The Strickland staff’s 2021-22 Knicks season predictions
Do you like basketball, the Knicks, the regular season, and PREDICTIONS? Then boy do we have a treat for YOU! That’s right! We’re back with our second annual STRICKLAND STAFF PRESEASON PREDICTIONS! How did we do last year? Who cares! Just sit back and bask in the glory of our best and brightest takes. Basketball is BACK, baby! Let’s goooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!
Who will be the Knicks’ MVP for 2021-22?
Stingy: Jules. Next question.
James Marceda: You, our valued customer.
Stacy Patton: Julius Randle. After producing like he did in suboptimal spacing last year, I’m excited to see what he can do in a more favorable context. With all due respect to Derrick Rose, Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, and an ever-ascendant RJ Barrett, nobody else on the Knicks provides the kind of offensive punch that Randle does as a power wing who can create for himself, score at three levels and find open shooters. His defensive versatility on ball also allows the Knicks some leeway in perimeter defense from the guards. Lastly, I’m curious to see if he is used a bit more as a small-ball 5. Early returns from the (yes, preseason) game in Washington were encouraging as Obi looks to have taken a step forward on both ends.
Shwinnypooh: It’ll be Julius Randle because he’s the centerpiece of the team. If they want to build off of last year’s success and get to where they want, it’ll be because of him. The additions of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier were about lightening the nightly load he has to carry, but also to see if an unburdened Randle can take yet another leap and really get into the upper crust of the league’s elite.
Jack: I mean… it’s Julius Randle, but the way in which he’s our MVP will be transformed from an all-everything wrecking ball to a more mature conductor of wreckage. After an adjustment period, he’s going to realize he can get 8 easy dimes a night just by making basic reads to open shooters. This plus an efficiency bump from a streamlined shot profile will make him a better version of his already beautifully valuable self.
Geoff Rasmussen: Julius Randle is the answer, but I’m going to zag and say Tom Thibodeau. Of course Randle (and the rest of the team) will determine the majority of the Knicks’ success, but this is a big year for Thibs. With this much improved roster, will he be more willing to try new things in order to prepare for the postseason?
Ted: Randle, for all the reasons everyone else has listed.
Drew: RJ for obvious reasons.
Miranda: Randle was the first Knick ever to lead the team in points, rebounds, and assists. What, Evan Fournier’s gonna do more than that? It’s Orange Julius, easy.
Knicks Illustrated: There’s nothing Randle can’t handle.
Sam: Julius Randle pretty easily. The game will be made easier for him with RJ taking a step and the acquisitions of Kemba and Fournier and I think he’ll also take a step forward.
Alex: Julius. Don’t overthink it.
Who will be the Knicks’ best rookie?
Stacy Patton: I’m wavering on this considering how good Quentin Grimes looked against Washington, but I won’t change my prediction based on just one preseason game and will stick with McBride here. I think he will have more opportunity than Grimes because of his ability to play point guard and the fact that Kemba and Rose are both more likely to miss time (even just for rest) than the guys in front of Grimes. Both give the Knicks a similar look as physical POA defenders with good off-ball instincts who can knock down open shots, but I’ll go with Deuce here as I think he’ll have more opportunity.
Shwinnypooh: Quentin Grimes, because he has a much cleaner path to playing time than Deuce McBride does. It’s also a telling sign that Thibs has brought up Grimes unprompted a few times in training camp and gave him extended burn during the final preseason game.
Prez: Q. He’s our only movement shooter who can lock up. Evan can do the former but not the latter. We’re also thin on the wing off the bench, so despite being only 6-4 I expect QG (along with Alec Burks) to fill that role.
Jack: Grimes by default, because he’s got a far easier route to minutes. His two-way skillset and size has him ready to pounce if Alec Burks starts the season slow.
Stingy: Rokas Jokubaitis. You already know.
Alex: Probably Grimes. He’ll make the most of his opportunities and he can play the 3. Deuce will probably make the most of his chances, too, but he’s more buried on the depth chart than Grimes is.
Geoff Rasmussen: Quentin Grimes; I think he’s the most ready to contribute as a role player on both sides of the ball, and he also has more of a path to playing minutes immediately.
Knicks Illustrated: Grimes has a light switch in his brain and when he flicks it he catches fire.
Sam: Grimes will crack the rotation, Rookie Iman Shumpert style. His combination of point-of-attack defense and 3-point shooting will prove effective in many key games this year, similarly to what we saw in the last preseason game.
Who will be the best Knick off the bench?
Stacy Patton: Derrick Rose edges out Immanuel Quickley here. Rose is still probably the most effective driver on the Knicks and his ability to push the pace, get to the rim, find open shooters, and even knock down a few himself makes the bench unit go. Overall, this is the most talented I can recall a Knicks’ bench being.
Shwinnypooh: Derrick Rose takes the cake. He’s probably the best point guard on the roster still, it’s just that he can’t carry that load for a full season, and seems most comfortable playing with the reserve unit where he can focus on getting buckets above everything. Not to say he’s not been a willing playmaker, but it all is predicated on getting downhill and putting pressure on the defense with his scoring gravity. That will continue this season even if Immanuel Quickley gets more on-ball reps in his second season.
Jack: Derrick Rose. He and Thibs essentially share one offensive brain, and Rose looks way more comfortable shooting threes in preseason, even than last year when he was lights out. He will consistently eat against juicy second string defenses.
Geoff Rasmussen: Derrick Rose. The smart people above me covered all the bases.
Ted: Everyone else is saying Rose, which I think I may agree with, but I’ll say Quickley. I think his passing will surprise some people this season, and I really, really like his shooting (duh). Hopefully he can replace his foul-bait shots with real, good shots this season too, and drive more often.
Drew: The amount of groupthink here is worrisome. What would renowned author of Anthem, Ayn Rand, think of this?! I am going to say that the best player off the Knicks bench will be Obi Toppin. My bold prediction of the season is that we are going to see much more Randle and Toppin playing together in the frontcourt. That pairing will be the foundation of the most important lineup in the playoffs. Book it!
Alright, something a bit more serious. Toppin has a 7-foot-2 wingspan and had the second best defended field goal differential on the Knicks for shots within six feet of the rim. I am in no way saying that Obi Toppin is the Knicks’ second-best rim protector, let alone a good rim protector. What I am saying is that I think Toppin can be a passible enough rim protector that the defensive drop-off will be worth what the offense can turn into with Toppin at the 5. And because of what that will do to the Knicks’ on-court performance, it makes Obi the best/most-important bench player.
Knicks Illustrated: Obi is ready to force Randle to the 5.
Sam: Burks. I’m zagging super hard here, but Burks’ size and flare for the moment in crunch time will probably make him the best Knick off the bench. Had he not got injured several times, I believe he would have also had a serious case for Sixth Man of the Year.
Alex: All of them. Big 15, baby.
What will be the Knicks’ record?
Stacy Patton: 50-32.
James Marceda: 52-30.
Shwinnypooh: 47-35.
Prez: 53-29, just to one up James.
James Marceda: 54-28.
Jack: 50-32. Fifty wins. It sounds nice. Nicer for not even being some batshit-crazy number.
Stingy: 56 and whatever the other number is.
James Marceda: 57-25.
Alex: 58-24 (I got the last set of eyeballs on this, take that suckaaaa).
Geoff Rasmussen: 48-34.
Ted: 74-8.
Drew: 46-36.
Miranda: 44-38.
Knicks Illustrated: 48 wins, 34 instances of referee corruption.
Sam: 51-31.
What will be Brock Aller’s tour de force? (AKA the most ridiculous and awesome cap-bending trade)
Prez: Some sorcery where we take on a bench wing and end up with another protected first.
Jack: Getting Dame without giving up RJ would be a diabolically gluttonous power move of cake-having and cake-eating.
Geoff Rasmussen: Pulling the mask off his head like Vince McMahon and revealing he has been Jeremy Cohen all along.
Drew: Aller is going to get a second-round pick back from the Suns in the eventual DeAndre Ayton–Mitchell Robinson trade on December 15, 2021.
Knicks Illustrated: Somehow making Jeremy forget they overpaid Noel.
Sam: Getting actual tangible value for Kevin Knox.
Alex: What Sam said. Call up OKC and sell them on the intriguing young prospect you have that shoots 50% from the corners in exchange for a couple of their 1,000 second round picks. Then hit the buyout market and get ready for the stretch run.
Do you see any star trades in your crystal and/or magic 8 ball?
Stingy: Yep. I do see star trades in my crystal ball. But you gotta ‘scribe to the Patreon for that type of intel. You can find out just what that is for the price of an 8 ball.
Shwinnypooh: Not this season, but if there was a situation to keep an eye on it’s probably DeAndre Ayton’s in Phoenix. We know the Knicks front office isn’t completely sold on keeping Mitch, and Robert Sarver’s unwillingness to sign off on a max contract extension for Ayton may have unexpectedly opened the door to make a move for one of the best young big men in the league. The idea of pairing Ayton in the frontcourt with Randle and RJ Barrett could be incredibly appealing, especially with so many stars having signed long-term extensions with their current teams.
Prez: Nope.
Jack: “I don’t know what a shakeup looks like or what changes will be made or could be made, but obviously, as-is wasn’t good enough,” said Damian Lillard, at the end of last season, before his team added Larry Nance, Cody Zeller, and Ben McLemore to the roster. Portland's schedule up to December 15th (when contracts signed in the summer can be included in trades) looks tough, so — spicy drumroll — I think Dame’s a Knick in waiting. Johnnie Bryant is getting a text from his boy in time for Christmas.
Ted: Not during the season. Realistically, the only star moving over the regular season this year may be Ben Simmons.
Knicks Illustrated: Dame. Get Randle some help you bastards.
Sam: Of course, with the piling up of assets as well as the many combustible situations in the league, there’s always a star trade to be made. Not this year but possibly within the next two offseasons, and also dependent on how the season plays out.
Alex: I don’t think so, not during this season. Maybe by next offseason. Unless someone REALLY good unexpectedly becomes available on the cheap and you can use, like, Fournier/Knox/Obi plus picks to get them.
Do you have any lingering worries/fears/concerns over Thibs?
Prez: My one fear was him not experimenting at all with different lineups and defensive coverages. Last year he pretty much played the same tune over and over for better or worse, due to 1) personnel and 2) building a team foundation. He improvised more than expected in preseason, but I will still be surprised if we get more curveballs from him during the regular season.
Jack: I am only afraid of how much I love him.
Stingy: Yea, I think he’s a serial killer. That’s worrisome and I fear that this concern is going to linger.
Geoff Rasmussen: If the Bucks taught us one thing the past few seasons, it’s that diversity matters. They spent two seasons doing one thing really well, but when they played a team in the postseason that could throw them a punch, they didn’t have a backup plan. Last year, they spent the season mixing up schemes in preparation for the postseason and they were ready for just about everything. The one thing Thibs has yet to prove in his career is the ability to adjust from his baseline schemes. This year, with the Knicks’ talent and depth, is the year to try new things. Don’t get me wrong, if this is just who Thibs is I will sign for it 11 out of 10 times, he’s just so close to being the best coach in the league.
Ted: I, too, love Thibs, but questions remain with him. Will he show increased flexibility in lineups and rotations? Will he look to get Randle and RJ rest more often? Will the crunchtime offense be as stagnant as last year?
Alex: Likewise from me, rotations. I hope he steers away from the platoon swaps a little bit and tries to stagger the starters and the bench more than he has.
Drew: Watch The Professor say something profound...
Miranda: My only worry with Thibs is that his expiration date comes quicker than anyone wants to imagine after one season. The Knicks aren’t successful with success. Hopefully Thibs is this generation’s Jeff Van Gundy.
Knicks Illustrated: He trades for Elf midseason and starts him in the playoffs again.
What will be Thibs’ most frustrating lineup trend?
Prez: Q playing great and not getting more time.
Jack: People will cry about the lack of Obi/Randle minutes if they don’t get time together, but I can’t get there. The Knicks have three bigs in Mitch, Noel, and Taj who offer crucial defensive value. There isn’t anything other than a squeeze on RJ or IQ’s minutes that would annoy me, and Thibs adores those two.
Stingy: No Frank.
Geoff Rasmussen: Something I’ve noticed in preseason that carried over from last season — a tendency to reinsert RJ Barrett into the lineup well after the rest of the starters in the 2nd/4th quarters.
Ted: There’s going to be nights where Evan Fournier and/or Kemba Walker are ineffective on offense, but Thibs will throw ‘em back out there to close the fourth even if someone off the bench is doing better.
Drew: There is going to be a stretch of the season where Thibs is playing Burks in closing lineups over RJ and we are going to very much overreact.
Knicks Illustrated: Starting Noel over Mitch for a bit.
Sam: My concerns are possibly relying on starters too much during games they may not have it going as well as not staggering different players with each other and lastly, not using the Obi/Randle lineups when other teams go small or we need some instant offense.
What will be the biggest positive surprise?
Stacy Patton: I still think people don’t appreciate how big of a loss Mitchell Robinson was for this team last year. Especially when he is fully back up to speed, his ability to deter shots (both at the rim and on the perimeter) and provide ridiculous vertical spacing is going to be a difference maker. Whatever your thoughts on Elfrid Payton and Reggie Bullock as defenders, the key to this defense has been elite rim protection and Mitch will be vital to maintaining last year’s elite defense.
Prez: Stretch Taj being a real thing.
Jack: Kemba is Kemba and Celtics fans splash around in puddles of salty tears all season.
Geoff Rasmussen: The great shooting regression of 2021 will be well overstated. Barrett and Randle will combine great work ethic with more room to operate and keep up the hot shooting.
Ted: Mitch launching threes off the dribble.
Drew: This is going to be the first time since the 54-win season that we are going to watch 48 minutes of competent point guard play. We no longer will be complaining about point guard play. I don’t know how we are going to internalize this.
Miranda: The Knicks being superior again to their ancient rivals: Chicago, Boston, Indiana, and Miami.
Knicks Illustrated: Julius shooting from the logo. There is no spoon.
Sam: Randle making an All-NBA team again and RJ making some serious noise for All-Defense.
Alex: The Knicks ending up with two All-Stars: Julius and [TBD].
What will be the biggest negative surprise?
Prez: Stretch Taj not getting minutes.
Stingy: Fournier gotta give up the pill a little more hot and readily than that. Bud, what the big time fuck?
Geoff Rasmussen: Nerlens Noel. I think last year was a bit of a perfect storm for him. I think Knick fans will quickly find themselves longing for the stability of Taj Gibson.
Ted: Those Mitch pull-ups still being in an empty gym.
Drew: Julius Randle’s All-NBA season being an anomaly.
Miranda: The Kemba/Rose duo being more injured or ineffective than anyone wants to imagine.
Knicks Illustrated: When they hire Shwin as GM and he trades all our assets for Deandre Ayton.
Alex: The team being a bit too reliant on 3-point shooting and really getting their asses whooped on some nights that they all go cold as a team.
Which Knick will be the most loved player on the team by the end of the year?
Stacy Patton: RJ Barrett. Julius is the star, Rose and Kemba are the redemption stories (and in Kemba’s case the hometown hero return), but RJ is our homegrown star and we are going to get to see him take another big jump this year.
Shwinnypooh: It’s Immanuel Quickley by a lot. Don’t overthink it.
Prez: I’m with Shwin. I think RJ is more apt to color in the lines and do boring but important, effective stuff. Now that IQ can pass a bit, his bench runs are gonna be epic.
Geoff Rasmussen: Still Julius Randle. He’s the MVP. And he’s arguably our hardest worker. NY fans love guys as invested as we are. Fortunately, it appears we have a team (and coach) full of guys like that. But Randle is the best player, that gives him the edge.
Ted: Kemba. He’ll have an electric performance or two in the Garden (hopefully versus Boston and Brooklyn) and we’ll all love him.
Drew: The answer is Randle, and the only scenario where it isn’t would be Kemba Walker having his All-NBA Third Team season in Charlotte this year. Because if Kemba Walker joins last year’s team sans Elfrid Payton?! That’s an Eastern Conference Finals season.
Miranda: Bernie Williams, Brian Leetch, and AJ Burnett all played major roles in NYC champions. But it’s Derek Jeter, Mark Messier and Derek Jeter again that fans tend to lionize. New York is the city of the best. Randle is the best Knick, easily. He’ll be the most loved until/unless that changes.
Knicks Illustrated: We’ll all own a Selden jersey by the end of the year.
Sam: I wanna say Kemba just because he’s the hometown guy and if he’s really rolling, he helps fill a role that has been desperately needed for a long time. Also, he could end up having a lot of really fun performances with his scoring explosions in the Garden.
Alex: It’s Julius. Nobody else gets MVP chants on a nightly basis.
Which Knick will show the most improvement?
Stacy Patton: RJ Barrett. Flashes of pull-up shooting, more aggression and strength on defense, and being able to showcase his playmaking with an array of deadly shooters around him will take Barrett to true efficiency. I think he will still be a bit frustrating as a rim finisher, but I could see him getting up to 4-5 assists a game, maintaining his shooting from last year, and improving efficiency as a result of more rim attempts and free throws (again as a result of spacing). On defense, I see him taking another step from a capable guy who was also in the right place to one who can lock up even dangerous offensive players (just ask Bradley Beal, who might be even more afraid of RJ Barrett than he is of vaccines), as well as being more aggressive in passing lanes and creating steals.
Prez: Luka Samanic will be the first Knick flyer to actually get bench minutes under the Rose Regime. Hot take!
Stingy: Sorry, Prez. Croatian Henry Ellenson is going to freeze that hot take right as soon as I press this here period button.
Geoff Rasmussen: From last year? Barrett. From beginning to end? Kemba Walker. I think Walker will start slow due to being in a new environment and readjusting to a full schedule, but once he gets comfortable in the system he’ll begin to thrive.
Ted: RJ or IQ feel like a safe bet here, but I think a sneaky pick might be Alec Burks. Since being traded from Utah in 2018-19, he’s played for five teams (that’s five in three years, six including Utah) and I think he’ll benefit from the continuity.
Drew: It’s going to be RJ Barrett. He’s going to have another defensive leap and maintain his 3-point shooting and be amazing.
Miranda: Quickley. I think he’s got something to prove -- to himself. That’s the good stuff.
Knicks Illustrated: Samanic. Nowhere to go but up.
Sam: I hesitate to say IQ because he’s already shown so much growth from last season to summer league to preseason, but I don’t want to put a ceiling on him either. The passing is real, the reads and overall feel for the game is there, and I think he’ll have better shot selection this season which will help him become a more complete player. OK, let’s go with IQ.
Alex: Obi Toppin? No love for him? If he can do enough on defense to either get minutes as a big 3 or a small 5, he’ll make the most of it. And I think he’ll do one or both of those things.
What player has the chance to become as divisive in social media discourse as Elfrid Payton? Does such a player even exist?
Shwinnypooh: Was Elfrid Payton divisive? Feel like everybody was pretty united on thinking Elf sucked ass and needed to go. Frank was divisive. To answer the question though, I think Kemba will be pretty divisive because there will be nights he’s getting put in the blender defensively, but others where he’s doing the blending to his opponent. On top of that if Rose and/or Quickley is playing well in moments he’s struggling, the debates about his role, minutes, etc. will probably get real heated.
James Marceda: If you don’t like my lazily-updated-question-from-last-year (when it was indeed Frank) you can get the fuck out!
Prez: No one. But Nerlens will be the most divisive, because STRETCH TAJ will have people clamoring for Nerlens to be sent to the bench.
Stingy: Don’t take the bait, we can still hate on Elf. Ain’t a damn thing changed.
Geoff Rasmussen: Nerlens Noel. Some will cling to his elite rim protection, others will cling to his poor hands, weak presence on the defensive glass, and non-existent offensive game, instead preferring Taj Gibson. Knick fans wouldn’t be Knick fans if there wasn’t something to complain about.
Ted: Fournier feels like he’ll become pretty divisive, especially if he slumps for a few games.
Miranda: Word, Ted. People will turn on Fournier in a heartbeat if he’s slumping the first month or two.
Knicks Illustrated: Whenever Knox hits a three, I cringe and pray for the soul of my timeline.
Sam: Either Fournier or Noel. Whenever they mess up, a certain faction of fans will bring up how much we paid them and how we should have tanked because none of this is worth it.
Alex: A lot of people, hometown hero angle aside, will forget the absolute bargain bin price tag that Kemba’s signed to and complain if he’s not out there performing like an All-Star as if the Knicks are paying him a max contract. It doesn’t help that Rose looks amazing and might unintentionally create some controversy by closing some games instead of Kemba.
If you could make one (reasonable) trade right now for the Knicks, what would it be?
Shwinnypooh: Kevin Knox and two second round picks to Houston for Danuel House.
Prez: If Sarver is cheaping out, can we get Cam Johnson up here?
Stingy: Knox for Ntilikina.
Geoff Rasmussen: Tommy Dee and two firsts for Mark Schindler
Ted: Knox and two seconds for Stephen Curry.
Knicks Illustrated: A bag of balls for Paul Millsap. And by “balls,” I mean balls, not balls.
Alex: Same deal as above, Knox to OKC for a couple second rounders.
Which Knick will have the best drip (RIP Frank Ntilikina)?
Prez: Oof, tough one. No clear cut frontrunner here among the vets, and certainly not the young guys. I’m gonna say Julius.
Stingy: I’m just shocked that we’re still calling it drip. Drip is what the olds say nowadays. So I guess I gotta roll with Stretch Taj steeping in the Walmart drip tray. Godbadios.
James Marceda: Alex wrote that question last year. He’s the old one.
Stingy: Old ass Alex. Cheugy boy chief.
Alex: Drip was still an en vogue term last year. Blame James for not relating more to the youth this year.
Ted: Have to say Kemba feels like the easy favorite to me.
Geoff Rasmussen: Barrett. Not close.
Knicks Illustrated: If you don’t say Kemba ydkb.
Sam: Since I’m more in tune with the youths, I’ll say Kemba and Quentin.
Alex: It’ll be the first player to accept one of our extremely fashionable Strickland Champion tie-dye hoodies as a gift and wear it to the game.
