The New York Knicks were blown away by a bad team last night.
121-98 at the hands of the Phoenix Suns would be a little more palatable if Shawn Marion, Amar'e Stoudemire, Steve Nash and Shaq were on the squad. Not to say that Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton are scrubs... far from it but to let Ricky Rubio have such a career game and be 2 rebounds away from a Triple-Double seems ridiculous, especially when you have Frank, Reggie and an oversized RJ Barrett that should be able to at least slow him down.
It should also be noted that Kelly Oubre was not active for the game, another serious weapon the Suns have acquired for the young core.
The Knicks have been together long enough now to know how eachother likes to play the game and there is no doubt in my mind that this loss was a TOTAL LACK of effort and with that being the case, it looks like some new blood and some changes of scenery are coming for some players.
With The Knicks seemingly unwilling to move Marcus Morris unless a "Star type player" comes back in return, which seems unlikely at this point. With that knowledge it is safe to assume we are looking at a host of other players on the block and in trade discussions.
Dennis Smith Jr seems to be the first out the door and now with Jeff Teague heading back to Atlanta the Minnesota Timberwolves will likely make a concerted effort should the D'Angelo Russell venture not pan out.
Allonzo Trier is also likely going to be on the move as more dominos begin to fall around the league. Given his limited role and high ability to score he could be a valuable backup on a team with strong defense, since Iso-Zo can't defend his way out of a wet paper bag.
Bobby Portis could be a very valuable piece to a contender as well. His defensive mindset and improved shot this season could propel a team on the cusp to make a playoff run or a true contender could utilize his grit late in games as a solid glue-guy.
Honestly, I could see every member of this team aside from Mitch and RJ being moved and would not be surprised if they all do. hopefully the Knicks make some adjustments and get this thing figured out. Whether it's to tank or try to make a playoff push, get off your ass and let the speculation stop.
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