants, catcalls or widespread fury. He?ll do it when he?s ready to, and not a second before.


2. But this is equally important: That fact will never silence Knicks fans, or fans of any New York team that has performed as dreadfully as the Knicks have for so long.

And Dolan?s fingerprints have covered this Era of Error ? the Knicks last played an NBA Finals game on June 25, 1999. Dolan was officially named MSG?s chairman 129 days later. Fair or not, most Knicks fans don?t see this as a coincidence.

And almost all of it stems from those three words: sell the team. I?ve covered Dolan for every day of his 20-plus years running the Garden. I?ve criticized him, often harshly, on any number of subjects, using any number of adjectives. Only once did I earn a rebuke from him: the day after my annual Christmas carols parody ran this December, where everyone in New York sports takes a good-natured shot or two to the ribs, in song.

I had this line in there, in a ?Winter Wonderland? spoof:

?And hey what the hell/James Dolan will sell/In our gleaming sporting wonderland.?

That?s all it took. That?s all it takes. And that really has to change. It?s a terrible look.
 

mafra

Legend
The Knicks will have a representative at All-Star weekend.

Canadian-born rookie RJ Barrett was named to the World Team for the NBA Rising Stars game on the first night of the league?s three-day midseason showcase event on Feb. 14 in Chicago.

The No. 3 overall pick in the draft will team up with international stars such as Luka Doncic (Slovenia) and Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) on the World team versus a United States team featuring fellow rookies Zion Williamson and Ja Morant and second-year Atlanta guard Trae Young. Second-year Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was not named to the American squad.
 

Broadway

All Star
attendance is meaningless.... how much $$$ is brought in ... i'll bet they take in more then the cav's for sure, prob more then boston... its the $$ that counts..

Mike Breen calling a game about 12yrs ago I want to say, said MSG makes $2.1mil every time they open the door. Again this was 12yrs ago.

Knicks 2019-2020 average ticket price is $319 and instead of staying home or going out on the town spending their dime in one of the greatest cities in the world, these self-proclaimed so called smartest fans in the world rather make a born into wealth man even wealthier by paying this premium all so they can get their 15min of fame by chanting in liquored up fashion roasts directed at him, thinking they've 1-upped him. Only for him to lash out in retaliation, embarrassing them and the team they root for by throwing them out of the arena(potentially for good) and it becomes available for public consumption.

This is the pure definition of stupidity. It's been going on for about 15-20yrs...mind blowing lunacy!

Believe me this would never happen where I live...NEVER!
 
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mafra

Legend
Look at LAC when Balmer arrived... immediate change. Things won?t turn around until either Dolan sells or we draft a future HOFer...
 

Broadway

All Star
Look at LAC when Balmer arrived... immediate change. Things won’t turn around until either Dolan sells or we draft a future HOFer...

You're probably right but it's not really practical in nature outside of lotto luck

Honestly the more immediate answer actually lies in the fans and how they support this team. The one thing that CLEARLY gets traction at the top is how fans respond to Dolan directly. Remember he tried to block the boycott in front of MSG a couple yrs ago?

Maybe just maybe the people of New York City need to show and prove their true intelligence and make this a matter of war with him. Either demand he does something innovatively different in how the team is ran under his ownership soon or completely cut off support

What it seems to me fans don't want the responsibility of burden in the same manner they demand from their team. I mean hell even Dallas Cowboys fans put enough pressure on Jerry Jones to get rid of Jason Garrett. The key to Dolan is through public embarrassment and hurting his bottom line.

So no Maf until this happens expect the same results
 
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mafra

Legend
That?s probably true... Met fans got Wilpons to relinquish their grip.... might be the only way to bring about change... to voice their disgust so loudly that Dolan and NBA can?t ignore!

If I?m gonna protest something tho, it?s gonna be about something more important and impactful then something sports related... Too much evil in the world to care about the incompetent Dolan.

I won?t go see KNicks or pay for apparel. They?ve been dead to me for years, monetarily speaking.

Just funny how MEM goes to playoffs like
7 straight seasons.... stink for 2 years... walk away with JJax and JA. Meanwhile, we just can?t catch a lottery break since 1985.
 
It took a major controversy to oust Donald Sterling. My guess is Dolan could survive anything short of that. Too many Knicks fans to cost Dolan too much money, even with the majority disgruntled.
 
A major controversy if it was one but IMO they stole Sterling team from him. Not wanting Lakers players past and present being shown favoritism during his team games isn't a major controversy. They are in the same market and his team for once was doing better than the Lakers. Now everybody wants to come to his games and showboat. OH NO!! Controversy?? Major Controversy? Definitely now. Nothing to make you have to sell your team.

My opinion of Dolan is this and maybe some of you have the same one. Dolan listen and has taken the advice of the wrong people. To his credit, Dolan tried years ago to hire Magic Johnson. I was on board for that then as well as right now, THIS MINUTE!! Magic didn't want it and suggested Thomas a horrible mistake. Then it was the NBA office telling him to hire 'Daddy Walsh' and 'Jungle Dan', again a horrible mistake. He finally make the correct choice of Phil/Gaines. This is the last time that this team has had to correct compass for where it needs to go. Then Mills whisper into his ears and we have this mess. WHEN YOU ARE LOST... YOU GO BACK TO THE LAST PLACE THAT YOU WEREN'T LOST!!!

If Dolan goes back to Magic and offer the job, my gut says he take it. This start us back to stability. My reason for saying Magic will take the job is because I think he got a chip on his shoulder. The competitor that he is and what happen with the Lakers makes for a very successful F.O. Then fly to Wyoming and get down on your hand and knees and beg Phil to come back. Well, you know the next stop, is LA.

As much as you might not like the above paragraph. Which is more likely to happen, Dolan selling the team or the above? Dolan isn't going to sell the team so the best we as fan can wish for is the above. We Don't Have a Year to Wait for Someone!!!
 
Donald Sterling was a very rich and powerful man who repeatedly mistreated employees based on race and sexually harassed female employees. He did it blatantly and did it proudly. He was a man who used the N word to describe his players.

I don?t like Dolan, but the one owner Dolan was better than was Sterling.
 
Ntilikina out tonight. Payton suspended. I bet Kadeem Allen outplays Mark Cuban?s favorite mistake, DSJ.

Remember how they openly celebrated drafting him like he was a favorite HOFer? Yeah, I sure do.
 

Broadway

All Star


Makes the most sense at present. This is likely why Mills was so visibly unprofessional looking as of late starting with the exodus of Fizdale. He knew he was cooked and a dead man walking
 

mafra

Legend
Yes! He was a hypocrite too, for he blasted Phil Jax for making Horny answer every question about the org... Then, in same capacity as Phil, he cans Fiz and forced Miller to be the corporate stooge.
 

Broadway

All Star
Players don't think like fans, most certainly not like this fan base



KD is a weirdo but sounds like he was never into this team. I thought that #Kporzee and KD billboard was tacky as hell

Again gotta stop running with these stories. The only ones to benefit are the people who pull them from out of nowhere and sponsors who do business with whom they represent
 
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Brazdeikis is averaging almost 22 points and 8 boards per game on nearly 50% shooting from the floor and 35% from 3 in the G league. I wonder what our plans are for him at this point given there already aren?t enough minutes to go around. At some point, he needs to get minutes again at the NBA level. He could end up leapfrogging a bunch of our current guys.
 
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