It’s that time of year again! The Strickland’s staff converged to answer a bunch of burning questions on opening day of another 82 games ‘round the sun.

What word best describes your feelings about this team entering the 2023-24 season?

Matthew Miranda: The word for when you’re watching a horror movie and nothing scary has happened yet, but it feels like this is the moment where it will, so your eyes start wandering the screen looking for the jump scare. The Knicks haven’t had two positive seasons in a row since Patrick Ewing was here. Last year was sooo good. Therefore, I’m bugging about what could go wrong to keep that streak going.

Drew: Calm. This is probably the first time I can remember saying to myself, “This Knicks team is legit good.” They’re making the playoffs. I have zero doubts about this. When have you ever not had doubt about this Knicks team since the turn of the century? We are about to get to watch a full season of very good basketball and at minimum another playoff series. It’s a wonderful time to be a Knicks fan.

Prez: HYPE. I know it’s easy to get caught up waiting for the other shoe to drop like Miranda said, thanks to years of fandom trauma, but I'm that guy who is perpetually optimistic and overly excitable. I'm The Strickland's golden retriever. If a trailer comes out for a movie adaptation of a video game I like, I’m gonna get excited even if 95% of those adaptations suck. I’m the same about the Knicks. Even back in the dark ages, this was the case, so you damn right I’m hype for this season. Plus they employ arguably my fave Knick ever, Jalen Brunson. Plus Julius recovered from ankle surgery. Plus IQ gonna be extra motivated to hoop. Plus Mitch still don’t get his due after winning a playoff series by himself. Plus a whole year of Hart, and no Fournier and no Rose. Plus….

Shwinnypooh: Anxious. Based on almost every measurable metric last season, a playoff performance in which the Knicks emasculated the Cavs in the first round before bowing out in a competitive six game series to the Heat — the eventual Eastern Conference champions — and the continuity of most of the rotation, this feels like as sure as it’s been in a long time that New York is a comfortable playoff team. I remember a similar feeling on the eve of the 2021-22 season, which quickly dissipated as we saw the team’s starting lineup routinely get blitzed all while Tom Thibodeau’s solution was to make Alec Burks the starting point guard. The situations aren’t totally similar for a variety of reasons, but there was a general malaise, particularly on the defensive end, that set in with that team early they failed to snap out of until it was too late. This year’s Knicks had about as atrocious of a pre-season as you could have defensively despite the continuity, and they were not defensive juggernauts last season, finishing 19th in defensive rating before tightening up in the playoffs. These Knicks are good, but they are not so good that help rotations can be non-existent and transition defense optional.

Do I think we will see a repeat of 2021-22? No, and I feel strongly the Knicks will finish in the top six of the East again, but I have been wrong many times before.

Stacy Patton: Curious. On the one hand, this is perhaps the most certainty the Knicks have gone into the season with in terms of personnel/lineups. We know what the 9-man rotation will look like, we know they are likely to continue to build an identity around exploiting the offensive glass and emphasize rim protection, while hopefully looking to push the pace more and utilizing Donte DiVincenzo’s shooting and connective abilities to add spacing and dynamism to an offense that stagnated at times (most notably in the playoffs against the Miami Heat).

On the other hand, while we know how the Knicks are planning to play their hand (on the court), it will be exciting to see how the cards fall. Just how well can Josh Hart and/or RJ Barrett hold up as the main backup power forward options (I don’t think the Jericho Sims at the 4 experiment will see much usage beyond substantial foul trouble/injury issues)? Will Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and/or Quentin Grimes take another leap, and what does that look like? Can the Knicks sustain their momentum from last season and return to the same form (unlike in 2021-2022)? Can Jalen Brunson up his 3-point volume even more and reach true superstardom? What’s the next evolution in Randle’s game? How will the Knicks change/adapt their strategy in the playoffs, particularly if they have to deal with Milwaukee or Boston?

For a team that on the surface looks like we know what to expect from them, there are a lot of inflection points, and I’m really interested in the answers.

Alex Wolfe: Intrigued, bordering on nervous. For many of the same reasons as above, I’m not ready to let go of the feeling of years past that the shit could hit the fan at any second. But I’m generally an optimist so I’ll try to stay that way. I just mostly worry about this team feeling themselves too much like in 2021-22 and thinking they’ve already earned something that they haven’t. But with Jalen Brunson as the leader of the team, it’s a real muted fear. I hope we all have a hell of a time this year.

Who’s going to have a “breakout” season this year?

Drew: I’m going to go with a bolder prediction than a safer one, because why not take a swing when you already know how poorly this roundtable is going to age? It’s going to be RJ Barrett. Is this more wishful thinking than relying on a good amount of research I’ve done on Barrett? Yes. But if the heart wins on this one, it’s going to be a wonderful moment for Knicks fans.

Prez: Jalen Brunson. Not to us, but to everyone else in the NBA ecosystem.

Shwinnypooh: Mitchell Robinson. I think for most Knicks fans we saw him turn previous prolonged flashes into season-long consistency last year, which then culminated with a dominant performance in the Knicks’ first round evisceration of the Cavs. Still, it feels as if Mitch does not get the credit he deserves as the focus is primarily on what he can’t do rather than all the things he does well, and all the things he does well he does at an elite level (shoutout Ariel Pacheco). He looks better than he has physically at any point in his career and seems to be in a place where his confidence, understanding of who he is as a player, and what is expected of him are at all-time highs. This is the season Mitch gets the credit he deserves.

Stacy: Going to echo Drew and say RJ Barrett. I don’t want to read too much into FIBA or preseason, but I believe the growth he showed in the playoffs will sustain. It’s not about the improved efficiency or even the difficulty of competition, but how his process (particularly his rim reads) looked vastly improved. He also looked much better on defense, handling switches onto perimeter players and looking sharp on his closeouts. He also looked much more comfortable with the short floater, a counter that will make him even more formidable on his drives.

The reality is there is quite a bit of low-hanging fruit for RJ. Continue the consistency on the rim reads, get to league-average 3-point shooting, and consistent execution on defense. That’s really all that separates him from being the versatile answer at the wing position that can make this team a real threat in the East.

Alex: I was gonna skip this one but I’m popping in to give Grimes some love. I think, much like in the playoffs last year, he’s gonna be one of the leading minutes-getters on this team and consistently counted on to check the other team’s best guard/wing.

Is this the season we finally see a “star trade” with this team?

Drew: No. Joel Embiid will be a Knick this summer, not during the season.

Shwinnypooh: No. The guy the Knicks are waiting for will not be available during the season.

Stacy: No. I don’t think anything happens until next offseason.

Alex: During the actual basketball-playing season, no. Leon doesn’t do seismic shifts at the deadline. But since the new league year (stupidly) doesn’t start until July, I’m gonna say that yeah, the Knicks will pull the Embiid trade off at the draft during this league year.

How worried are we about the lack of IQ extension?

Drew: If you are of the opinion that the Knicks made a big mistake not locking him up, I totally get it. I was right there with you on Monday just waiting for the Woj tweet notification to hit with a “The Knicks extend Immanuel Quickley for the Brock Aller Cap Special.” With this in mind, I also do not believe it’s the end of the world in the slightest. Think of it this way — or don’t; you have agency — say the Knicks offered a five-year, $100 million contract. Quickley passes on the deal to bet on himself. If he bets on himself and wins, then the Knicks are going to win at least 50 games and have a real chance at the Eastern Conference Finals. And why wouldn’t you pay Quickley if that happens?

Prez: Not too worried. They can trade him midseason (which they couldn’t if he was extended), but this isn’t a front office that is in the business of downgrading the on court unit for future assets. This was more a reflection of the market than anything else, and IQ wasn’t alone in not being satisfied with the down market — guys ranging from top-five pick Pat Williams to erstwhile starting forward Saddiq Bey also chose to reject the lowball market and bet on themselves.

Shwinnypooh: Without knowing the specifics of what his demands were and/or what he would have settled for I think not tying him up is a serious risk for the Knicks. I also believe it’s possible Quickley feels the offer they made represents a floor rather than a ceiling and chose to bet on himself this season. If he again has a strong regular season and can carry that into the playoffs this time around then he certainly may earn himself more dollars, which could put the Knicks in a very interesting spot if a team swoops in with a big money offer sheet.

That said, I am not worried about it impacting the team this season. This is a player who spent all of last summer being tossed around in Mitchell trade scenarios, including reports he was a part of the Knicks’ final offer, and then saw his name bandied about in trade rumors for the better part of the first half of the season. The situations are not totally congruous, but there’s enough here to lend belief to the idea that IQ can block out the noise and produce on the court. He certainly has every motivation to perform and give it his all now this season, even if only out of self-interest.

Alex: It’s worrisome, but not worth losing sleep over unless there starts being simultaneous reports about IQ being unhappy and the Knicks having a hard out next summer as far as how much they’d pay him on a competing offer sheet.

Should Deuce McBride get minutes?

Drew: Nope. Not a chance, outside of injuries.

Prez: Even if my heart says he should, I have no idea whose minutes he should take. No. 9 on my big board in 2021, No. 11 in the depth chart, and No. 1 in my heart.

Miranda: Should? Yes. Will? No. You bring in Donte DiVincenzo, whose minutes gonna take a hit? Not Brunson. Not Grimes. Not Quickley. Ergo, Deuce.

Shwinnypooh: Not when everybody is healthy unless we're looking for a spark defensively, but he should be the first "situational" guy to be used whenever a situation arises.

Tanner Krantz: Probably not, but it would be nice to see him receive a few second quarter drain-the-other-team’s-leading-ball-handler minutes every once in a while.

Stacy: I’ll echo what TK said. It would be cool if “situational” really meant that, where specific opponents/matchups translates to utilizing some of these limited but still useful players. Deuce showed he can impact a game tremendously even in limited minutes when he put Donovan Mitchell through absolute hell. His jump shot also looked improved in preseason. It does not look like he can run an offense at this moment, but he should be the first guy up after the nine guys currently in the rotation (there isn’t any situation in which someone like Fournier should be getting minutes over him, for example).

Alex: Not unless there’s a big trade and he’s asked to cover minutes vacated by someone(s) else.

What will the Knicks’ record be?

Drew: 50–32.

Prez: 51–31. A whole year of the established roster will negate a slightly worse injury luck year.

Shwinnypooh: 48–34.

TK: 46-36; every game out West is a bloodbath, and the East has a fair share of competitive depth in its own right. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more record parity around the league this season than any other in the last decade.

Stacy: 53-29.

Alex: 49-33.

Over/under of 1.5 All-Stars AND All-NBA players on this team?

Prez: Under. I think this year Jalen makes it but Julius doesn’t, a flip of last year. Not because Julius doesn’t have a good year, but because Jalen will have more points and the voters will only reward one of them.

Shwinnypooh: I'lll take the under. I think Brunson will be our sole All-Star, but he gets snubbed for All-NBA because the guard depth in the league is nuts and he still doesn't quite have the cache necessary

Miranda: Under. Brunson was seventh in All-Star voting among Eastern guards last year; two taken ahead of him are either out of the conference (Kyrie Irving) or off the radar altogether (James Harden), though if he’s healthy Damian Lillard is likely to grab one of those spots. Randle was ninth among East frontcourt men. If the Celtics look anything like they’re expected to, they could have three All-Stars. The Bucks look locks for at least a pair. The Cavs could end up with 2-3, too.

As far as All-NBA: the next time Randle puts together two great seasons will be the first, so you can’t just pencil him in for a third selection. Even if Brunson meets or exceeds his play from a year ago, look at the All-NBA guards from then: Lillard, Luka Dončić, Shai Gilegous-Alexander, Steph Curry, De’Aaron Fox and Donovan Mitchell. With the exception of Fox, every one of them is either clearly superior to Brunson (Luka/SGA/Steph) or plays for a team expected to finish ahead of the Knicks (Lillard’s Bucks/Mitchell’s Cavs). And we haven’t even mentioned Jrue Holiday, now heading the presumptive title favorites from Boston. Or Jamal Murray, primed to take the post-parade leap as Denver looks to repeat. Or Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton and Trae Young.

TK: Under. Julius has definitely benefited from a forward-weak Eastern Conference over the last few years, and with positionless All-NBA Teams starting this season, I don’t see him making it.

Alex: Over, I got three: two All-Stars and an All-NBA. I’ll let you decide who.

Who will be the Knicks MVP?

Prez: Dylan Windler. Next question.

Will there be a net negative player in the rotation?

Prez: OOF. Historical precedent says it will be RJ Barrett again, but I think he’ll grade out as a hint over neutral now that he’s in better shape and will hit a pedestrian 35–36 percent of his threes instead of the ghastly numbers from last year. Curiously, Josh Hart’s entire career is alternating positive and negative years for him, so with shooting regression he may be a candidate for this — especially if he has to fall on the sword with some backup 4 minutes. If he puts together consecutive net positive years it will be a first for him.

Drew: Immanuel Quickley is going to again be a major plus coming off the bench, right? I think we can all agree that is how the numbers will bear out. When there’s a bench player who’s that much of a net-positive, that means someone in the starting lineup will get penalized. It’s not a reflection of the player, rather that’s how the math is going to math. The safe pick will be Barrett, but I have a weird feeling that the math may penalize Quentin Grimes. If Barrett is going to play some backup four with Quickley and the bench, he may get a little boost in the various plus-minus stats. You could also argue that Barrett and Hart should not play together and Grimes may play with the bench more, which would then make Barrett the “negative.”

Alex: Nah. Thibs seems to love net rating now so he’ll trust that, if nothing else.

What constitutes a successful season for the Knicks, and do they achieve that definition?

Miranda: If the Knicks accomplish exactly what they did a year ago – 47 wins and an honorable postseason run – it will have been a successful season. We don’t say a baby is walking just because they stood up once before falling over. It isn’t walking till you’re following one step with another. If the Knicks stay steady, even just one small step, that’s one giant leap for Knick-kind.

Biggest banana peel in their way: last season, only one team gave up as many 3-point attempts per game as the Knicks and a worse opponent 3-point percentage – the 60-loss Houston Rockets. Three years ago, the Knicks gave up a billion 3-point attempts but led the league in opponent 3-point shooting. We were told there’d be regression, and the following season that top ranking fell all the way to 28th. Will New York make adjustments to their 3-point defense this season? If yes, color me intrigued. If not…

Shwinnypooh: Qualifying for the playoffs as a top-6 team again, progression from RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley’s contract year not hurting team dynamics or personal performance, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson maintaining or even improving their level from last season, and Tom Thibodeau sticking with the small ball 4 lineups in the non-Randle minutes. If those things happen the Knicks will have had a successful season, even if it’s one that falls short of true contention.

TK: I’ll drop a gloomy outsider goal, which Shwin already kind of covered: the guys that will have to be included in the Knicks’ seemingly inevitable star trade continue to increase their value, and I expect that to happen.

Stacy: A successful season would involve making the playoffs and not losing until they have to face Milwaukee or Boston. Losing to anyone else in the East (including Cleveland or Miami) would be disappointing, and while that may not make the season a failure, it would be tough to say they grew much from last year. Now that’s fine, and it wouldn’t make me less optimistic for the long term, but to me success would be improving on what they did last year.

Alex: Improvement. Under this new CBA you can’t afford to be a stone gathering moss; things have to keep rolling. If this team does any worse than last year, time to look at Thibs pretty seriously.

Will the Knicks miss Obi Toppin?

Miranda: He brought a fleetness of foot and mind you don’t see every day. He will be missed.

Prez: Will the Knicks miss Obi the player? Not really. I think Hart and RJB bench minutes will result in just as much transition ball, albeit less dunks, and probably similar if not better outside of that. Will the Knicks players miss their friend Obadiah? Yes, I think they will.

Shwinnypooh: No, and Obi will not miss the Knicks either. This was a failed marriage that the front office and Obi tried to make work for a while before all signs pointed to a necessary divorce as last season progressed. What he provided was not ever going to have the potential to be leveraged usefully for how the Knicks seem committed to playing. Will that prove to be a huge error? I do not think so, even though I believe Obi will establish himself as a legitimate rotation player this season in Indiana, albeit one who still will remain a below average defender and rebounder teams can take advantage of too often for him to be a quality starter on a truly competitive team.

TK: The excitement that came with an Obi fastbreak will certainly be missed, but outside of that, Knicks basketball will remain business as usual.

Drew: I’ve been very much a Toppin advocate here at The Strickland. I’m personally going to miss him deeply. With that said, White Donte is the better player and his defense turns into transition offense, so what Toppin brought really won’t be missed. Sorry Obi.

Alex: The fans will miss Obi Toppin and his super fun dunks. Immanuel Quickley will miss having one of his best buds around. But the Knicks?

Will the Knicks reproduce their offensive efficiency from last season?

Shwinnypooh: No, because teams will be more focused on taking away second chance opportunities around the league as a whole this season. The Knicks will still be among the best at creating second chances opportunities and winning the turnover margin so they'll still be damn good. Call it top-7.

Stacy: Yes. I agree with Shwin that teams will adapt, but the special thing about the Knicks’ offensive rebounding is that it’s built around constraints. You want to live with Brunson killing you with floaters to cover the offensive glass? Go ahead. In addition, the Knicks replaced the minutes of a middling 3-point shooter with a terrific one in DiVincenzo, and this is without considering factors like continued increase in 3-point volume from Brunson as well as the Knicks’ young guys continuing to improve. Being top-3 again may be tough, but I think the Knicks are well-positioned to do it.

Alex: Yes, because they kinda have to if they want to show progress. I think while they might lose out on an offensive rebound or two, they should be a much better 3-point shooting team with development from IQ, Grimes, Barrett, etc., and if they don’t, that means everyone’s 3-point shooting has stalled out.

How will this preseason roundtable age?

Prez: My guesses will age fantastically. Everyone else's will age like spilt milk.

Shwinnypooh: Probably terrible, but that’s for James to decide when he does his annual roast.

Alex: Amazingly as usual.

Drew: No, because these are “Takes From Obvious Bozos.”

The Strickland’s 2023-24 Knicks Season Roundtable