Blake Griffin is not a cup of tea at this time.
As he is bought by the Pistons, The Post has learned that the Knicks will pass on the former All-Star dunk master.
It says a lot about where they are now. Julius Randall, who is commanding the power ahead of minutes, was called an “All-NBA Player” by coach Tom Thibodo on Thursday.
And team president Leon Rose has no desire to take the lottery, put Obi Toppin on the pines, and stunt his rise. Also, Kevin Knox waits in the wings. However, this does not mean that Rose will not attempt to upgrade the roster’s talent level by the March 25 deadline to aid the playoff push.
Rose, who was not in his customary garden seat on Thursday as the Knicks faced the Pistons in the final game before the All-Star break, has a lot to weigh in on as he carries a bundle of possessions.
Rose is playing with home money as Naik are in a shocking bout in the early 19-18 and are ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Thibodo has created a unit with excellent chemistry and camadery. Many players have talked about how ‘close’ the team has become.
Rose is not sure he wants to woo fate and mess with the locker room vibe after adding Derrick Rose in a trade on Super Boer Sunday.
The Post reported on February 11 that the Nucks were monitoring the availability of superstar Bradley Beal and former All-Star Victor Oladipo. The Wizards are surging and Beal has expressed his dedication to the team, so there is no chance they will make him available this season. And there has never been a single valid report that the Bulls are open to transfer Zach LaVine, his first-time All-Star who will not be a free agent until 2022.
However, Oladipo remains in the game for the Nucks as the Rockets are expected to trade him at the deadline as they slide into oblivion. Oladipo will be a free agent in 2021 and reportedly wants to sign with the Heat. That Oladipo would be built as a rental as the Nucks promoted their bid to end the seven-year playoff drought.
Knicks general manager Scott Perry, while with Magic, drafted Oladipo overall in 2013, and he has been a supporter of a potential trade. But Perry is no longer the top decision-making company. He was not in the Garden for the last five matches, scouting at the end of the G-League bubble season.
Oladipo, who has recovered from knee surgery, recently missed four straight games with a leg problem and struggled for late shooting. But he is averaging 20 points and his 3 point percentage is 36.2 percent. However, some scouts are still concerned about his physical condition.
If swingman RJ Barrett continues to progress as a relentless offensive force, it may be necessary to develop Knock Okdipo as backcourt scoring.
According to a source who has been in contact with the Knicks brass, if the team still has a definite starting point, the franchise is uncertain.
As electric as rookie Emanuel Quickly is, they still think he could be a sixth-man stud or start as an off-the-ball guard in the right alignment. He is not seen as an elite playwright.
That’s why the Knicks have always kept an eye on Hornets point guard Terry Rozier and young Pelicans playmaker Lonzo Ball (which will probably be more of a summer transaction).
The Knicks are still in a holding pattern about adding a traditional center to the roster. Starter Mitchell Robinson will be out with a broken hand by the end of March and Taj Gibson is precariously out with a sprained ankle.
The Nucks would have to cut the prospect of one player – Doghouse Austin River, who fell out of favor with Rose’s addition and did not adjust to his new role as a cheerleader.
Nerlens Noel capped off his performance against the Pistons on Thursday, holding the center fort, 12 points: 5-for-5 from the field, 11 rebounds, four styles, two blocks.
Noel’s knees are bad, though, and fewer minutes would be better for his longevity. The Post has reported that Nucks has “analyzed” whether former All-Star center Andre Drummond would later fit a good chemistry with Randall.
The Post has also revealed that the Knicks have had internal conversations about their former center, Kyle O’Quinn, a Queens native. O’Quinn played sparingly for the 76ers last season, but passed in free agency in November. O’Quinn signed with a team in Turkey, Fenerbah, in January and shot 21 of 26 from seven matches.
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