The Knicks Need Quentin Grimes To Win a Championship

From the very first moment I saw Quentin Grimes getting minutes, I knew he was going to win this franchise a championship. I even went as far as declaring he’d have a better career than Donovan Mitchell two summers ago when the Knicks passed up on trading for one of the most overrated players in the NBA right now.

But Grimes stinks this year.

After averaging 11.3 points on 8.5 field goal attempts last season, Grimes is averaging just 5.8 in 5.7 attempts. Since injuring his wrist in the middle of November, Grimes is 5-for-28 from the field (17%) and 4-for-21 from 3 (19%) in 7 games. You are not allowed to continue playing in the NBA if you shoot these types of numbers.

Here’s what Grimes said about his recent struggles after Tuesday night’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks:

“It’s just hard when you go the whole first quarter without touching the ball, the whole second quarter without touching the ball, and then you get one shot and you got to make it. So it’s tough going out there and just standing in the corner the whole game, then you got to make the shot when you shoot the ball one or two times per game.”

So what makes Quentin Grimes so great?

Grimes is objectively the best on-ball defender on the team.

I know coach Thibs convinced himself Josh Hart was the only person capable of stopping Jimmy Butler in the 2nd round last year but Butler did everything he wanted to do with Hart guarding him and was in a straightjacket with Grimes on him.

At 6-foot-5, 205lbs, Grimes is strong and quick enough to stay in front of any guard in the league.

Super valuable when he’s playing alongside Jalen Brunson who can score 40 points on any given night but when he runs into a screen, he crumbles like Superman when Lex waves kryptonite in his face.

Offensively, he unlocked another level for the squad.

He was the 2nd best 3-point shooter on the team behind Jalen Brunson and his quick decision-making oiled up the Knicks offensive machinery when Julius Randle was jamming shit up with delayed isos wasting the entire shot clock and almost always resulting in turnovers.

Grimes is the exact type of guy you need to win a championship.

Whether it’s Bruce Bowen or Andre Iguodala or Iman Shumpert or Shane Battier or PJ Tucker or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, guys like Quentin Grimes help create championship parades in your city.

Why does Quentin Grimes suddenly suck this season?

I feel like Grimes believes his struggles are Tom Thibodeau having a short leash with him and pulling him from games after one missed shot but it’s not his coach who doesn’t believe him in.

Watch how other guys play alongside Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson or RJ Barrett.

Whether it’s Josh Hart or Donte DiVincenzo or Immanuel Quickley, that 4th wing on the floor gets about one chance to miss a shot or they won’t see the ball again.

Randle, Brunson and RJ aren’t natural playmakers so they have to make a conscious effort to pass the ball.

You can almost see their brains working overtime trying to remember to pass.

All three of them have the same shoot-first mentality.

So if you miss a shot, they really won’t pass you the ball again.

Last season, Grimes put the ball on the floor more but this year, it feels like his confidence has been robbed and he’s terrified of making a mistake.

Perhaps he recognizes a new pressure on himself this year.

The team has real playoff expectations this season and maybe he feels as if his mistakes have higher consequences.

How to fix Quentin Grimes?

There is no quick solution.

The J’s just have to pass him the ball more and give him room to regain his swagger.

But he can also win the Knicks a championship another way.

New York’s goal should be becoming the 2018 Toronto Raptors.

Win games. Develop a culture ready for championships and wait for the Kawhi Leonard-level talent to become available.

Quentin Grimes is the perfect piece for one of the blockbuster trades. He as an asset could unlock the superstar the NBA media constantly says this organization needs.

Now, I have no idea who that player is right now. I

have my eyes on Luka Doncic.

With Mark Cuban selling the team, I could see Kyrie do some weird shit and get suspended leaving Luka with Grant Williams and Tim Hardaway’s bobble-headed son. Maybe the Clippers melt and Paul George becomes that guy (although I don’t think he could lead a team to the NBA Finals at this point in his career). Shit, maybe it’s Kawhi Leonard again.

But Quentin Grimes is going to win championships for this team.

I hope he learns how to make 3’s again.

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