Who should be the Knicks Starting 5 players ???

The Knicks 2019-20 roster has a large majority of Project players.
Did Mills/Perry sign any FA in the off-season to be a starter? Yes!
PG-Payton
SG-Bullock and Ellington
SF-Morris
PF-Randle and Gibson
C- None

I am more interested in the 2-Way performing lineup the Knicks put out on the court the final 7 minute of each game.
PG-Frank
SG-Dotson
SF-Morris
PF-Randle
C--MitchRob

I believe Bullock is out for a bit, while he recovers from an injury.

I think the brain trust is committed to a set of 3s. The primary focus will be the DSJ-Randle-MRob triumvirate. These 3 will start... the Calvary, vet backup trio of Morris, Portis and Gibson will do the dirty work.

From there, the camp battles are going to be between:

1) E.Payton vs F.Ntikilina

Who?ll be the off/guard defensive-minded compliment to start with DSJ? This is a fluid situation and will depend on what Fiz prefers, and what DSJ can prove to handle. Will a more ball-capable passing facilitator be required... OR...

2) W.Ellington vs Dotson

The battle for the 3&D wing sniper supporting role player, at SG at least, is on.

3) RJ / Knox / Ignas

Which young dynamic scorer will step up... SF minutes probably going to these 3 cats. The long term dreams rest on RJ and Knox and Braz is a potential second round lottery ticket. These 3 will be developed slowly, unless the kids force the issue.

4) Trier vs Trier

Is he a budding perennial sixth man of year type prolific burst of offensive energy or is he still a raw inconsistent player with too many holes to ignore?

mafra said:

I believe Bullock is out for a bit, while he recovers from an injury.

I think the brain trust is committed to a set of 3s. The primary focus will be the DSJ-Randle-MRob triumvirate. These 3 will start... the Calvary, vet backup trio of Morris, Portis and Gibson will do the dirty work.

From there, the camp battles are going to be between:

1) E.Payton vs F.Ntikilina

Who’ll be the off/guard defensive-minded compliment to start with DSJ? This is a fluid situation and will depend on what Fiz prefers, and what DSJ can prove to handle. Will a more ball-capable passing facilitator be required... OR...

2) W.Ellington vs Dotson

The battle for the 3&D wing sniper supporting role player, at SG at least, is on.

3) RJ / Knox / Ignas

Which young dynamic scorer will step up... SF minutes probably going to these 3 cats. The long term dreams rest on RJ and Knox and Braz is a potential second round lottery ticket. These 3 will be developed slowly, unless the kids force the issue.

4) Trier vs Trier

Is he a budding perennial sixth man of year type prolific burst of offensive energy or is he still a raw inconsistent player with too many holes to ignore?

Click to expand...

Nice post Mafra, lot of good thoughts in it. Fiz needs to get off to a good start and his best chance is to play the guys we acquired in the off season, Perry didn’t blow the Knicks wad to have these guys languishing on the bench playing behind rookies and second year players.

We know how Fizdale wants to play, positionless basketball, 3 pt shooting and defensive effort, Fizdale needs to come out of training camp with lineups that can do that.

I think MRob is the only guaranteed starter among the young guys, dying to see if DSJ has really improved and I’m sure Fiz has been getting updates from Coach Smart on DSJ progress, going to be a battle for that starting PG spot with Payton being the better distributor and defender but DSJ could push him if his jump shot has really gotten better as reported, if we’re looking at DSJ shooting 30% from beyond the arc during the preseason, Payton wins the job.

I don’t think Ntilikina even competes for the starting PG spot, he’ll be slotted for a wing spot by Fizdale. Maybe Nits moves past Dot on the depth chart this year. Nits has to bring it, not completely out of the question that the Knicks exercise their option on both guys but they both have to have great camps and early season play for the Knicks to make a decision to pick up both their options.

Tired of years of losing and having 2 of the worst years in team history in the PJ and Mills era and if we’re playing the rookies in March because we’re on track for the worst record in the NBA again, heads need to roll, I’m not buying the fans need to be patient from Mills this year.

I was interested to see that NBA 2K20, which just came out, had our starting 5 as:

C - MRob
PF - Randle
SF - Barrett
SG - Trier
PG - DSJ

htr10 said:

I was interested to see that NBA 2K20, which just came out, had our starting 5 as:

C - MRob
PF - Randle
SF - Barrett
SG - Trier
PG - DSJ

Click to expand...

Barret and Trier are a stretch to start the beginning of the season. Pretty sure RJ will struggle with his shot early on, the game won’t slow down for him until the AS break at the least. Trier is a 6th man at best.

Yeah, I think Trier?s best spot right now is the sixth man role.

I believe, if I were a betting man, that Perry, Mills and Fiz have their plan in mind.... and I think it?s about making people earn minutes.

MRob is the only young asset they feel good about starting right now.

I can see Payton and DSJ getting the early nod to start. Up to Frank to change the perception....

I think they would love if RJ and Knox force the issue, but I think early on... they?ll pick their spots with these two. But, it?s also up to them. They won?t be held back if they show they?re ready.

I think Morris, Portis, Gibson, and Ellington are a lock to be in rotation early. But they?ll need to produce and win games to remain a critical piece.

I think Fiz would love a backcourt of Payton and DSJ showing signs of how dynamic they could be together. At times, a shooter will be out there with them ? Ellington, Knox, Dotson. Other times it?ll be RJ or Morris.

Randle and MRob owning the front court.... and the minutes will vary for the fifth wheel to Payton, dSJ, MRob, Randle....

RJ? Morris? Knox? Again, they probably see this as the wild car ?up in the air.?

I think Frank, Portis, Gibson, Ignas, Trier are slated to be second unit role players. We may see them together early to foster cohesiveness...

I do hope Fiz establishes a system. Plays 10 and rotates guys in an out to keep fresh. I want us to be a hound defensively. It starts now. You don?t effort on defense then the buzzer sounds and a sub comes in.

It?s not asking a lot to hold people accountable if they refuse to try with vigor and urgency.

But minutes are consistent and people have roles they know and minutes are awarded/withheld based on effort.

But in!

Play the vets, sprinkle in kids slowly but make sure the earn it first.

But, please, make it clear early that the offense starts and begins and goes through DSJ/Randle.

Those 2 hopefully will be an upgrade over Hardaway/Kanter duo.

DSJ and Randle provide the offense and you play based on that understanding. Trier, Knox, RJ can?t come into the game thinking they can shoot and shoot and not pass and not contribute much and then be all volume. Nope.

Hahn likes a starting backcourt of DSJ and Nits but Nits needs to prove it in the preseason. Says Nits is not a PG but could be that 3 and D guard for us, wants Fiz to start him at the 2 during the preseason instead of bringing him off the bench to see if a backcourt of DSJ and him works.

I think both Payton and FN work nicely with DSJ. But, yes, FN has to step up and stand out in camp. And consistently produce.

I know people are coming back around on Ntilikina, but I think everyone is forgetting that Fizdale is probably not going to play him and Perry has no stake in him.

htr10 said:

I know people are coming back around on Ntilikina, but I think everyone is forgetting that Fizdale is probably not going to play him and Perry has no stake in him.

Click to expand...

I definitely feel Fiz and Perry more invested in Payton. Frank will have to shine in camp to put himself back in the mix... he?ll need to stay ready and take advantage of his moment when his number is called. Doubt it happens. But... it?s up to the kid. Time is now!

Tell me something 'when did DSJ win the PG position'?
When did DSJ ever out play Mudiay?
If we look close enough DSJ has more problems to correct than Frank. There is shooting, passing and turnover.

This part of the problem from last year stemming from Trier being call out for not passing the ball. It shows favoritism and that causes CANCER to grow in a team. Getting rid Tim H. & Trey B. who called Trier out is a bad sign send to the players.
Management has created a monster( CANCER) and it a big Monster. It been there send last season and now you ordain DSJ as the starting PG and how did he win the position?

There is no chemistry on this team because Mudiay, Dotson and Frank would stay after practice. So you let Mudiay go and bring in Payton. Those 3 were the most complete players on the team. No, I didn't forget about Frank shooting problem. If that is corrected then who would more complete than Frank and Dotson?

Dark Raider said:

Hey Kiyaman, I agree with your final 7 minute lineup except I would have Knox instead of Morris.

Click to expand...

My thoughts are .. certain Knicks young players like Knox, Trier, RJ, Iggy, and DSJ should not receive consistent minute in the rotation until January. Last season, Knox Trier and DSJ performance on the defensive-end of the court need more work than one off-season to be efficient on defense.
Practically, all of the Knicks off-season FA contracts have a team-option for the 2nd season .. All seven of the FA the Knicks sign in the off-season need to get a early equal chance in the rotation to prove they are keepers or trading-deadline pieces.

htr10 said:

I know people are coming back around on Ntilikina, but I think everyone is forgetting that Fizdale is probably not going to play him and Perry has no stake in him.

Click to expand...

Last season, I expected our two young 2nd season guards Frank & Dotson to be put as a backup tandem in the back-court together to record 200 to 400 minute running the offense in a 82 game season to get on the same-page to learn the ins and out of Knicks competitors as a back-court tandem ..
That did not happen under Fizdale's TANKING isolation system.
Last season, our Tank-Tank coach Fizdale did not tandem any of the guards to work together to get on the same-page in the back-court, nor did Fizdale tandem any of the big-men to work together in the paint as a tandem to control the front-court.
It's hard to have high expectation of coach Fizdale, after being the poorest performing team in the NBA from start to finish last season !!!

I don't think we are tanking this season..... but the question is, should we play the best players to win this season and build a winning mentality in the team or shall we play the best prospects to build the best future team with risking being viewed as the losers again?