What each returning Knick should work on ahead of 2023-24 season

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Jan 6, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) react against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Scotiabank Arena. / Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

The offseason is a crucial time of improvement for NBA athletes, with a full summer for most to hone their crafts and diminish their weaknesses. Player development has been and will be a core tenant for the Knicks, so expect these months to set up the year-over-year leaps many fans are hoping for from their players.

Here are the skills each returning Knick should focus on improving before next season begins.

Jalen Brunson – Defensive positioning

Even the Knicks’ savior and postseason hero has his faults, namely being a weak point in the team’s otherwise stout defense. Brunson is willing to sacrifice his body and draw charges but also gets beat off-ball and in one-on-one situations a fair amount.

If Brunson can make strides as a defender, it would make New York’s starting lineup all the more potent, and elevate him to superstar status.

Julius Randle – Catch-and-shoot threes

Randle’s deep ball was one of the biggest keys to his jump from starter to stardom, but even in his best outlier years from three, he favored looks off one or more dribbles instead of spot-up attempts. Last year he was only one percentage point better on standstill threes (34.5 percent), and he shot better pulling up in previous seasons.

This may be more of a feature than a bug in Randle’s game, as the bulldozing creator likes to feel the ball and make his reads before making a move. However, with the improving options around him and terrific catch-and-shoot looks available to him, his efficiency could make another jump with improvement here.

RJ Barrett – Foul drawing

Another scorer that can benefit from some of the easier points in the game, Barrett has the chance to take full advantage of his physicality on a nightly basis by getting to the free throw line more. His attempt rate is a fraction of his similar peers’, though he bumped that number up this postseason, suggesting its ceiling has yet to be…

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Author : SNY

Publish date : 2023-07-31 14:26:51

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