Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t get the extension he wanted during training camp, but the Knicks center has found plenty to like about his new backup.
Andre Drummond, who signed a one-year minimum deal with New York after his stint in Philadelphia, has already won over Towns.
“He’s amazing, he’s amazing,” Towns said, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. “In my opinion, one of the best rebounders of our generation, and to be able to have him on our team, and be able to expand on what he could do that people haven’t been able to see. It’s a testament to his trust in us, and a testament to the coaching staff, seeing what he could be.”
On the roster front, the Knicks are also facing some decisions that could shape the next few months. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post predicts Miles McBride will be traded before February’s deadline, pointing to the lack of movement on extension talks and the possibility that his expiring deal gets moved.
There’s also a spotlight on Mohamed Diawara, whom the Knicks committed to on a four-year contract this offseason with two fully guaranteed seasons. Peter Sblendorio of the New York Daily News writes that the second-year forward now has to prove that investment was worth it.
Mike Brown said, “He’s one of those players that needs to take a step forward,” adding that “everything should go up, especially his rebounding.” Diawara may not get a long runway, though, with veteran options ahead of him in the rotation.
Across town, the Nets are staring at a bigger-picture question: how long it takes them to shift from rebuild mode to real playoff contention. Brian Lewis of the New York Post says that answer depends heavily on the growth of consecutive lottery picks Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr. in the backcourt, plus the rest of the team’s recent draft class.
Lewis also points to Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle as key swing pieces in that equation, writing that both can raise the Nets’ floor before one or both are eventually moved. In a separate preview, Lewis predicts at least one of Porter or Randle will be traded before the February deadline, with MPJ as the likelier candidate to go.
In Other News...
Nets Make First Camp Cut As Final Roster Picture Tightens
After finishing the preseason, the Nets moved on from Ben Humrichous by requesting waivers on the forward, the first clear trim as their camp roster starts to settle into regular-season shape. Humrichous had been signed before training camp and got into two preseason games, but he was unable to do enough to earn one of the limited spots available as the competition tightened.
Brooklyn now sits at 15 standard contracts and three Two-Way deals, leaving the roster compliant heading into the season. With the regular roster picture largely in place, the focus shifts from filling camp bodies to the more familiar work of building roles, minutes and rotation certainty once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Brooklyns Rebuild Suddenly Has One Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Brooklyns offense has looked sturdier through Summer League and the preseason, with Julius Randles arrival giving the group a more proven source of scoring and several young players helping the ball move better. For a team trying to climb out of the early stages of a rebuild, that kind of offensive growth matters, because it suggests the Nets may at least have a clearer identity on one end of the floor as they sort through the rest of the roster.
The problem is that the other end has not come nearly as far, and the gap is getting harder to ignore. Coaches and players have talked openly about the need to defend better, but the concerns go deeper than effort or execution, especially in the paint after the Nic Claxton trade. Brooklyn is still searching for a way to turn that acknowledged weakness into something more workable before the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Jordi Fernandez Sounds The Alarm On A Nets Problem That Wont Go Away
Brooklyns offense has shown flashes this preseason with Julius Randle in the mix, but Jordi Fernandez is making it clear the bigger concern is still on the other end. After the Nets were again overwhelmed defensively in a loss to Miami, the coach pointed to the bigger picture for a team that wants to be competitive and cannot keep giving opponents easy looks and clean rhythm.
Fernandez did not sugarcoat the problem, saying the standard has to be much higher on defense after Miami piled up points with efficient shooting and crisp ball movement. The Nets have been leaking production throughout the preseason, and until that side of the floor tightens up, the encouraging signs from the offense are going to be hard to turn into anything meaningful. [Read more 🡒]