Blake Griffin is not Knicks’ cup of tea right now.
As it is bought by the Pistons, The Post has learned that the Knicks will pass on the former All-Star master.
That says a lot about where he is now. Julius Randle, who commands aviation reports, was called in Thursday by coach Tom Thibodeau, an “All-NBA player.”
And there is no desire to put the team president’s team, Leon Rose, Obi Toppin, on the pin and prevent it from growing. In addition, Kevin Knox is waiting in the wings. This does not mean, however, that Rose will not explore improving the list’s talent level until the March 25 trading deadline, to help boost the playoffs.
Rose, who was not in the usual place in the garden on Thursday, while the Knicks faced the Pistons in the last game before the All-Star break, has a lot to weigh because she carries a package of assets.
Rose is playing with the house money, while the Knicks start a shocking 19-18 and are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
Thibodeau created a unit with excellent chemistry and camaraderie. Several players talked about how “closely related” the team became.
Rose isn’t sure she wants to tempt fate and mess with the locker room vibe after adding Derrick Rose to a Super Bowl Sunday deal.
The station reported on February 11 that the Knicks were monitoring the availability of superstar Bradley Beal and former All-Star Victor Oladipo. The wizards are growing and Beal has expressed his devotion to the team, so there is no chance to make him available this season. And there has never been a single legitimate report, the Bulls are willing to move Zach LaVine, All-Star for the first time, who will not be a free agent until 2022.
However, Oladipo remains in the game for the Knicks, as the Rockets are expected to change him in time, as he slips into oblivion. Oladipo will be a free agent in 2021 and it looks like he wants to sign with the Heat. That would make Oladipo a lease, as the Knicks are looking to increase their bid to break a seven-year playoff drought.
Knicks CEO Scott Perry, while with Magic, drafted Oladipo in second place in 2013 and supported a potential trade. But Perry is no longer the main decision maker. He hasn’t been to the garden in five games, researching the end of the G-League’s bubble season.
Oladipo, who has recovered from knee surgery, recently missed four straight games with leg problems and struggled late to shoot. But it has an average of 20 points, and its 3-point percentage is 36.2 percent. However, some scouts are still worried about his physical condition.
If RJ Barrett’s swing continues to progress as a consistent offensive force, the Knicks may see Oladipo as less necessary to increase the score on the field.
According to a source who has been in contact with Knicks Brass, the franchise is still unsure if the team has a safe guard.
As electric as rookie Immanuel Quickley was, they still think he could be a washer from the sixth or start as a goalkeeper off the ball in the right lineup. He is not seen as an elite player.
That’s why the Knicks have always kept an eye on Hornets goalie Terry Rozier and the young pelican, Lonzo Ball (which would probably be more of a summer deal).
Knicks is still in a holding pattern when it comes to adding a traditional center to the roster. Starter Mitchell Robinson will come out until maybe the end of March, with a broken hand, and Taj Gibson will come out indefinitely, with a strongly sprained ankle.
The Knicks should have removed a player – probably Austin Rivers, who disagreed with the addition of Rose and did not adjust to his new role as cheerleader.
Nerlens Noel was great keeping the central fort pressed, capped by his performance against the Pistons on Thursday: 12 points, 5-for-5 from the field, 11 rebounds, four steals, two blocks.
Noel has bad knees, though, and fewer minutes would be better for his longevity. The Post reported that the Knicks had “analyzed” whether former All-Star center Andre Drummond was a good chemical match with Randle.
The station also learned that the Knicks had internal discussions about their former center, Kyle O’Quinn, originally from Queens. O’Quinn played moderately for the 76ers last season, but was transferred to the free agency in November. O’Quinn joined a Turkish team, Fenerbahce, in January and made 21 of 26 shots in seven games.