Knicks coach Tom Thibode has always relied on former Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne to get a strong grip on the next draft candidates.
Now that he has Penn with his staff, Thibodeau hopes Penn can unlock the magic from former Kentucky stud Kevin Knox, Nix’s 2018 lottery pick.
Knox, RJ Barrett and Frank Natilikina – Knicks out of the last three lottery polls .V is the main goal of the 2021 season, whenever it starts.
It all started with organized team activities for eight franchises that were not part of the Orlando Bubble Restart.
After a week of “individual” workouts, the Knicks have turned into a bubble, sitting in a hotel in Manhattan. Wednesday marked the first of at least a week of group practice on their Territown campus.
“Kevin has come in and he’s done a lot of work,” Thibode said on the 16-minute zoom call. “I’m getting to know him and he’ll recognize me and it’ll take a while. But I like what he’s done so far.” . ”
Bringing pennies to reverse Nonex’s stalled career was no brainer, Thibodeau said. Knox’s second season was a messy one, almost out of full bench, drawn for moderate minutes.
According to sources, William Wesley, the new vice president of Knicks, who was behind the scenes as a consultant with John Calipery’s Kentucky program, pushed hard for Penn.
“Yes, and not just with Kevin, but with all the players,” Thibodeau said of Payne’s influence on the Knox. Always thought he was very sensible and he knows the players very well.So I thought he made a lot of sense on many different levels when we got the chance to get him.
“Kenny is the guy I’ve always talked to about the draft for years to come, but I’ve never seen him teach on the floor, but I’ve heard a lot of great things about him. ‘
This OT is the first opportunity for Thibodeau to work with three new assistants who have never had on its staff before.
Former Jazz assistant Johnny Bryant, noted for his work with Utah star Donovan Mitchell, is the main cog of Nix’s new theme, emphasizing player development with court work.
In a Post report, Bryant has worked almost exclusively with Barrett, who picks No. 3 in the 2019 draft who was stripped of two of the league’s all-rookie teams.
While Knox can be traded in a package for a superstar, Barrett is a bedrock piece.
“It’s been great,” Thibodeau said of his first impressions of the former Duke star. “Obviously, a lot of work remains to be done. These are preliminary steps. Off-fuss is important for any young player. So you can move on to the development part, which is important. It’s great, pleased. He is working hard. If he does it later in the day it will improve a bit. “
Barrett’s shooting percentages and poor rate of advanced analysis. The 6-foot-7 guard shot only 61 percent from the free-throw line and 40 percent from the field. When pressed into what he was doing with Barrett, Thibodeau ignored.
“I think for all players, se fasen is usually the time where you can add to your game,” said Thibode. And you’re trying to learn how to improve. “
Bryant will be responsible for Barrett’s continuing education. After being fired in Minnesota in January 2019, Thibodeau recognized Bryant when he visited Jazz during his break.
“I informed Johnny a little while I was traveling,” Thibodeau said. “I have a lot of respect for the people of Utah. I have worked with [GM] Dennis Lindsay in Houston, I know [Utah coach] I have a lot of respect for Queen Schneider and what they have done for many years. When I went to Utah and spent time with them, the thing that came out was Johnny’s teaching ability. So when I heard that we would get a chance to hire, I was very impressed. ”
On Wednesday, Thibode studied for two hours and is looking at this voluntary OTA as a short-term extension of the 2019-20 season. The Knicks last played on March 11th.
The rub is that some veterans will be free agents and won’t be around next season. That way, some ‘individual’ ‘workouts didn’t turn around after the weekend, though, as did free agents Bobby Portis and Taj Gibbs, a source says. However, young center Michelle Robinson left the city for personal reasons.
Meanwhile, the start date for next season is in the air – dates from January to March 1.
“We will find the things in which we are really good and we will build that way.” Thibode said. “But right now we’re still digging. We still don’t know what the employee will be and technically this is still a part of the past year. We don’t know when the training camp will be. So we lock the player-development aspect. That’s a big challenge in the NBA – how fast can you adapt? “
.
