Knicks rumors: No interest in LaVine or DeRozan, rift with Immanuel Quickley, Grimes available
- Quentin Grimes is frustrated with his role
- Knicks not on same terms with Immanuel Quickley in extension talks
- New York has no interest in Bulls' available stars
Knicks Rumors: Quentin Grimes frustrated with Tom Thibodeau's short leash
On the surface, the New York Knicks are just fine — 12-8 with the league's No. 11 offense and No. 7 defense. It's not exactly time to panic, but the vibes around the franchise are off. If there's one person to blame, it's Tom Thibodeau. If there's a second person to blame, it's Leon Rose.
The Knicks' only offseason addition was Donte DiVincenzo, with Obi Toppin being traded to the Indiana Pacers. As a result, the Knicks have a considerable talent logjam on the wing. DiVincenzo has absorbed reps from Quentin Grimes, who is averaging seven fewer minutes per game than last season despite operating as the nominal starting two-guard.
Grimes is also less than enthused about the Knicks' iso-heavy offense. As Stefan Bondy of the New York Post notes, the Knicks have the NBA's fewst cumulative assists in the last four-plus seasons. In a recent media session, Grimes vented some of his frustrations.
"It’s just hard when you go the whole quarter without touching the ball, the whole second quarter without touching the ball, and then you get one shot and you got to make it. So it’s tough going out there and just standing in the corner the whole game."
In addition to the Knicks' stagnant offense, Grimes said he's afraid to miss, as Thibodeau might sub him out at the first sign of struggle.
"It feels like if I don’t hit the shot, I’m coming out. So every shot I shoot probably weighs like 100 pounds if I don’t make it, and our defense, it ain’t cutting it, so I know I ain’t going back in."
That's obviously not the ideal frame of mind for your wing sharpshooter. Thibodeau's short leash has been a problem for multiple players on multiple teams, but the acquisition of DiVincenzo appears to have had a pronounced negative impact on Grimes. With his 3-point percentage down to 34.5 percent (compared to 38.6 last season), one has to imagine Grimes is a strong trade candidate if the Knicks don't figure out how to balance the wing rotation — and soon.
Grimes is historically an efficient spot-up shooter and quality wing defender, with enough juice as a driver and connective passer to suggest upside beyond his 3-and-D trappings. If the Knicks don't want him, several teams will line up around the block to take him.