Knicks: RJ Barrett stock up, Julius Randle stock down to start new year

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The New York Knicks have won three consecutive games and five of their last six to start 2022. However, you can thank third-year guard RJ Barrett for the team’s complete turnaround to open the new year, as Julius Randle has struggled in recent days, despite a solid outing against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

Barrett has been playing at another level, stringing together nine consecutive games with double-digit points and three successive with 26 points or more. In his last six games, Barrett has posted 30+ points in three of them, averaging 24.6 points per game in the month of January.

RJ is also contributing 3.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and shooting 48.7% from three-point range over 37 minutes. In fact, Barrett has played 41 minutes apiece over his last two games, as Tom Thibodeau has made him the team’s number one scoring option.

It is clear that Barrett is ready to take a step forward, given he can remain consistent for the remainder of the season. New York needed the Canadian-born player to take this stratospheric leap to above-average play.

However, his teammate, Julius Randle, has experienced the exact opposite to start the new year, averaging 18 points and shooting just 22.9% from three-point range and 41.3% from the field. While he is producing 11 rebounds per game and 5.3 assists, his scoring has been erratic, resulting in a transfer of responsibility to RJ.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported the Knicks “might not be as sold” on Randle after giving him a four-year, $117 million extension this past off-season. His outburst toward the fans and media did not sit well as the team made him apologize via social media.

While Randle is going through struggles at the moment, he is still an incredibly productive player. When Randle missed two games due to the NBA‘s health and safety protocols a few weeks ago, the Knicks were blown out in both by 15 points, with Obi Toppin picking up his starting minutes. Randle does a lot for the team that goes unnoticed, commanding attention and providing his teammates with better opportunities at the basket.

After his outburst, it is clear his confidence has taken a hit, but the best thing the fans can do is simply stand behind him and reinvigorate his play.

Against Atlanta, both Barrett and head coach Tom Thibodeau gave Julius a ton of credit, indicating that the Knicks’ chance of winning skyrockets when both he and RJ play at a high level.

“It’s great to see him have a monster game like that,’’ Barrett said of Randle, per Marc Berman of the NY Post. “When we both play well, we have a great chance to win.’’ “It’s great to see him have a monster game like that,’’ Barrett said of Randle. “When we both play well, we have a great chance to win.’’

The new addition of Cam Reddish also hopefully provides a bit of assistance and cushion off the bench.

NBA DFS: Devin Booker and top DraftKings, FanDuel daily Fantasy basketball picks for Jan. 20, 2022

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The NBA rumor mill is heating up ahead of the trade deadline next month, and two of the most-discussed players recently have been the Indiana Pacers duo of Myles Turner and Caris LeVert. Turner is out of action with a foot injury that is likely to keep him out for another couple of weeks. Meanwhile, LeVert has been working up a hot streak that could be worth tapping into when considering your NBA DFS lineups for Thursday.

In four starts since returning from a five-game health and safety protocols absence, he has increased his point totals in each start. His most recent outing was Wednesday when he hit 75 percent of his shots to score 30 points to go with eight rebounds in a win over the Lakers. The Pacers are back in action tonight against the Warriors but is LeVert a strong option in the NBA DFS player pool as well? Before making your NBA DFS picks for Thursday, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.

McClure is a DFS professional with nearly $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.

This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.

On Wednesday, McClure included Hawks point guard Trae Young as one of his top NBA DFS picks on both DraftKings and FanDuel. The result: Young finished with 37 points, 14 assists and five rebounds to return 68.25 points on DraftKings and 62 points on FanDuel. Anybody that included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

Now, McClure has turned his attention to the Thursday, January 20, NBA DFS slate and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top NBA DFS picks for Thursday, January 20

One of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks for Thursday is Suns guard Devin Booker, who is listed at $8,300 on DraftKings and $9,000 on FanDuel. Booker is coming off a season-high 48-point performance in his last game against San Antonio on Monday. He’s scored at least 30 points in each of his last three games and in seven of his 14 starts since returning from a hamstring injury in early December.

The Suns play the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, and the last time Booker saw them was when they played consecutive games in mid-November. Booker scored 43 total points and hit 41.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Over his last three games, Booker has made 52.6 percent of his shots from the field, as well as 38.7 percent of his threes.

Another key in McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Warriors rookie Jonathan Kuminga ($4,300 on DraftKings and $5,900 on FanDuel). Kuminga has seen an expanded role in Golden State’s rotation in his last five games, and he picked up his third start of the season on Tuesday against Detroit. He finished with a double-double on 12 points and 10 rebounds in the win.

Kuminga has reached double-figure point totals in each of his last five games, highlighted by 25 points off the bench in a dominating win over the Chicago Bulls on January 14. The Warriors forwards are a beat-up group with Draymond Green (back), Otto Porter Jr. (knee) and Andre Iguodala (hip) all dealing with varying degrees of injury. Kuminga had the second-highest usage rate amongst the starters on Tuesday at 24.8 percent, signaling that he won’t get passed over in the crowded Warriors offense on Thursday.

How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Thursday, January 20

McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Thursday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.

So who is DFS pro Mike McClure putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who has almost $2 million in career winnings, and find out.

Knicks’ Obi Toppin seeing his minutes decrease

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Mitchell Robinson already had fouled out when Taj Gibson also was assessed his sixth foul with three minutes remaining Tuesday night at the Garden.

Almost immediately, the home crowd began loudly chanting Obi Toppin’s first name.

Boos quickly rained down, however, when Tom Thibodeau instead called for Alec Burks to come off the bench, essentially choosing to employ a lineup of four guards and wing players — Burks, Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and RJ Barrett — around power forward Julius Randle.

Such has been the slide back to the periphery in recent games for Toppin since he logged a career-high 45 minutes — and matched a season-best with 19 points — with Randle out of the lineup on Jan. 2 in Toronto.

The 2020 lottery pick has averaged just 11.3 minutes over his past eight appearances, including just nine in Thursday’s late-developing loss to the Timberwolves.

Obi Toppin N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg

The hometown crowd had erupted when Toppin snared an offense rebound of Barrett’s missed 3-point attempt for a put-back bucket in the second quarter. The second-year forward also sank two free throws in seven minutes before halftime, but those marked his only four points for the game.

The Brooklyn native’s stint in the second half was even shorter, playing only the first 1:53 of the fourth quarter before Randle came back following a brief rest.

The 23-year-old Toppin didn’t get off the bench thereafter, with Thibodeau opting to have Burks on the court in the closing minutes instead of Toppin or another big body, such as rookie center Jericho Sims.

Thibodeau’s small-ball alignment didn’t work at either end of the floor down the stretch of the giveaway loss, with Randle fouling Minnesota big man Karl-Anthony Towns for a go-ahead drive and free-throw conversion with 29.3 seconds remaining.

“Julius stepped in and played center, so next guy in, get the job done,” Thibodeau said after the game. “It’s a hard-fought game. We didn’t get it done down the stretch.”

Indeed, the Knicks also didn’t connect on any field-goal attempts over the final 3:41 while committing three turnovers — two by Barrett and one by Fournier — in the final two minutes. Randle also missed one of two free throws with a chance to tie the score five seconds after Towns’ go-ahead score.

“Well, I think a big part of our turnovers late was because we had four guards, and so we had either myself, RJ or [Burks] playing the 4, which we never do,” Fournier said. “So when you’re playing against a team that’s aggressive, that’s basically when you need space the most.

Obi Toppin slams home a reverse dunk during a recent game. N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg

“You can just go pass-pass and take advantage of that, but when you’re supposed to play at a position that you never did, it can be a little tricky.”

Randle wasn’t made available to the media after the game, a more regular occurrence since he was fined for directing a thumbs-down and “shut the f–k up” explanation at the Garden fans on Jan. 6. With three games in four days, the Knicks (22-23) also held no practice nor media availability on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s home game against the Pelicans.

Thibodeau noted Tuesday night that the players need to understand that the game often is played and officiated differently down the stretch of close games and that they needed to take better care of the ball during the sloppy final minutes of their second straight loss at the Garden.

“Coach is right. We have to do a better job with the ball,” Fournier added. “It’s too important. We have to get a good shot and our execution could have been better down the stretch, 100 percent.”

Could Knicks flip Cam Reddish for star player to pair with Julius Randle?

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The New York Knicks were heavily linked to the Atlanta Hawks forward Cam Reddish earlier this week. The two sides finalized the deal to send Reddish to New York on Thursday afternoon, but his spot on the team is rather interesting. Reddish is known as a small forward, a position the Knicks don’t normally utilize in their rotation.

They primarily rely on power forwards Julius Randle and Obi Toppin, with Evan Fournier capable of playing the small. Small forwards are typically shorter and quicker than a power option, which could play into Tom Thibodeau’s strategy of driving to the basket and kicking out shots of the corners.

The small forward position is arguably the most versatile of all five main positions, which could give Reddish an advantage in specific lineup combinations. However, it is entirely possible the next view Cam as a trade piece for a bigger name like Myles Turner or Jerami Grant. They preferably don’t want to part ways with Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, or even Miles McBride, so adding Reddish to the mix gives them a bit of ammo other than draft capital.

With two years left on his rookie deal at a cost-efficient price point, Reddish is an extremely valuable piece other teams could be intrigued by. This season, Reddish has experienced a tremendous uptick in three-point efficiency, hitting 38% this year compared to 26% during the 2020–21 season.

With several weeks left until the trade deadline, the Knicks have plenty of time to continue curating potential deals and offering players with value. They managed to clear a roster spot by including Kevin Knox in the trade to Atlanta, acquiring Solomon Hill in addition to Reddish, the former Duke star.

Hill also features at the forward position but hasn’t made an impact this year over 13 games. He’s averaging less than a point per game in just 10.7 minutes. Given the Knicks’ plethora of forward talent, it’s safe to assume they will consider other deals.

With so many players on their rookie contracts and most of them enjoying positive development, their value is at an all-time high, so expect president Leon Rose to be on the hunt for a more established name that can give the Knicks a tremendous boost in the starting five.

One potential deal that could make sense for the Knicks is pairing Reddish with Mitchell Robinson for Myles Turner of Indiana. That could be an enticing grab for the Pacers who are rebuilding and trying to get Turner’s money off the books. Turner has also voiced his displeasure being a role player when he seeks a more prominent function on a given team.

The Blockbuster Trade Knicks Fans Would Love To See: Zion Williamson For Julius Randle, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, And 3 First-Round Picks

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Credit:Fadeaway World

The New York Knicks have recently acquired Cam Reddish, who is a talented 3 and D wing with some shot creation potential. On the Knicks, he has been reunited with his college teammate, RJ Barrett. There’s no question that the duo could be a promising combo on the wing in the future.

During their time at Duke, Cam Reddish and RJ Barrett were both teammates with New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson. The Knicks trading for Cam Reddish has led to speculation about Zion Williamson potentially joining his former college teammates on the team.

In this article, we present a potential trade that Knicks fans would love to see: Zion Williamson going to the New York Knicks for a trade package. Obviously, this would only happen in the scenario where Zion Williamson requests a trade to the New York Knicks.

New York Knicks Receive: Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Julius Randle, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, 2022 first-round pick (NYK), 2023 first-round pick (NYK), 2025 first-round pick (NYK)

The Knicks Re-Unite The Duke Trio With Zion Williamson

Credit: Fadeaway World

There is no question that if an opportunity arose to get Zion Williamson, the New York Knicks would take it. Zion Williamson is a former No. 1 pick, and when healthy he is one of the best players in the league. Though he has not played during the 2021-22 season, Zion Williamson had a stellar season last year, putting up 27.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 3.7 APG while shooting 61.1% from the field.

RJ Barrett is a great two-way wing, who is currently averaging 16.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 2.4 APG this season while playing some stellar perimeter defense. Zion Williamson being on the roster would give him more space to operate, as Williamson often commands double teams when driving to the rim. He could potentially be a solid No. 2 option for the Knicks.

Cam Reddish looks primed for a bigger opportunity on the Knicks this season, and he has long been lauded as a talented player in need of more offensive touches. If he develops, then he would be a great 3rd option next to RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish.

Overall, the New York Knicks would get a player that has looked like a future superstar and surround him with two solid wing players. That is far from the worst foundation on which to build a team.

The Pelicans Get A Trade Package For Zion Williamson

The New Orleans Pelicans would obviously only send out Zion Williamson to the New York Knicks as a last resort. They would likely try to keep him at all costs. Also the Pelicans would only be able to get this package if they make up $4.0 million in salary, so they’d likely send salary filler such as Tomas Satoransky’s expiring contract to make the deal work.

However, the package that the New York Knicks could send out would be fairly good. Julius Randle would obviously be the main attraction, as he is an All-Star. While he has had a subpar season this year, he is still putting 19.0 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 4.9 APG for the season, and he would be a No. 2 or No. 3 option on the New Orleans Pelicans behind Brandon Ingram and potentially Jonas Valanciunas. This would allow him to thrive and not force him into an uncomfortable role.

The New York Knicks would also send out two solid young talents in Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin in this deal. Immanuel Quickley has potential as a shot creator, while Obi Toppin is an athletic power forward who could be lethal given more offensive touches. On top of those players, the Knicks would also send out three first-round picks to sweeten the pot.

As far as trade packages go, the Pelicans would be getting an All-Star, some promising young players and three first-round picks. There’s no question that they would rather have Zion Williamson, but they would definitely good value from the Knicks deal.