New York Post, Tuesday, December 1, 2020nypost.comTHE KNICKS
T
HEFIRSTtimeTomThibodeau
openeda debut training campwas
10 years ago,and he knewexactly
whathewould bewalking intoon
Sept. 27, 2010, attheBert o Center in
Deerfield, Ill.
Waitingfor him inside that gymna-
siumwas DerrickRose, 21, who across
the next six monthswouldblossom
into the NBA’ s MostValuable Player.
Sowas JoakimNoah, 24 , on theverge
ofstartinga five-year stretch inwhich
hewouldaverage adouble-double and
be oneofthe NBA’ s best defenders. So
was Luol Deng, 24 , alreadya five-year
veteran anda reliable scorer.
“This isa goodteam,” Thibodeau
said on theeve oftraining camp—
oddly,Thibodeauwas
allowed, encouraged
even,to express pub-
lic thoughts in free-
speech Chicago
—“andI thinkwe
all knowwehave
the capacity toget
much better ifwe
can learntoworktogether.”
The second time Tom
Thibodeau opened a debut train-
ing campwas sixyears later, and he
knewexactly whathewould bewalk-
ing into on Sept. 26 , 2016, atthe Mayo
Clinic Square TrainingFacility in Min-
neapolis.
Waitingfor him inside that gym-
nasiumwas Karl-Anthony Towns, 21,
thereigning NBARookieoftheYear
who was about tobecomea top-10player.Sowas AndrewWiggins, also
21, who’d won thesameaward theyear
before. Sowas Zach LaVine, himself
only 21, on theverge ofbecoming one
ofthe league’s mostexplosiveoffen-
sive weapons,good enoughtobe trad-
edfor Jimmy Butler.
“I think any coachwould beexcited
tohavethose kindsof
piecestoworkwith,”
Thibodeausaid on the
eve oftraining camp
—oddly,Thibodeau
was allowed, encour-
agedeven,to express
public thoughts in
free-speech Min-
nesota —“andI can’twaittoget to
workwith theseguys, seewhatwecan
become.”
Thibodeau’sthirddebut training
camp will beTuesday,andwemust
takeit onfaith that he knowsexactly
whathe will bewalking into atthe
Knicks’ practicefacilityinWest-
chesterCounty because since he last
uttered apublicwordduring Septem-
ber minicamps. he has either been
subjectedtoan absurdKnicksgagorder or had hisvoice box surgically
removed.
Sowecanreally only presumewhat
he thinks about theplayerswho will
beawaiting him inside his gymnasium
inTarrytown.
Wecan assume he isexcited about
having the chance to coach ObiToppin
and Immanuel Quickley from thevery
startoftheir careers;wecangues s he
ac cepts asa genuine challenge maxi-
mizing thetantalizing skillsofRJBar-
re ttand MitchellRobinson;wecan
suppose he will acceptthe puzzlesof
Kevin Knox andFrankNtilikina, trying
to will themtoac ce ptable prof essional
standards;wecan imagine he will lean
heavily onJulius Randle (19. 5 points,
9.7 rebounds pergame last season), the
Knicks’ lonevete ra n with any kindof
professional pedigree.
Thibodeau surely understands that
the challenge that awaits him here is
far different than the onesgreeting
him in Chicago —which he elevated
from 41to 62wins in oneyear—and
in Minnesota— 29 to 47intwo —and
that he must havea far more patient
approach than he’sever had before.Surelyheconvinced LeonRose that
he’s capableofthat.
And that’s good.Because right now
it isThibodeauwho is,byfar, the most
accomplished Knick, and that is nev-
era good signfor abasketballteam.
Great coaches becomegreat because
there is more relevantgreatness in the
room,excellentplayerswho can turn
abstract X’s and O’s into wondrous
andwonderfulbasketball art on the
floor. The Knicks are alongway away
from art, although inrecentyears they
haveresembled someofthe stuff Jack-
sonPollock might’ve tossed aside as
rough drafts.
Still, he isa start.Heisa building
block.Itis on himtopreach profes-
sionalism and craft the seedlings of
promise here, on himtoinfuse the kids
witha senseofbelonging and the old-
erguyswitha senseofpurpose. Gift-
edcoaches can carry the day in high
school, and they can create“systems”
that succeed eachyear incollege. In
the NBA,bydefinition, they must be
silentpartners ina team’s success. The
Knicks don’t haveDerrickRose on
theirroster, don’t haveKarl-Anthony
Towns, not now,notyet.
For now,they havea coachwho
is also, for better orworse,their star
at traction.It is on himtostart the pro-
cesswhere he can slowlyfadetothe
background, pull the strings from afar,
where thefocus can be on theguyson
thecourt. Someday, perhaps.Just not
this day. Not now.Not yet.
[email protected]Mike Vaccaro
Thibodeau a block,
but more needed
Marc Berman’s training camp roster breakdown
Pos. Player Age Ht. Wt.SG RJ Barrett 20 6-7 200
Barrett’s efficiency numberswerebrutal in his
rookie season after being the No.3 pick. He must
improve his 3-point (32 percent) and free-throw
shooting (61.4 percent).
SF Ignas Brazdeikis 21 6-7 215
The southpaw scoring forward,a second-round
pick in 2019, is no longera lock to make the roster
as the Knicks have 17 legitimate candidates for
15 slots.
SF-SGReggie Bullock 29 6-6 205
The Knicks opted into the rugged defender’s
$4.2 million finalyear. Bullock isa 3-point threat
(career 38 percent 3-point shooter). With no firm
starter at small forward, Bullock is in contention.
SF Alec Burks 29 6-6 214
Signed toa one-year, $6 million deal to bea bench
scorer. The former Jazz lottery pickaveraged 15
points and shot 38 percent from 3-pointrange in 66
games for Golden State and the Sixers last season.
SG Jacob Evans 23 6-4 210
A Minnesota throw-in trade piece when the
Knicks obtaineda second-round pick for Ed Davis’
contract, he is not expected to make the team.PG Jared Harper 23 5-11 175
Speedy player went undrafted in 2019 and
couldn’t find his footing in Phoenix, playing just
three NBA games but starring in the G-League.SF-PFMichaelKidd-Gilchrist 27 6-6 232
His stock plummeting, the former No.2 pick
signeda non-guaranteed contract. If he proves a
stout defender in training camp, he’sa lock.SF-PFKevin Knox 21 6-7 215
This isa giant season for Knox, whose confidence
regressed lastye ar. After averaging 6.4 points,
he is the most important project for new
assistantKenny Payne, who coached him at
Kentucky.
PG Frank Ntilikina 22 6-5 200
The 2017 lottery pick and longest-tenured
Knick is establishing himself asa defensive
specialist, best at off-guard. Don’t be surprised
if the Knicks wheel him at thetrade deadline for
future assets.
C Nerlens Noel 26 6-10 220
The former Sixers lottery pick has played for
OKC the past two seasons, coming on strong
last season asa two- waypresence. Noel could
win the starting job as the Knicks’ best free-
agent signing.
PG ElfridPayton 26 6-4 185
Broughtback ona reduced salary($4.8million
vs. $8 million), he certainlywas capable last
season, but Knicks brass got turned downby
othertop point-guard options.
SG Theo Pinson 25 6-5 212
The former UNC starwas known asa popular
locker-room guy in two seasons with the Nets.
But he’sa shooting guard who can’t shoot.
Team presidentLeon Rose is his former agent
and loves his character.
SG MylesPowell 23 6-2 195
His lack of height fora shooting guard is the
concern, but he’sa dynamic scorer (17.5 career
average). He likely will bereduced to competing
in a newly structured G-League format.PG-SGImmanuel Quickley 21 6-2 188
Taken at No. 25, few NBA scoutsregarded the
Kentucky combo guard as a first-rounder after he
measured 6-2 at the combine and is not known as
a playmaker.
PF Julius Randle 26 6-8 250
Knicks believe their pricey 2019 free-agent signee
will be more comfortable in his second season.
He’sa double-double guy, but needs to cut down
on turnovers and excessive dribbling.PG-SGAustin Rivers 28 6-3 200
Doc Rivers’ son never lived up to his lottery
selection but is serviceable at both guard spots.
Scouts believe he is savvy enough to finish
games at the point— even if he doesn’t start.
C MitchellRobinson 22 7-0 240
The shot-blocking center led the NBA in field-goal
percentage(74.2)to break Wilt Chamberlain’s
record. But the 2018 second-round pick still isn’t
comfortable shootinga jump shot.PG Dennis Smith Jr. 23 6-3 195
The key player asset in the KristapsPorzingis deal
will be in contention for the starting point-guard
role. However, sources contend the Knickswant
totrade the former lottery pick.PF Omari Spellman 23 6-8 245
The Middletown product has potential to bea
competent stretch4 (36.6 percent from 3) after
being drafted 30thby Atlanta in 2018.
PF ObiToppin 22 6-9 220
The Knicks gota goodva lue pick with the Dayton
dunk machine dropping to No. 8. But his defense
will be an issue withTo m Thibodeau.THEOLDOLDANDTHE
NEW:TheTheKnicksreturn
largelythethesameroster
thatwasoneoneofthe
worstinthetheNBAlast
seasonbutbuthavesome
hopewithproprovencoach
TomThibodeau.Thibodeau.
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