Shams Charania UPDATE: The latest on Jonathan Kuminga & Quentin Grimes | NBA Today

Shams Charania UPDATE: The latest on Jonathan Kuminga & Quentin Grimes | NBA Today

East is still wide open. [Music] It don’t matter what they say. I’m [Music] afraid to say it. The East is more open than it’s been in years. But I feel like every time you say that that it proves not to be true. But in this case, it’s because of injuries. Right. Jason Tatum, Tyrese Hallebertton. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers and the Knicks, they do have the shortest odds to win the conference. And speaking of the Knicks, they held their media day yesterday. Here’s what they had to say about their starting lineup. It will materialize throughout camp. I I think it’s too early to to go in and say, “Hey, this is what’s going to happen.” um the roster, you know, Leon and his group did a fantastic job uh putting together a talented, deep roster and and so you have to be methodical with your approach when it comes to declaring, okay, hey, these guys are going to start. Obviously, everyone being new to this is going to take some time, but uh very excited to get to um learn more and understand his philosophies and his concepts. And um I think uh once we get started we’re we’re going to go off to the right path. Yeah. I mean if I don’t if I don’t start I’ll probably ask for a trade and go somewhere else. So the good news is Nick’s fans are wonderfully patient right about who their starting lineup that is going to look like here. Tim, you were actually in the building before you jetted cross country to come visit us here in Los Angeles. So fans are saying, “Wait, we don’t know who our starting lineup is going to be.” But you were actually there. What’s your takeaway? Yeah, I mean my takeaway is that it’s going to be one of a couple of options. We’ll start with the one that we just ended with with Josh Hart, right? He started 77 games last year. Obviously was a huge part of their team. If Josh Hart is going to be out there in the starting lineup, that’s probably going to be allowing Knicks to play as fast as they want to do under Mike Brown. That’s one option they have. The other option they have is to go with Mitchell Robinson at center next to Carl Anthony Towns. They did that in the conference finals against the Pacers at Josh Hart’s suggestion when they were struggling in that series. That’s probably their best defensive lineup. Then the other way they could possibly go Malik is they could start Duce McBride next to Jaylen Brunson. Now yesterday Mike Brown talked a lot about wanting to get Jaylen Brunson off the ball, wanting to get more threes in transition. And if you want to space the floor and have the best shooting out there, Duce McBride of these three options is the best shooter of them. So there are a few different ways the Knicks could go, which is interesting given this is a team that spent so much time with those five guys. Y O McL Bridges, Brunson Towns, and Hart on the court together last year. But I do think one of the big storylines of the preseason across the league is going to be what direction Mike Brown wants to go with that starting five and what it means for the trickle down effect for the rest of the Knicks roster. How do you view this perk? It shouldn’t be a damn story line. Not if you’re trying to win and contend for a title. And this is the reason that they got their asses kicked last year in the Eastern Conference Finals because they was actually playing against a team that played a gender-free basketball and sacrifice. When you’re trying to win, it’s about sacrificing. One, it’s not about who starts. It’s about who finished the game, who wants to be in there when it matters the most. Two, what is the most important piece that’s going to get you over the hump? Who is that person? It is Carl Anthony Towns. How can you put him in the best position possible defensively? You know how by letting him play the four. Don’t have Carl Anthony Towns being your five and your center to be your anchor defensively. We saw the success that he had when he was in Minnesota playing alongside Rudy Gober and letting Rudy take on all the defensive assignments. If I’m Mike Brown, this is not even a question. I start Mitchell Robinson. And if it’s about winning, everyone has to fall in line. If it’s about uh accomplishing a goal that’s bigger than any individual, the best thing for them to do is to protect Cat, protect his defensive liabilities. And the only way to do that is by starting Mitchell Robinson alongside Carl Anthony Towns defensive purp. The only thing I’ll add real quick to that perk is everybody did say all the right things yesterday. Like Josh Hart said, whatever decision Mike Brown wants to make, I’m not worried about starting or not. Even though I think I’m a starter in the league, I the thing I think will be interesting is to your point, what does Mike Brown want to do with this team and how does he want to deploy his players? That’s where I think it’s going to be interesting storyline to see what he wants to do with this roster, not how the guys react. Sure. And the conversation has been a lot about health for the New York Knicks as well. And Mitchell Robinson has been a part of that conversation. So when you look at their depth and the options that they have, part of that is protecting them from themselves. Uh Bobby Marks, what does their depth actually look like here? Well, I think with New York, certainly when you add Malcolm Brogden and return Landry Sham and Jordan Clarkson, Gershell, there’s a lot of different ways that New York can go with this roster here. Certainly, we’re talking about who that fifth starter would be. And we’ve talked about Mitchell Robinson. I think the big thing too to look at is do does Mike Brown use Jaylen Brunson off the ball a lot more? And you can go with certainly Malcolm Brogden as far as putting him in there. Tim mentioned Deuce McBride. Here’s the thing, Malikica. You’re in the Eastern Conference. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different lineups during this year. Last year, Oklahoma City’s most used lineup was not used in the playoffs as far as from a starting perspective. The lineup with with certainly with Shay and Case Wallace, that lineup was used 22 times. Guess what? That lineup did not start in the playoffs at all and they still wind up winning an NBA championship. So, I think for New York, it gives you a lot of different options as far as what you can use as far as what Mike Brown, he’s got the depth that wasn’t there last year. Y you can experiment with different lineups during the year because as you said in the Eastern Conference, it is wide open. New York will play the Philadelphia 76ers twice. They will also face the Timberwolves, the Wizards, the Hornets as well before their season opener. That is on October 22nd against the Cavaliers. Another team right there at the top of the Eastern Conference. So, speaking of the 76ers, they have plenty of questions heading into the season. But there is one looming roster move that is yet to happen here, Shams, for the 76ers. What more can you tell us? It’s the restricted free agency of Quinton Grimes. And I’m told both of these sides are very far apart on a deal. Quinton Grimes agent, David Bowman, told me today that it was the first time today that the Sixers made a formal hard offer to Grimes as a restricted free agent. And Bowman added to me that Grimes will not be attending 76ers media day on Friday. He also will not be traveling with the team this weekend to Abu Abu Dhabi for preseason. From the 76ers side of this all, getting BJ Edgecom in the high lottery. Obviously that changes the dynamics of their back court and there is a level of uncertainty going into this year healthwise with key players like Joel Embiid, Paul George. And where does that leave the Sixers in terms of offering those high value, high multi-year deals? Where this is really going, where these sides are staring at is that $8.7 million one-year qualifying offer for Grimes or sign and trade or potentially one-year larger deal where Grimes would wave his no trade clause. This is really heading down the barrel as we get closer to October 1 of a potential qualifying offer deal. And there’s so many questions that the 76ers had. You alluded to the health piece of all of this. This is not another one that they want hanging over their head. And yet here we are. While we’re talking about questions that have not yet been answered this off season. You all know where I’m going with this, right? One more free agent yet to make the deal. Of course, Jonathan Kaminga and the Golden State Warriors. I feel like I’ve asked you this 10 times and I may ask you 10 more. Where do things stand? So Jimmy Butler is actually holding a team function, a team mini camp in San Diego this week. This is the first full year of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler all together. One player that is not there. The only player on the potential Warriors roster that isn’t there is a restricted free agent Jonathan Kaminga. My understanding is he is not appearing at this team function, this camaraderie mini camp in San Diego. This is still at a sales a stalemate. I spoke to Aaron Turner, Kaminga’s agent today, and he told me the player option still remains critical in these conversations. We know about the threeear $75 million offer or a 2-year $45 million offer. Both still have team options in them. Him, just like Grimes, has until uh October 1st before his decision. But these sides still at a stalemate. Jonathan Kaminga did not appear at the first kind of team related event the Warriors players had today. I just appreciate that you called it what it is. It’s a function. It’s not just a get together. It’s a function for the Golden State Warriors. Shams, thank you. Uh media day though, it’s come and gone for four of the 30 teams in the NBA. So, what do you say? Let’s recap some of the highlights, shall we? We’re going to start in Brooklyn. That’s where new swing man Michael Porter Jr. had some thoughts on his new commute. The traffic is tough. I So, I shipped a car out here. I was I was figuring out can I drive and I’m you know I’m ended up no being like no the the $200 $250 a day of Ubering is worth it out here I had a car in Brooklyn broke and I ain’t worth it you know New York is is different Bobby any advice for MPJ on handling that New York Listen I can save you $240 get a metro card here get on the subway go from Brooklyn to Manhattan here and you can save a lot of money per day by doing that he’s got to learn his geography I live in New York you can’t be spending $250 $50 a day going to the practice center. Guys, I took a Uber from Vegas to Los Angeles the other day because I had to. I feel him on that price. Uh, from New York to New Orleans, Dejante Murray, he spoke yesterday at media day. Take a listen. I could run 10 down and backs in probably 57 seconds. Uh, and this just from all the work, you know what I’m saying? Uh, I think I could beat a lot of guys oneonone right now if I’m just being honest with you. And that’s just the confidence. That’s the work I’ve been doing. Like I said, six days a week, twice a day. But the beauty of it is, you know, you you’re not there’s no rush. I don’t feel rushed by nobody. You know, everybody’s on board and like I said, I’m just having fun. Well, that’s good. But Sham Jonte Murray only played 31 games last year. When would could we see him back on the floor for the Pelicans? Malikica, he’s making progress. He’s doing a lot better. Every every single day, he’s doing a little bit more. But this is an injury that occurred late in January. The surgery for this Achilles tear was early February. So, I would look at right after New Year’s, that New Year’s area, as to where the Jonte Murray can start to pinpoint when he could make his return. All right, New Year’s it is. Sticking with the Pelicans here, new center Kavon Looney asked about his status on his new squad. I would say age is probably I played with with reals that was in a 30 35. I played with a couple 40 year olds so I know what what reals look like. Shout out my man Andre Godala. He was like 45 when he was playing with me. So uh I would say about about 35 is is the age you can be considered in the NBA locker room. 34 35 is is the age in the locker room. Not 29. He’s only 29. Perk. Is he really considered status? Yeah. Yeah. He’s considered. You know what I mean? Once you hit 30, you become and and auntie, you know what I mean? So I was called auntie yesterday. We’re definitely I was I was right there. Look, coaching up bra getting on this behind perk. I’m 30. You was called auntie yesterday. Yeah. I was born in 1995 and I was told yesterday you were born in the 1900s. What? [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

On NBA Today, Tim Bontemps, Bobby Marks & Kendrick Perkins discuss which starting lineup the New York Knicks should utilize this NBA season. Then, Shams Charania joins to discuss the latest news for restricted free agents Quentin Grimes and Jonathan Kuminga.

0:00 Knicks media day
1:37 What’s the best starting 5 for New York?
4:45 Bobby Marks touchscreen
5:49 76ers & Grimes far away from a deal – Shams
7:34 Jonathan Kuminga not present & Butler’s mini camp
8:42 Nets & Pelicans media days

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