As the playoffs inch closer, it’s important to note that the New York Knicks have one remaining spot. At this point of the season, the rotation is all but set. Still, it wouldn’t hurt for the Knicks to fortify their roster with an additional weapon. If that player so happened to fill a void, all the better.
With that in mind, T.J. Warren and Chuma Okeke “are among the players on the Knicks’ radar for that spot,” according to SNY insider Ian Begley.
Warren and Okeke, both of whom play the forward position, have been suiting up for New York’s G League affiliate this season. Notably, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has been quite complimentary about Warren’s willingness to work his way back to the NBA by taking the G League route. That isn’t to say that Okeke wouldn’t be useful for New York if signed. However, if it’s an either-or proposition, Warren’s skillset should give him an advantage.
Knicks Considering TJ Warren With Open Roster Spot
The Knicks’ depth has been a conversation starter all season.
As with any Thibodeau-coached team, the first unit was going to get more than the lion’s share of minutes. Nevertheless, the scoring deficiencies of the second unit have put undue pressure upon the starters. To that point, the Knicks’ bench ranks 30th in points per game (21.3). In fact, the difference between their scoring average and the next-highest team (+4.1 points) is the same as the difference between the 19th-place Minnesota Timberwolves (33.9 PPG) and the 25th-place Philadelphia 76ers (29.8 PPG).
It’s unlikely that New York will be able to solve that problem overnight. However, signing a player like Warren could definitely give them a jolt. Among the better scorers, he has a career average 14.3 points per game.
Not So Fast!
The only problem with the idea of signing Warren for his scoring upside is that he usually needs to warm up before he heats up.
When playing 10-19 minutes, he averages just 5.0 points per game. Conversely, when he gets 20-29 minutes, he averages 12.4 points per game. Additionally, he averages 8.1 points per game as a reserve but 18.2 points per game as a starter.
With Westchester, Warren’s averaging 24.7 points in 37.0 minutes per game. Yet, that’s more points per minute than he’s scored as an NBA starter or reserve. Ultimately, his body of work suggests that he’s not necessarily instant offense but a spark plug nonetheless.
Warren very well could excel with New York. Due to OG Anunoby’s lackluster performance since coming out of the All-Star Break, Thibodeau may be more willing to mix things up. As Mitchell Robinson is set to return soon, their rotation needs at least one adjustment anyways.
Still, if the Knicks do sign Warren, tempering expectations is probably a good idea.
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