The New York Knicks have started the 2021 preseason strong, winning 3 of 4 total games. Against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, they held them to just 83 points and put up 119.
Thanks to a bevy of young players and aggressive basketball, the Knicks have instilled some faith for the regular season. Six different Knicks players reached double-digit points on Friday, with the entire starting unit earning positive +/- grades.
However, it is the Knicks’ youth that seems to be making a significant impact early on. Notable players like RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, and Mitchell Robinson have displayed solid quality and growth.
Three New York Knicks who could have breakout seasons:
1.) RJ Barrett
Barrett averaged just 14.3 points over 30.4 minutes per game in 2019. As a 19-year-old, it was difficult for him to compete against some of the bigger NBA players, especially when it came to his defense. He did connect on .402% of his shots from the floor but struggled at the free-throw line and was inefficient at times passing the ball.
Nonetheless, he seems to be more aggressive and confident this preseason, scoring 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting in the final game of the preseason against the Cavs. However, he’s also passing the ball a bit better and stretching the floor.
There is no doubt that Barrett can become a dominant player at the NBA level, and from what we’ve seen this year already, he seems bigger and stronger, which should translate to better defense and play-making ability in the paint.
2.) Kevin Knox
Kevin Knox has been extremely inconsistent since his inception into the NBA in 2018. Last season, he averaged 6.4 points per game and saw his minutes per contest drop by over 10 compared to his rookie season.
At 21 years old, he is still young and developing, but his last two seasons have been disappointing. He’s another young player that has looked great in preseason, connecting on six of seven three-pointers and scoring 20 points in the finale.
Knox is one of those polarizing players that has the athleticism to be a fantastic power forward, but just like the consistency and has too many mental lapses. If he can correct those issues and improve his defense, Knox can be extremely beneficial for the Knicks to utilize off the bench. I think this could be his best season yet as a supplemental option, taking some of the pressure away.
3.) Immanuel Quickley
The Knicks have been desperately looking for a point guard the past few seasons, and they might’ve found their answer in Immanuel Quickley, who was most recently selected in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft.
Quickley started against Cleveland on Friday night, playing in 29 minutes, the most of any player. He scored 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor, earning five assists to go with it. He now has 13 assists in two games, to couple with 31 points.
Quickley seems to stretch the floor and space out his players adequately, driving the lane with confidence and showing great quickness in the back-court. He can move off the ball and keep the defense on their heels, which is a trait the Knicks have lacked at the point guard spot. Of course, the sample size is small, so cementing him as a starter would be premature.
However, based on his skill-set and desire to continue working and improving, Quickley could easily become the starting point guard in just a few weeks.