In Defense of the Middle: Understanding the Knicks & Kings

The New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings are 16-11 and 16-10 respectively, jostling for homecourt advantage in the playoffs. Both teams are coming off of successful regular seasons and competitive postseasons.

From the top down, is either a true contender to compete for the Finals this season? Especially with Mitchell Robinson's unfortunate injury, New York's integral defender and rebounder, a deep run will be harder for the Knicks. The Kings have the juice to make things interesting, but largely aren't quite there yet on the same level as the upper echelon of the West.

And yet, I could not care less.

Neither of these teams came in with the aspiration to win a title this season, although that isn't meant to diminish their goals; they're here to keep building and competing.

This is not meant as a direct shot or slight to any analyst, but that's also part of the point: The vast majority of NBA coverage has been skewed towards finding ways to discredit the Knicks and Kings instead of appreciating what they have done, and I frankly don't get it.

New York

I have to preface with this, the Knicks are maddening at times. Julius Randle is one of the most vexing stars in the league. Every time it seems that RJ Barrett has figured it out, he slumps. There have been rumblings of some frustrations in a "too many guys" situation, where some rotation players feel they can do more in a larger role (and I don't disagree). Tom Thibodeau might be the most consistent man in the world of basketball (positive) and he might also be the most consistent man in the world of basketball (derogatory).

Now let's look at the flip side.

Mitchell Robinson was having the best season of his career, putting it all together in year five as a defender, which makes the injury all the more frustrating. Best wishes and a swift recovery to Mitch.

Jalen Brunson has made the leap from solid player with the Mavs in year four, to very good starter on a 2nd round playoff team in year five with New York, to a bonafide star at the beginning of the 2023 calendar year onwards. He's now worked his way from decent stationary shooter to one of the better shooters in the league, a staggering development that's essential in his own stardom and bolstering New York's offense.

He's 13th in the league in made 3's this season, hitting at the 7th best clip in the association (45.8%).

I don't mean to be defeatist, or give teams a "pass" for not being at the top of the league, but we also have to be honest when we examine situations.

There's a nuance that comes with every team in the league, and the context of the Knicks is essential.

This was perhaps the worst managed team in the NBA for a decade when you look at the aggregate. Then they had a nice run with Carmelo Anthony while setting up the next slough of deals that would constrict them. 

Do you remember when Zach Randolph was a Knick? The David Lee, Al Harrington, Wilson Chandler triumvirate? What about the Derek Fisher era? Lance Thomas being the most overtaxed starter in the association for half a season? Marcus Morris and David Fizdale?

We can't entrap teams in their past or enforce them by a future that hasn't happened yet. If we don't take into account what the process was to get to this current era of New York basketball, I feel we're doing a disservice. That doesn't absolve Scott Perry, Phil Jackson, Glen Grunwald, Isiah Thomas, and Scott Layden for their mistakes in decision-making as executives. But, it does give reason to be patient and have some perspective with the iteration of the team under Leon Rose's guidance.

If the Knicks make the playoffs this year (I would say we've seen enough to believe that is reality), they'll have made the playoffs three times in four seasons, The Knicks made the postseason 4 times total from 2001-2020. More importantly, it's how Rose and company have made the playoffs. There haven't been rash decisions made to throw every asset on the table. They've drafted well. They've developed young talent. 

That was not the staple of the Knicks for the majority of my lifetime, and that context can't be let go, for me at least.

If the Knicks don't "make a move" to become a title contender in a year or two, perhaps we can approach them with some sort of disappointment, but I don't get doing that right now. They made the second round and took it 6 games last season. They've seen a marquee free agent develop into a legit star (even if he isn't a 1A guy, I'm not disputing that). This team is competitive and stable, which has not been the case most of this century. They have the potential to be more as time goes on. Let's keep it real and have some patience.

Sacramento

Do the Sacramento Kings have limitations as a basketball team? Absolutely.

Can we also be 100% serious with ourselves? Do you remember where the Kings were slightly over a year and half ago?

Sacramento went 3-12 in January, dropping to 18-34 after a blowout loss to.... the Knicks! 

They'd make the swap of Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield for Domantas Sabonis roughly a few weeks later. 

It was widely reported at the time that De'Aaron Fox was not likely to return similar value if dealt at the trade deadline: He'd just signed a max and had not been largely seen as a player worth that around the NBA.

The Kings made the swap, Haliburton has thrived in Indy, and Fox and Sabonis have unlocked one another in California. Fox has been a borderline MVP candidate this season as he's blossomed in efficiency and decision-making, making his first All-NBA team last year.

We can keep trying to relitigate the trade all we want: It happened. Both players have benefitted and both teams have benefitted. If you watched those Kings teams and thought Hali and Fox "worked together" you were not watching. Could they have worked in time? Who knows, it didn't happen. What if they'd traded Fox and built around Haliburton? It didn't happen and it wasn't going to.

The Kings traded talent for talent and to build something that coalesced a core, further supplemented by the trade for Kevin Huerter.

They made the playoffs for the first time in 16 years, pushed the Golden State Warriors to 7 games, and probably would've won that series if Fox doesn't break his finger. It wasn't a fluke, this team was legit good.

Now, in year two they are 16-10 on December 22nd; they were 17-13 the same date last season.

The offense hasn't hit quite the same yet, partially due to some shooting woes and regression (this team is 8th in offensive rating in December though, which is worth noting). The defense isn't much better by any metric, but in watching, there are consistent spurts where it feels better. They need more length and athleticism on the wing, no question. Yet, Keegan Murray deserves so much praise for his growth on that end.

He has been tasked with guarding anyone and everyone, and he has done it well. Murray isn't an elite stopper, but he's worked to become a plus. That's something they frankly didn't have last season. With Murray on the court, they surrender 4.3 points per 100 possessions less per Cleaning the Glass, in the 79th percentile amongst rotation players in the NBA in defensive point differential. Some of that is who is replacing him, but much is due to his own growth.

With respect to defense, it's worth noting as well that De'Aaron Fox has been a legit stopper at the guard spot when needed, especially in crunch time. His metrics tank because of the team defense as a whole, but he has been an above average defender consistently over the past year on and off the ball.

There are moments where the team is really able to lockdown and be more crisp on rotations than they were much of last year. It's not every game, it's not every possession, but it is more consistently there.

8 of the top 10 players on the team in minutes played are 27 or younger. This is not a vet heavy team in the slightest, as they're still coalescing and developing as a unit.

The Kings won more than 39 games, made the playoffs, won games in the playoffs, and were a good team for the first time since Rick Adelman's contract expired and wasn't renewed in 2006.

They haven't gutted themselves to sellout for a first round out. They still have assets, they have really good top end young talent and some solid players and developmental bets throughout the roster.

If there is any team that deserves patience and perspective, it is the Sacramento Kings. If this flounders in 2 or 3 years, then have at it. But, that hasn't happened, so there's not point in not being fair, honest, and real in your analysis.

I understand the infatuation with winning titles and competing at the highest levels, truly. But, that stuff doesn't happen overnight. And if a team attempted to do so, it probably would not workout in a way that plays out well in the near or intermediate future. We need to have patience and appreciation in the building process, awareness of the environmental context, and actually give grace where it's due. The Kings and Knicks are in a good place, they're stable, and they have moves to make.... I imagine that's right where they want to be.