McBride pumped in 22 points, making all six of his 3-point shots, as the Knicks beat the Lakers 91-82 in a summer-league game at Thomas & Mack Center.

McBride, selected 36th out of West Virginia, shot 7 of 9 from the field overall. McBride missed all four of his 3-point shots in the summer-league opener but since has gone 8 of 9 in the last two outings.

“It’s just about taking shots in the flow of the game,’’ McBride said. “The first game I rushed a lot of shots. I watched the game with coaches and tried to understand the game more and find where the best shots are. That’s what I did today.’’

McBride played a lot off the ball with Immanuel Quickley running the point. Quickley scored 25 points after his 32-point outing in the prior game.

But McBride is going to fight for playing time if this continues.

“He’s a very good player,’’ summer-league coach Dice Yoshimoto said. “He’s putting a lot of time in the gym. It showed today. He shot very well in college and he’s putting his time in. It starts with his defensive tenacity first. He can play on the ball, off the ball.’’

Dolan sat near midcourt next to William Wesley, Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau. He had to be pleased as he saw his 2020 lottery pick, Obi Toppin, continue to shine as he added 17 points and 11 rebounds.

With Luca Vildoza — signed from the Spanish League — out with a sore foot, Lithuanian lefty Rokas Jokubaitis came off the bench to score eight first-half points — drilling 2 of 3 3-pointers. Jokubaitis didn’t play in the second half.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

The 6-foot-4 shooting guard, who led the University of Houston to the Final Four in March, has taken a backseat to the Knicks’ two first-round picks from the 2020 Draft – Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.

Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson has noticed Grimes struggling to adjust to the lesser role and to a point guard who isn’t exactly Chris Paul.

“Quentin has to learn he’s not the lead dog,’’ Sampson told The Post after viewing both contests. “It’s an adjustment for all these guys. The way you play in college, eventually you’ll get to that. Quickley is a shoot-first, shoot-second, shoot-third point guard. Toppin, you can tell there’s an interest in getting those two guys going. I can tell Quentin was nervous his first game too. Quentin will operate a lot better when you run stuff for him and let him make plays out of that.”

Ironically, the 21-year-old Grimes drilled his first shot on his first touch – a left-wing 3-pointer – but hasn’t seen many go down since.

In the two games, he’s gone 5 of 21 in combined shooting – 5 of 14 from 3. He’s put up nine points and six points, respectively. On the positive side, he has just one turnover in two games and was a team-high plus-16 in the Indiana win.

The Knicks (1-1) take on the Lakers on Wednesday at UNLV (10 p.m. EDT) and Sampson hopes Grimes is more assertive.

“I thought he was too passive,’’  Sampson said. “In summer league, it’s OK to be a little selfish. Don’t take bad shots but you have to look at your window of opportunity. If you give it up, it won’t come back his way. I know how aggressive he is and how good he will be. You shouldn’t draw conclusions based on summer-league games.’’

Grimes, who has a good-looking jump shot taught to him by his father — who played at Louisiana Tech — doesn’t seem worried.

“Really just keep shooting,’’ Grimes said. “You’re not going to make every shot. Some nights it’s not going to be your night, some night’s it is. I feel like everybody knows how good of a shooter I am. My teammates know. So all I got to do is stay in the gym and keep shooting, it’s going to fall for sure.’’

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau and president Leon Rose have yet to comment on Grimes, whom the Knicks picked No. 25 overall on July 29.

Grimes was looking like a one-and-done when he enrolled at Kansas three years ago as arguably the nation’s hottest recruit. He didn’t mesh well with the Jayhawks coaching staff and transferred after his freshman year to his hometown university, where he played two seasons.

“Quentin never said (he’d be one-and-done),’’ Sampson said. “You’re held victim by other people’s opinions. When he left Kansas and came here, the discussions we had was he always felt he needed more than one year.’’

Just as Grimes joined the Cougars, the program took a 10-day summer exhibition tour of Italy – Florence, Milan, Rome, Lake Como. Grimes bonded overseas with the new staff and teammates, Sampson said.

“He flipped over a new sheet and started drawing,’’ Sampson said. “He had the outline of something beautiful and special but it wasn’t finished. He put his pen down and walked away (from Kansas). Two years later he came back and you turn the lights on and look at the picture. Wow, look at that. some kids are late bloomers.’’

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

Kemba Walker, the Bronx native who played high school ball at Rice in Harlem, is coming home to run the point for the Knicks.

“We are beyond thrilled to bring native New Yorker Kemba Walker back to the city he’s proud to call home,” Knicks president Leon Rose said in a statement Wednesday. “He’s a tremendous talent whose skill and leadership will be a huge addition to our organization.

“We’ve already seen how well he performs on The Garden stage and can’t wait to witness it on a nightly basis in front of his family, friends and the best fans in the league.”

Even if it is a fallback option, due to Walker’s recent injury history, the addition could turn into a storybook signing for the franchise should the 31-year-old pan out and lead the Knicks to a second straight playoff berth.

Walker, a four-time All-Star, regressed last season because of an arthritic left knee that needed stem-cell injections before the season. He was only able to play 43 games for Boston and struggled while playing in just three of the five playoff games in a first-round playoff loss to the Nets. Walker averaged 19.3 points last season and 4.9 assists but his shooting percentage dropped to 42 percent.

In a surprising twist, the Celtics replaced Walker by adding veteran point guard Dennis Schroder on a one-year, $6 million deal Tuesday.

The Knicks finished last season fourth place in the conference with a 41-31 record, but several Eastern Conference teams behind them have improved – most notably Miami, Chicago, Charlotte and Washington.

The Knicks feel they have, too, with an upgrade at shooting guard of Evan Fournier over departed Reggie Bullock and Walker over point guard Elfrid Payton, who signed with the NBA finalist Phoenix Suns.

A source confirmed Walker gave up about $20.5M in a buyout with Oklahoma City to become a free agent and sign with the Knicks, who had $8 million of cap space left.

“Offseason moves were great. We added a guy Kemba Walker who can do it all, somebody I can learn from, compete with to expand my game,’’ guard Immanuel Quickley said after Monday’s summer-league game. “I want to be where he is eventually one day.

“So no better guy than Kemba Walker to come in – just like I learned from Derrick Rose, I can learn from somebody else. And Evan Fournier, competitor, shooter – so we added shooting and defense. I think we made great moves this offseason.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

The 6-foot-6 Bacon played in all 72 games (50 starts) last season with Orlando, averaging 10.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 25.7 minutes.

He was one of only 11 players in the NBA to play in all 72 regular season games — with RJ Barrett being another.

Originally selected in the second round (40th overall) of the 2017 NBA Draft by New Orleans, Bacon has played in 207 career regular season games with Charlotte and Orlando, averaging 7.3 points. He also played and started in 30 career G League games while with Charlotte and averaged 25.7 points.

It’s another wing on a Knicks roster now loaded with them. The Knicks have 16 players slated for their 15-man roster, including Argentine point guard Luca Vildoza who has a non-guaranteed deal and didn’t too sharp at the Olympics or in the first two summer league games.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

Texas big man Jericho Sims, the rookie who signed a two-way contract earlier in the day, was perfect — literally — and outperformed their other three draft picks.

Sims, the 6-foot-10 high-flyer who started at center versus Toronto, electrified as he made all six of his shots for 12 points and collected eight rebounds. The 22-year-old lit up the crowd with a late alley-oop dunk on a lob from Immanuel Quickley.

That was Quickley’s major highlight. Otherwise, Quickley (5 of 17) led a Knicks brickfest in their opener, losing a 89-79 blowout to Toronto.

The Knicks shot just 37 percent. Sims, all inside, shot 100 percent — a classic defensive specialist and rim-runner on offense.

Sims’ two-way contract means he can play a maximum 50 NBA games. If this is what he’s about, though, Sims’ two-way G League contract may be ripped up at some point during the season.

“That’s what they had planned for me,’’ Sims said of his contract. “Right now. I can do other things, but [rim-runner] is what they want me to do right now.’’

That’s sort of the role the Knicks would want from their 2020 lottery pick, power forward Obi Toppin, who got off to a slow start Sunday, missing his first four shots but recovered. He finished with 24 points on 10 of 21 shooting but was just 2 of 10 from 3.

“Jericho, man, does he jump really high,’’ Toppin said. “Jericho is a sponge and loves to learn and get better. He’s going to be a really good player.’’

The scouting report has Sims as a defensive specialist, but he was active and productive on the offensive end, running the floor and hitting inside with poise.

Late in the opening half, he scored as a trailer on the fast break with a floater in the lane — a shot center Mitchell Robinson almost never attempts. Sims’ value will increase if the Knicks decide to trade Robinson before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

“I was content,’’ Sims said. “But it’s more about what we’re doing as a team.’’

Early in the second half, Sims grabbed a rebound and started a fast break on his own, showing some ballhandling skill. But the alley-oop on a pick-and-roll with Quickley with thre minutes left was the game’s highlight.

“I knew something like that was going to come,’’ Sims said. “They can’t guard us both.’’

Sims is a man of few words but he’s already acknowledged surprise he fell to 58 — the third-to-last pick of the draft.

“I was told anything can happen but I was told 25-to-40,’’ Sims said. “So … ’’

It was stunning the Knicks actually came away from the draft with potentially four rookies. It was presumed the Knicks might just trade the 58th pick after snatching Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride and Rokas Jokubaitis.

But trading a pick that deep is difficult because the return may have too many protections on it. And it became a no-brainer when Sims slipped to 58.

“I’m looking forward to getting as much experience as I can,’’ Sims said. “Whether that be in the G-League right now or the main roster.’’

Whether Sims actually plays with Westchester remains to be seen, but he’s not currently on the 15-man NBA roster.

“Jericho has the tools that can help us during the course of the year,’’ Knicks summer league coach Dice Yoshimoto said. “He’s put a lot of time in the gym, has done a great job at training camp.’’

As for the Knicks’ other three 2021 draft picks, first-rounder Grimes, selected 25th, scored on his first touch — a 3-pointer from the right wing — but finished with just nine points. Second-round pick McBride also added nine points.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

Despite finishing behind the Knicks last season, the Raptors could be a bigger Eastern Conference force this year after selecting two-way forward Scottie Barnes with the fourth-overall pick at the 2021 NBA Draft and swapping Kyle Lowry for Goran Dragic at point guard.

Toronto’s 2020 season was thrown into disarray as COVID-19 forced the club out of Canada, due to travel restrictions, and into a new home in Tampa Bay.

Toronto, which has one of the best home-court advantages in basketball, finished 16-20 in its temporary new home and 12th in the conference. It’s unclear whether the Raptors will be able to return to Canada this coming season.

The Knicks entered Sunday’s game as four-point favorites over Toronto, according to the Westgate Sports Book in Vegas. They are 10-1 to win the Summer League title at Westgate. Fans in attendance are required to wear masks under new Nevada guidelines.

Here’s five Knicks summer-league storylines:

1. How will their 2020 first-round picks look?

Obi Toppin, selected eighth-overall last November, and Immanuel Quickley, who fell to 25th, are back in Las Vegas after a week-long stint on the US Select Team training with the U.S. Olympic Team.

Quickley didn’t make it through the whole week as he was placed in COVID-19 health and safety protocol. Sources say he didn’t test positive but instead was deemed a close contact.

Toppin and Quickley didn’t have the benefit of a summer league after getting drafted because of the pandemic. This event is more important for Toppin, who averaged just 11 minutes behind power forward Julius Randle last season and was never able to spread his wings.

During Friday’s Summer League practice, Quickley and Toppin put on a show with Quickley stealing the ball from rookie Miles McBride at halfcourt and flinging an alley-oop lob for Toppin, who jammed it home. If they dominate early, it’s unlikely they’ll play all five games.

The Debut of Quentin Grimes

The Knicks entered the draft with picks 19 and 21 but turned that into the 25th pick plus two future draft choices (a heavily protected Charlotte first-rounder that may never be conveyed and a 2024 second-rounder).

The good news is the Knicks think Grimes was worthy of the 19th slot. Most scouts viewed Grimes as an early second-rounder until he looked terrific at the combine in Chicago. That turned the Knicks’ heads – along with a splendid private workout in Tarrytown. The former Kansas transfer led the University of Houston to its Final Four since 1984 with his defense and 3-point shotmaking.

3. The Spanish League Lefty Combo Guard Battle

Considering the Knicks already had Spanish Leaguer Luca Vildoza in the fold, it was surprising they selected a similar player in Rokas Jokubaitis of Lithuania with the 34th pick. The Knicks are leaning toward having the 20-year-old start his contract with Barcelona for a year to continue to develop. But the brass has been very impressed with his basketball IQ during Las Vegas summer practices, so all bets are off.

The Post has learned Jokubaitis, who still needs to improve his 3-point shot, doesn’t have to be bought out because his Barcelona contract technically hasn’t started yet.

4. The Miles McBride Revenge Tour

The West Virginia point guard was insulted he fell to 36th in the draft. Undersized but gritty with a sweet 3-point shot, McBride says he will make teams “pay’’ for passing on him. It can start Sunday.

5. The Land of Jericho

It was stunning the Knicks actually came away from the draft with potentially four rookies for their roster — five counting Vildoza.  It was presumed the Knicks might just trade the 58th pick after snatching Grimes, McBride and Jokubaitis.

But trading a pick that deep is difficult because the return may have too many protections on it. And it became a no-brainer when Texas senior big man Jericho Sims slipped to 58. The 6-foot-10 power forward out of Minneapolis is touted as a defensive specialist with great athleticism but could be a roster depth piece – especially if center Mitchell Robinson is either unhealthy or traded.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

PG Kemba Walker: Knicks fans are ecstatic. The former Rice High/UConn NCAA champion has upgraded the starting point guard position immensely with Elfrid Payton gone. However, Walker’s balky left knee bears watching — as does his defense at age 31. That’s why new Celtics GM Brad Stevens couldn’t get rid of him fast enough and the Knicks got him as a waiver-wire free agent.

PG Derrick Rose: With an improved 3-point shot, Rose put together 35 wonderful games for the Knicks. He’s at his best playing for Tom Thibodeau. At this stage, the 2011 MVP is most effective if his minutes don’t exceed 25 a night.

PG Miles McBride: The rookie out of West Virginia is a stout defender, a solid 3-point shooter and by all accounts a Thibodeau-type player. The 36th pick may have to scratch for minutes if Rose and Walker stay healthy.

PG Luka Vildoza: Will he make the team? The Knicks signed the Argentine from the Spanish League late season to be a piece for 2021-22. He’ll be at summer league after a modest Olympic performance and has a non-guaranteed contract.

SG/SF RJ Barrett: The Knicks’ No. 3 selection in 2019 took significant strides in his second season, becoming a more reliable 3-point shooter and second option to Julius Randle. But his lack of creative shotmaking got exposed in the playoffs and he’s still got a ways to go in his bid to reach his All-Star goal.

SG/SF Evan Fournier: He flew under the radar in Orlando, but his last two seasons were too impressive to ignore in averaging 18 and 17 points, respectively, with strong percentages from 3. As he stars in the Olympics, Fournier is the centerpiece of the Knicks offseason — even if he’s from France and not The Bronx.

SG/PG Immanuel Quickley: Coming off a second-team all-rookie selection, the Knicks still view the Kentucky product as a reserve off guard who can light up an offense with his 3-point shooting and floater. Still has a ways to go as a playmaker and defender.

SG/SF Alec Burks: The Knicks had to use cap space to re-sign the former Jazz swingman to a 2-and-1 deal after he performed admirably in his first season in New York. Burks never gets flustered and is a shotmaker from midrange and 3. He even can play the point in a pinch.

SG Quentin Grimes: The first-round pick out of the University of Houston is coming off a Final Four appearance, showing he’s a winner. He’s a two-way force who can become a very strong value pick.

SF/PF Kevin Knox: He doesn’t appear to be part of the future. The 2018 lottery pick was headed to Las Vegas summer league to showcase himself, but Knox is out because of COVID-19. Could be traded at any juncture.

PF Julius Randle: With his contract extension in place, the second-team All-NBA power forward will have more to prove that last season wasn’t a fluke — and his poor first playoff showing was.

PF Obi Toppin: Leon Rose’s 2020 lottery pick had a disappointing rookie season, playing limited minutes behind Randle. He showed potential as an athletic big man who can lift the team with acrobatic dunks, but his basketball IQ on defense is a concern.

C Nerlens Noel: He returns for his second season with two guaranteed years and a team option on a third. Noel was a key defensive force — a tough, true rim protector who executed a series of highlight-reel blocks to spark the club.

C Mitchell Robinson: The Knicks 2018 second-round pick was in a walking boot on July 31 at his foundation’s camp — an indicator his broken foot isn’t fully healed. The athletic shot-blocker needs to stay healthy next season as he veers into 2022 free agency — unless the Knicks extend him.

C Taj Gibson: The 36-year-old Brooklyn native comes back for his third season as one of Thibodeau’s all-time favorite players with a defensive basketball IQ that’s off the charts and grit quotient Knicks fans adore.

C Jericho Sims: The 58th pick in the draft out of Texas is headed for a two-way G-League contract. The athletic 6-10 power forward could have a legit role if one of their bigs gets dealt. The Knicks were impressed with him at the Draft Combine in Chicago.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

A source confirmed he has agreed to a four-year, $117 million extension. Randle said earlier this season he wanted to retire as a Knick.

According to a source close to Randle, the Knicks power forward loves the passion of the New York fans. Randle wanted to sign early to give the club as much flexibility as possible next summer and not convolute the matter.

Randle could’ve possibly made more on the open market and gained a maximum contract in the $200 million range if he duplicated this past season, when he played 71 of 72 games and led the Knicks to their first playoff berth in eight years.

He earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award but flopped in the playoffs against Atlanta (29.8 percent from the field). A source recently told The Post he was seriously debating whether to take the unrestricted route or sign on.

Perhaps the Knicks’ signings of Kemba Walker — even if he’s aging and injury-marred — and Evan Fournier swayed him. The two players will make it easier for Randle on the offensive end after Atlanta bottled him up in the playoffs.

Randle averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the regular season. He still must prove he can recruit a superstar player to the roster next offseason.

In a midseason essay for The Players Tribune, Randle wrote about his happiness in remaining here long-term.

“More than any team I’ve ever been on, with this year’s Knicks, it feels like we have a collective purpose,” Randle wrote in the piece. “And I think that’s also one of the things that Thibs (Tom Thibodeau) has been great at bringing to the table.

“This idea of how we can have our goals as individuals, and then our goals as a team and if we have the right mindset, there’s no reason those goals can’t feed into each other. It just feels like something good is happening.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

The Bronx native has agreed to join the Knicks and form a point-guard tandem with Derrick Rose after being bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, according to an NBA source.

There was no trade market for Walker given his max contract — a four-year, $140 million deal signed with the Hornets that has two years and $74 million left on it.

It wasn’t immediately clear what Walker would be signing for with the Knicks.

The 31-year-old’s play slipped this past season as his body broke down due to knee injuries, playing in 43 of 72 games with Boston. But the Knicks feel Walker is still an All-Star-caliber guard if his body is right.

Walker, a four-time All-Star, showed glimpses last season, averaging 20 points and five assists after the All-Star Break.

The Knicks, whose offseason appears finished, have a very real possibility of maintaining their fourth-seed standing if Walker returns to All-Star form.

The Knicks swapped out Elfrid Payton for Walker at point guard and upgraded Evan Fournier for Reggie Bullock at shooting guard.

The Thunder initially acquired Walker from the Celtics in June for the purpose of flipping him.

But there ended up being no market for Walker given his contact and the Knicks got lucky.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

Dennis Schroder and Reggie Jackson were the best point guards left on the board, but the Knicks let an intriguing young guard slip through their fingers when Kendrick Nunn signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Lakers.

The Heat’s first team all-rookie in 2019 had talks with the Knicks, but chose the chance to win a championship. One report stated the Knicks offered him more money.

The Knicks have $8 million in cap space as Derrick Rose’s complicated deal will likely not take up cap space, but the Early Bird Exception that allows teams to sign their own players and go over the salary cap.

Rose signed a three-year, $43 million pact to return. The Knicks are reluctant to make him a full-blown starting point guard because of wear and tear on his surgically repaired knees. Some members of Knicks brass feel he’s at his best at 25-30 minutes a night.

The Knicks have interest in Schroder as a playmaker and defender, but he’s a poor 3-point shooter. One source told The Post Schroder started the process seeking a deal that would start at $25 million.

Besides Evan Fournier’s four-year $78 million pact, the Knicks have re-signed only their own guys in Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks, Rose and Taj Gibson, who inked a $2.7 million veteran’s minimum deal.

The Knicks entered Monday night’s free agency armed with the league’s most cap space at $52.4 million, but for the third straight summer they found out cap space is not the end all and be all.

Rose, Burks and Noel signed three-year deals but the good news is their third years are not fully guaranteed.

That makes their contracts a lot friendlier and tradeable in a regular trade or a free-agent sign-and-trade in 2022 when they won’t have a lot of cap space. For instance, the Heat had no cap space but engineered a sign-and-trade Monday to pull in the Knicks’ second-most-important point guard target, Kyle Lowry.

On the trade market, Collin Sexton was made available by Cleveland, which wanted a veteran or two in return besides draft assets. Now they may be more suited for a Sexton trade with Noel and Burks in the fold.

The Knicks also believe Damian Lillard will go on the trade market perhaps by next season’s trade deadline.

According to a source, the Knicks have had sign-and-trade talks with Dallas for the Reggie Bullock signing and president Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau love Jalen Brunson, a 2022 free agent. It’s unclear if the Knicks asked for Brunson to be included in a larger deal.

Other point guards on the board are veteran George Hill, who was waived by the Sixers on Tuesday, oft-injured combo guard Victor Oladipo and Avery Bradley, a stout defender.

The Knicks’ free-agent point guards are still out there in Elfrid Payton, who started last season, and Frank Ntilikina.

The Post has learned the Knicks contacted Payton at the start of free agency but it’s unclear if they had real interest in him as a fallback. Based on social media, Knicks fans would be unhappy to see Payton back. There’d be more approval if 2017 lottery pick and longest-tenured Knick, Ntilikina made a return.

As it stands, Rose is the starting point guard with rookie draft pick Miles McBride and last May’s signee Luca Vildoza of Argentina on the depth chart. Vildoza has a non-guaranteed four-year pact and the Knicks could open more cap space if he were waived as he didn’t look sharp in the Olympics.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

The new starting Knicks shooting guard sounded more excited about the latter.

“I enjoy pressure, I enjoy the spotlight,’’ Fournier said after the Tuesday victory, hours after signing with the Knicks at the beginning of free agency Monday. “They had a good season and they had a really good spot open. I thought I could help. God, it’s freaking New York. You want to be part of something big, you want to have pressure, you want to be a guy that competes every night.”

It was the middle of the night in Tokyo when free agency began and Fournier told his agent he didn’t want to be disturbed.

When he woke up, the 27-year-old said he had a handful offers on the table, including from the Celtics, who acquired him from Orlando at the March deadline.

Fournier said the Celtics were his “priority” entering the offseason, but then the Knicks came calling.

“I’m glad it’s over,’’ Fourner said.

Fournier said he wanted to play for Tom Thibodeau, who is close friends with former Magic head coach Steve Clifford. While in Orlando, current Knicks GM Scott Perry acquired Fournier from Denver for Aaron Afflalo in what turned out to be a steal for the Magic.

When Fournier made his return to Orlando late last season with Boston, Clifford said, “There’s nothing more important when you play 82 games than having a guy who you never have to worry whether he’s going to try hard. It was a given with him. Played hurt, played really hurt, always ready to play, always into the game plan and badly wanted to win.” 

According to an Orlando source, Clifford regarded Fournier as among his favorite players to coach. It’s believed Clifford and Thibodeau spoke about Fournier before the Knicks made him the centerpiece of their free agency.

“I’d bet the Knicks signed him because Clifford raved to Thibs about how much Fournier wants to win and is about all the right things,’’ the Orlando source said. “Cliff says that Fournier is one of the toughest players — mentally and physically — that he’s ever coached.’’

Fournier was a disappointment early in his career but came into his own the past two seasons as a sweet-shooting scorer. He is now starring for Team France.

In 2019-20, he averaged 18.5 points on 47 percent overall shooting. Last season, he averaged 21 points and shot 41.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Fournier will replace the departed Reggie Bullock, who came up small in the first-round playoff loss to Atlanta. Although Fournier was a member of a lot of losing teams in Orlando and has never been out of the first round of the playoffs, he has played in the last three postseasons.

In 19 playoff games, Fournier has shot just 37 percent from the field. Against the Nets in the first round, Fournier averaged 15.4 points on 42.9 percent shooting – 43.3 percent from three-point range.

And he currently he has France in the Olympic semifinals with last week’s victory over Team USA one of his proudest accomplishments.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

Or at least he’s getting paid like one after he signed a four-year, $78 million pact as the centerpiece of the Knicks’ sleepy free agency Monday.

The 6-foot-7 Fournier is not an NBA superstar — or even an All-Star — but he’s a hero in France as the star player for the Olympic team that upset Team USA last week and has made the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Games.

“He’s a very good floor spacer,’’ one NBA scout told The Post. “He’s a good fit for the Knicks. A good combo with RJ [Barrett].’’

The 27-year-old swingman had been on a series of losing teams in Orlando when Knicks general manager Scott Perry also was there, but he has come on the past two seasons as a sweet-shooting 3-point scorer. Fournier was traded to Boston at the March deadline this past season.

Last season, Fournier averaged 17.1 points and shot 41.4 percent from 3-point range, but he’s not known for his fiery defense.

On the MSG Network free-agency show, John Wallace, former Knicks draft pick, said: “I want the French Fournier. The Olympic Fournier when he’s on the court talking like that.’’

Essentially, Fournier is replacing Reggie Bullock, the Knicks’ starting shooting guard, who signed a three-year, $31 million deal with Dallas.

“He’s a better player than Reggie, somebody who can create a little for himself,’’ another NBA personnel man said.

Fournier, who has appeared in 19 playoff games in eight seasons, is a career 37.9 percent 3-point shooter.

Fournier has the same agent, Bouna Ndiaye, as Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina, a fellow Frenchman who is an unrestricted free agent after the team chose not to extend him a qualifying offer on Sunday.

The Knicks announced their summer-league team and it’s packed — with the four rookies from Thursday’s draft (Quentin Grimes, Rokas Jokubaitis, Miles McBride and Jericho Sims), 2018 lottery pick, Kevin Knox and last season’s two first-round picks, Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley. Also named to the roster is point guard Luca Vildoza of Argentina, who signed a four-year deal last spring and is playing currently in the Olympics.

One undrafted player from Thursday, Aamir Simms, a Clemson forward, also was signed to the summer-league team with a chance of gaining a two-way G-League contract. Simms was a second-team All-ACC selection, averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

With a league-high $52.6 million in cap space, the Knicks made their biggest addition Monday night when former Celtics swingman Evan Fournier agreed to terms on a four-year, $76 million deal.

Knicks general manager Scott Perry, when he worked for the Magic, traded for the 27-year-old Fournier in 2014. Fournier has emerged as a solid scorer, though he is not considered as elite a defender as the departing Reggie Bullock. Fournier has never made the All-Star team, but the Knicks are paying him plenty.

With Fournier in the bag, Bullock, who started at shooting guard, signed with the Mavericks.

Fournier will move into the starting lineup alongside RJ Barrett, and to fill their hole at point guard the Knicks hammered out a deal to bring back Derrick Rose for three years, $43 million, which used up the rest of their cap room.

The Knicks were essentially rolling it back on the first night of free agency — also making big commitments to center Nerlens Noel and wing Alec Burks.

Noel and Burks were big parts of last season’s 41-31 playoff team, but president Leon Rose still was searching for an upgrade at point guard.

Fournier was traded this past season from Orlando to Boston at the trade deadline, and the Knicks staged talks with the Magic at the time. Fournier, who averaged 17.1 points and shot 41.3 percent from 3-point range, has starred for France in the Olympics, leading them to an upset over Team USA last week. Coincidentally, the Knicks added one Frenchman but will lose another one, Frank Ntilikina, who became an unrestricted free agent Monday.

Rose was not made available for comment.

On the MSG Network free-agency show, John Wallace, former Knicks draft pick, said, “I want the French Fournier. The Olympic Fournier when he’s on the court talking like that.’’ 

The Knicks also agreed to re-sign Noel to a three-year, $32 million deal, leaving Robinson’s future in a lot of doubt. The Knicks exercised Robinson’s option of $1.8 million for the 2021-22 season. His durability is still an issue for the club and a social-media photo appeared to show him still in a walking boot taking shots.

The Knicks had to use their cap space to re-sign Noel, who ably filled in for Robinson during his injury-marred season, but didn’t perform well versus the Hawks during the playoffs, in which he was dominated by Clint Capela.

There’s speculation the Knicks might look to extend Robinson’s contract before he becomes a 2022 free agent. With the money going to Noel, however, Robinson now would become a potential important trade chip if the Knicks enter trade talks with Portland for point guard Damian Lillard.

Burks signed for three years, $30 million. He was having a Sixth-Man-of-the-Year type season until he contracted COVID-19 late in the year and didn’t have a good playoffs.

The Knicks had to use cap space to ink Burks and Noel as they don’t have their early Bird rights.

Noel saved the Knicks when Robinson broke his hand, then his foot. Noel’s poor playoffs could be attributed to a sore ankle.

In his first season with the Knicks this past season, the 27-year-old Noel averaged 5.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and a career-high 2.2 blocks per game.

Some of the Knicks’ higher-profile targets were going elsewhere. Chris Paul re-signed with the Suns and Kyle Lowry was sent in a sign-and-trade to the Heat, which will make Miami more formidable in the Eastern Conference as the Knicks try to keep pace.

The Knicks ran out of cap space but point-guard targets still on the board were Spencer Dinwiddie, Dennis Schroder and Reggie Jackson. 

The Knicks also had discussions with the reps for swingman DeMar DeRozan, but have no avenue to sign him. 

Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball, also a Knicks target, went to the Bulls — another team that could be on the rise — in a sign-and-trade.

The Knicks still could add a point guard via trade, with the Cavaliers’ Collin Sexton still on the block — not to mention the chance of Lillard asking for a trade. Lillard has the Knicks very high on his wish list, but the Trail Blazers have the final call.

The Knicks announced their summer-league team and it’s packed — with the four rookies from Thursday’s draft, 2018 lottery pick, Kevin Knox and last season’s two first-round picks, Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley. Also named to the roster is Argentine point guard Luca Vildoza, who signed a four-year deal last spring and is playing currently in the Olympics.

One undrafted player from Thursday, Aamir Simms, a Clemson forward, also was signed to the summer-league team with a chance of gaining a two-way G-League contract. Their. 2021 draft picks, Quentin Grimes, Rokas Jokubaitis, Miles McBride and Jericho Sims will all play. Simms of Clemson was a second-team All-ACC selection, averaged 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

As NBA free agency opened Monday, the Knicks are going the continuity route after making the playoffs with a 41-31 record this past season.

They agreed to re-sign Noel to a three-year, $32 million deal, leaving Robinson’s future in a lot of doubt. The Knicks exercised the option of Robinson for $1.8 million for the 2021-22 season.

The Knicks had to use their cap space to re-sign Noel, who ably filled in for Robinson during his injury-marred season but didn’t perform well versus Atlanta in the playoffs as he was dominated by Clint Capela.

There’s speculation the Knicks would look to extend Robinson’s contract before he becomes a 2022 free agency. However, with the money going to Noel, Robinson now becomes an important trade chip if the Knicks enter trade talks with Portland for Damian Lillard.

Robinson, who played just 31 games this season, was seen in a walking boot while shooting in New Orleans on Monday.

The Knicks also re-signed wing Alec Burks for three years, $30 million and sources say they are expected to re-sign Derrick Rose.

With the Knicks talking with Evan Fournier on a three-year deal, that likely spells the end of Reggie Bullock’s two-year Knicks career. The Knicks also had to use cap space to ink Burks as some of their higher targets weren’t coming.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

The Knicks have considered a no-frills point-guard scenario with Payne and Derrick Rose splitting minutes in 2021-22.

It’s not Plan A, B or perhaps even C, but it’s not bad, either, especially if the Knicks can’t land a star like Paul, Kyle Lowry and Lonzo Ball.

Miami is emerging as a favorite to land Lowry in a sign-and-trade while Ball is ready to sign with the Bulls with free agency beginning Monday evening, according to a source.

Rose is also a free agent and the Knicks – particularly head coach Tom Thibodeau — want him back after his solid 2020-21 campaign.

But the Knicks, who have the most projected cap space at $52.6 million according to Spotrac, are wary of giving Rose a long-term deal. They still have their eyes on the stacked 2022 free-agent class headed by Bradley Beal.

The Knicks were 11-14 when they acquired Rose from Detroit in early February and 24-11 in the 35 games the veteran played, as he formed a solid tandem with rookie Immanuel Quickley and improved his 3-point shooting.

In 50 total games, including 15 with Detroit, Rose shot 38.8 percent from 3.

Rose couldn’t say whether he would return after the Knicks were eliminated by the Hawks in the first round of the playoffs.

“They got big plans,’’ Rose said. “Who knows if I may be back.”

But he just might be, alongside Payne, who has never started in his late-blooming career but weaved a bust-out season as Paul’s caddie into the NBA Finals.

The Knicks don’t want Rose to play starter’s minutes because of his past knee issues, and so the idea would be for the him and Payne to split time.

Payne helped lead the Suns to two wins in the Western Conference Finals against the Clippers when Paul was out with COVID-19.

Payne is a slick, speedy penetrator and has improved his long-range game. Payne was drafted by the Thunder 14th-overall in the 2016 draft and is on his fourth NBA team, in addition to a stint in China.

Payne, who turns 27 on Aug. 8, has finally emerged as a bona fide NBA player and league sources thought he could get a deal starting at $10-$12 million. The Knicks can offer him a balloon payment in his first year – like they did for Bobby Portis in 2019 ($15 million) – with a second-year team option.

Payne averaged 8.4 points last season, shot 44.3 percent from 3-point land and 89 percent from the free-throw line.

Suns GM James Jones said Friday on Payne he’d like to keep him.

“As far as being a team member, the way he played this year was phenomenal,” Jones said. “I couldn’t be happier for Cam. I know the team — we all enjoyed his success. He’s a kid that has played his way back into a position … which is a really good, quality, rotation NBA player.’’

The Knicks also have the recently drafted, tough-as-nails point guard Miles McBride, who could also be ready for the rotation because of his dogged defense and 3-point shooting.

Signing Payne would leave the Knicks room to sign two other players of note, potentially wing scorer Evan Fournier and Kelly Oubre Jr., and perhaps make an attempt to bring back center Nerlens Noel.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

Rose has been mostly conservative during his 1 ½-year reign as the Knicks’ Godfather as he awaits smacking his home run — or at least finding a starting point guard not named Elfrid Payton. But Rose is now holding a stack of bills and is ready to toss them around.

The grand slam would be Rose finding a way to convince his former favorite client, Chris Paul, to try to get back to The Finals with the Knicks as Eastern Conference champions rather than re-signing with Phoenix.

The Knicks are one of just six teams with cap space greater than $20 million. They’re only one of two teams that can give Paul a whopping three-year, $123 million offer, but rumblings out of the desert are Paul wants to run it back in the Valley of the Sun when he turns 37.

The Suns can offer Paul three years, $144 million, but owner Robert Sarver sounded last week as if he had his limits.

The other earth-shattering move Rose could pull would be bowling over Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry with an offer the Mavericks, Pelicans or Heat can’t meet.

The Knicks can offer Lowry a starting salary of $39 million, but that would eat up a lot of their space. That could prevent them from getting the scoring wing they seek — say, Evan Fournier, Duncan Robinson, Norman Powell or Kelly Oubre.

The most likely Knicks catch would be Lakers point guard Dennis Schroder, a solid defender and playmaker who may be expendable now that the Lakers have landed Russell Westbrook. The Knicks scouted Schroder intensely this season to make sure the German native is a fit for coach Tom Thibodeau.

Other point guards on the Knicks’ list are the Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie, who wants a maximum $125 million pact, the Pelicans’ Lonzo Ball, who reportedly is a heavy favorite to land in Chicago, and of course Derrick Rose, who proved invaluable as Thibodeau’s lead operator last season off the bench.

The Knicks have Rose’s early Bird rights and can go over the salary cap to bring him back. The potential problem with Rose is that he could be offered a long-term deal that the Knicks brain trust is hesitant to extend.

The Clippers’ Reggie Jackson and the Suns’ emerging backup Cam Payne are also free-agent point guards, but it could be considered financial risks to hand either the keys as difference-makers.

The Knicks fashioned a shockingly good 41-31 record for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference this past season, Thibodeau won Coach of the Year and league sources believe the club has become — finally — a destination. But that’s only a theory until it happens.

If the Knicks strike out on a free-agent point guard, they could again look at trading with the Cavaliers for Collin Sexton.

Some league personnel men, however, wonder if the Knicks’ trade assets aren’t as strong after Thursday’s draft.

From a trade standpoint, there’s a good argument to be made the Knicks were better off last week, when they had the unused 19th, 21st, 32nd and 58th selections, than they are with the current assemblage of Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, Lithuania’s Rokas Jokubaitis, Jericho Sims and a future first-round pick from Charlotte that may not be conveyed for four years.

Be mindful, too, that Rose does not want to waste cap space on iffy long-term deals that would handcuff the Knicks in 2022 free agency when Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine and Jimmy Butler are expected to be on the market.

In addition, Damian Lillard could still ask for a trade away from Portland and various reports have the Knicks very high on his list. That actually isn’t as good as it sounds, as the Trail Blazers can — and will — take the very best deal, according to league sources. The Knicks have to hope they have a thing for Lithuanian lefty combo guards.

As for small forward, SNY reported Fournier has interest in the Knicks — even if former French first-rounders Frank Ntilikina and Frederic Weis didn’t pan out in New York. Knicks general manager Scott Perry knows Fournier well, as they were both together with the Magic.

The free-agent pool for wing-type players is rich, and it also includes Denver’s Will Barton, Charlotte’s Devonte’ Graham and Spurs veteran DeMar DeRozan.

The Knicks also have to consider re-signing starting shooting guard Reggie Bullock, though he may have a four-year offer in place elsewhere. The Celtics, Sixers, Lakers and Suns have mulled signing the Knicks’ “unsung hero.’’

Their own free agent, swingman Alec Burks, probably will get a better deal in a different place. So might center Nerlens Noel, who is looking for a long-term monstrous deal after being such a shot-blocking warrior for the Knicks in Mitchell Robinson’s absence. The Raptors, Pistons and Kings have interest in Noel.

The other Knicks issue is negotiating with Julius Randle about a contract extension rather than waiting for him to hit unrestricted free agency in 2022. Randle has said he wants to retire a Knick, so nobody is too worried.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

The Knicks didn’t extend a qualifying offer to guard Frank Ntilikina at Sunday’s 5 p.m. deadline, The Post has learned, making him an unrestricted free agent.

While the Knicks could still sign him, the longest-tenured member of the team is likely on his way to greener pastures after a rocky four seasons in New York.

The Knicks could have kept Ntilikina restricted and matched any offer, but would’ve needed a cap hold that would’ve taken away their space at the starting gun of free agency, Monday at 6 p.m.

This move likely will give the Knicks $53 million in cap space. The team’s drafting on Thursday of point guard Miles McBride and shooting guard Quentin Grimes probably sealed Ntilikina’s fate.

Ntilikina played 211 games for the Knicks since 2017 and averaged 5.5 points. He never developed as a playmaker or ballhandler, though he became a keen defender.

Currently, Ntilikina is playing in the Tokyo Olympics for France, but he missed the first two games with a muscle injury before coming back versus Iran. Ntilikina’s national team is in the quarterfinals. He’s teammates with Evan Fournier, a Knicks free-agent target, and could give him a rundown on the franchise’s trials and tribulations.

Ntilikina’s Knicks career was beset by a series of groin and hamstring issues. He was out of the rotation almost all of this past season.

His term of service was doomed from the get-go. The 6-foot-5 point guard was selected to run Phil Jackson’s triangle offense and was picked eighth overall in 2017 — ahead of current Jazz star Donovan Mitchell. Jackson was fired as president days after that draft.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

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Knicks president Leon Rose should probably explain Thursday’s draft night wheeling and dealing on a media Zoom call, but he’s on a streak of 12 straight months without talking to the press.

Nobody has given the exact reason for his reticence, but it’s likely the agent turned Knicks godfather feels he has spoken with the 41-31 record this past season that brought an end to the franchise’s seven-year playoff drought.

According to an NBA executive who has spoken to Rose, the Knicks’ most baffling draft-night trade — moving the 19th pick for a heavily protected future first-rounder from Charlotte — was done partly to save $2.4 million in cap space for free agency. They never were going to use both of their first-rounders, for cap reasons.

Whether the Charlotte pick is a good trade chip with all its protections — up to 18 next year, 16 in 2023 and 14 in 2024 — depends on whether the stumbling Hornets turn their fortunes around.

But the Knicks do everything with calculated precision — and chief strategist Brock Aller is behind most of it. The Knicks ultimately drafted two players, hard-nosed shooting guard Quentin Grimes (25th) and hard-nosed point guard Miles McBride (36th), who Rose and coach Tom Thibodeau believe were worthy of the team’s original 19th and 21st selections in the first round.

“They got who they wanted when they wanted,’’ one NBA executive in contact with Knicks brass said.

And now the Knicks have cap space — plenty of it. Only four teams will go into free agency beginning Monday night with significant cap space, and the Knicks will lead that brigade with $50 million-plus — if and when they need to remove Frank Ntilikina’s cap hold.

Whether that’s enough to add a star point guard, such as Chris Paul or Kyle Lowry, is unclear. Though Suns owner Robert Sarver gave himself wiggle room on whether Paul will return to Phoenix, Paul wants to come back. If Paul opts out, he might be agreeable to a new three-year, $90 million deal with the Suns.

The Knicks can offer Paul a three-year contract that starts at $39 million, but he may not leave a sure thing in Phoenix (which got him within two wins of his first NBA title) to join his former agent, Rose. Paul’s two kids live in Los Angeles and are now old enough to savor the Suns’ run to the NBA Finals.

Lowry is another bulldog the Knicks would love to add on a whopping two-year deal. But league sources feel the favorites to land the Philadelphia native are Mark Cuban’s Mavericks, the Pelicans and the 76ers (through a sign-and-trade), unless he re-signs with the Raptors.

Even with Lowry and Paul as longshots, the Knicks will have plenty of options — and Thibodeau wouldn’t be upset if Derrick Rose returned in a big role, even if not as starter. The Knicks were 11-14 when they traded for Rose, and went 30-17 the rest of the way.

Digging deeper, the Knicks won 69 percent of the games Rose played, just 47 percent when he didn’t play. Thibodeau wants Rose back. The Knicks don’t have his early Bird rights and need to use cap space. That’s fine, but internal discussions have centered on whether to offer a long-term deal to Rose, who will turn 33 on Oct. 4.

The Bulls noticed Rose looking a little like the guy who once graced United Center and have interest in bringing back the pride of Chicago’s West Side. Rose’s kids and family still live in Chitown, and he once went AWOL from the Knicks during his first stint with the team in 2016 because he was homesick.

The Knicks would be able to outbid other suitors for the Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie (who is coming off ACL surgery at age 28), Suns backup point guard Cam Payne, Dennis Schroder, Reggie Jackson or even restricted free agent Lonzo Ball, in whom the Bulls also are interested. The Knicks were higher on Ball as a fit in February, but he’s on their list.

There’s also the possibility of a trade for the Cavaliers’ Collin Sexton or the Thunder’s Kemba Walker, though the 31-year-old Walker is aging fast.

A point guard foursome of Rose, Payne, McBride and Luca Vildoza isn’t the worst idea if the Knicks can add one more wing shooter-scorer from a potential list of Evan Fournier, Kelly Oubre, Devonte’ Graham and DeMar DeRozan. The Knicks had trade talks with Orlando at the deadline in March about Fournier, who destroyed Team USA last week while playing for France in the Tokyo Olympics.

This Knicks regime has shown plenty of patience and restraint.

The trust in Thibodeau and the developmental staff is so high, they believe modest free-agent moves will lead to another playoff finish. There’s still a movement to roll cap space forward to 2022, when Bradley Beal, Jimmy Butler and maybe Kawhi Leonard will hit free agency, or to keep flexible for “The Damian Lillard Sweepstakes” the organization believes will still happen.

Rose won’t say it publicly, but the Knicks feel they will be playing with a lot of house money in August.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

If the comparisons between West Virginia sophomore point guard Miles McBride and Lowry prove prescient, Knicks president Leon Rose will have pulled off the biggest draft steal in franchise history.

McBride, who will turn 21 in September, said in a video posted from his draft party Thursday night he’ll make teams “pay” for letting him slip to 36th-overall.

From Morgantown to Midtown, the 6-foot-2 sparkplug caught Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau’s eye as a pesky defender and gifted outside shooter.

“I definitely honored to have my playing style compared to Kyle Lowry,’’ McBride said on a Zoom call Friday. “I know he’s led the league in charges and I’m willing to do anything to win. That’s something I certainly can get behind.”

Nicknamed “Deuce,’’ McBride was asked about his proclamation regarding teams that found him too small to draft in the first round. He measured at the draft combine at 6-2 ¾, but with a 6-8 wingspan.

“I feel like I have a winning DNA throughout high school, college,’’ said McBride, who was a high-school quarterback in Cincinnati. “That’s the main thing I want to bring to the Knicks. Winning and continue to go upwards. I feel like doing all that winning, a lot of teams will regret not taking me.

“I feel I’m definitely one of the best players in the draft,’’ McBride added. “It’s not where you start, but where you finish.’’

The Knicks made the playoffs at 41-31 this past season, but need a starting point guard. It might be too much to ask McBride to play a lot of minutes as a rookie, but he’s unworried. He feels his first chance is “showcasing’’ his game at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, which starts Aug. 8.

Thibodeau took immediately to McBride at their workout and interview. The fact McBride is a former quarterback may have drawn the Knicks coach to “Deuce.’’ The Post reported earlier this week, Thibodeau was pushing to draft McBride.

“Being a quarterback taught me a lot of leadership skills,’’ McBride said. “Being able to lead a team of 80, 90 guys. Thibs saw that leadership and leadership style not yelling but definitely holding guys accountable. He knows I’ll be able to take criticism coming from [West Virginia] Coach [Bob] Huggins.’’

In Morgantown, W.Va., McBride, averaged 15.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists as a sophomore. He shot 41.4 percent from 3-point range. All for a coach who rivals Thibodeau for his obsessively grim demeanor.

“I’ve heard from everyone I met, if you can play for Huggins you can play for anybody,’’ McBride said. “I’ve heard Thibs is hard-nosed coach. That’s how I want it to be at this level as well.

McBride knew a good chance existed he would wind up in New York after their meeting.

“They were familiar with me and understood where I came from,’’ McBride said. “They have friends in the West Virginia program. It feels great to go to a team that wants me and understands my game and sees everything I can do on the floor.’’

McBride saw what the Hawks’ superstar point guard, Trae Young, did to the Knicks in the playoffs. If the teams meet again, McBride may have to be “The Trae Stopper.”

“Trae is a three-level scorer,’’ McBride said. “He can shoot deep-range ball and come off the pick-and-roll. He’s very hard to stay attached to. Being able to put my skill set versus his, I’m looking forward to that challenge.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman

After trading both their first-round picks at 19 and 21 with an eye toward stockpiling more futures, the Knicks took University of Houston 6-foot-4 shooting guard Quentin Grimes at No. 25 in Thursday’s draft.

According to a source, the Knicks were wowed by Grimes’ workout this month. They liked his size, shooting and toughness on defense. He was one of three NCAA players this season to hit 100 3-pointers. He shot 40.3 percent from deep and averaged 17.9 points.

Grimes transferred from Kansas to Houston in 2019. Six weeks ago, he was thought to be more likely to be selected in the early second round.

The Knicks’ priority was a scoring wing but all their best guys were off the board, including Oregon’s sharpshooter Chris Duarte, taken at No. 13 by Indiana. All attempts to trade up were rebuffed.

After trading the No. 19 pick to Charlotte for a future first-rounder, Rose’s Knicks then traded the 21st pick to the Clippers and got back L.A.’s 25th and a 2024 second-rounder.

That’s two more future pawns to wheel in a potential blockbuster trade if Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal become available.

The Clippers took Tennessee’s guard Keon Johnson at No. 21. Charlotte took Texas center Kai Jones at No. 19 in the Knicks’ spot. And the Knicks took Grimes with the 25th pick.

Grimes also is one of just two NCAA players who ranked in the top 10 in offensive and defensive rating, and scouts deem him NBA ready.

Scouts don’t view Grimes as a potential star, but at the NBA combine last month, he likely played his way into first-round consideration as a solid role guy.

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Grimes has had an odd journey. He was slated as a one-and-done lottery-pick stud when he came to the Jayhawks as a freshman. He tested the draft waters, but transferred to Houston after a disappointing freshman year.

The final shooting wing the Knicks liked went off the board at No. 17 when the Pelicans took Virginia’s Trey Murphy, to moans from the Barclays Center crowd. Duke’s small forward Jalen Johnson was on the board but had too much baggage, quitting the team in February. Atlanta took Johnson with the 20th pick.

The Knicks attempted to move up to No. 13 to draft Duarte but didn’t offer Indiana enough. The Pacers snapped up the 3-point machine who plays rugged defense. Indiana may have taken Baylor point guard Davion Mitchell, another trade-up target, at No. 13 but he was off the board at No. 9.

The Knicks also lost a target in Stanford freshman wing Ziaire Williams, taken 10th overall. Even Oklahoma City’s pick of point guard Tre Mann of Florida was someone the Knicks had considered — at No. 21.

Last year, the Knicks gave away their 33rd pick with point guard Theo Maledon on the board for a future second-rounder.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Marc Berman