Two NBA Insiders have spoken highly of New York Knicks wing Quentin Grimes. ESPN’s JJ Redick and The Athletic’s Jared Weiss see a big season ahead for the 23-year-old.
“[I saw] some improvement offensively and some improvement with consistency shooting the basketball,” Redick said on his podcast, The Old Man & The Three. “He’s highly competitive, highly energetic, he fits on that team, he fits on that roster.”
Redick definitely knows a thing or two about shooting. In his career he shot 41.5 percent from three-point range, and 44.7 percent from the field. He saw Grimes’ potential first hand. Grimes reached out to Redick on social media and asked to workout with him, which lead to them spending two days with each other in the Hamptons. He believes he will step up this upcoming season.
“The guy could potentially give them another five wins in the regular season and really, really help them in the playoffs, I think as much as people talk about [Immanuel] Quickley… Quentin Grimes.” And Redick is not alone with this prediction for Grimes.
“This year is gonna be Grime time at MSG [Madison Square Garden],” Weiss said on The Athletic’s preview of the Atlantic Division. “Immanuel Quickley made the national leap last year, but Quentin Grimes has the potential to make that same ascension as he gets better attacking the rim and making decisions off the catch.”
Weiss spoke about what Grimes brings to the Knicks’ offense, and also believes he will take a jump this season.
“He’s a good spot-up shooter who can drive open space to throw it down and finish solidly in transition; plus, he gets buckets on a nightly basis from cutting backdoor and crashing the offensive glass. He knows how to work the floor and find a role in the offense, but there’s more creativity to unlock in his game and he should take another step forward this year.”
Grimes is a favorite of head coach Tom Thibodeau, who doesn’t usually favor young players. He earned a starting role and even spent more time guarding the other team’s best player than any other Knick last season. He was also third on the team in three-point percentage.
The Knicks have been hesitant to trade Grimes, and they’re certainly not alone in believing he will be a premier 3&D player who can take them to the next level.
Make sure to follow The Game Haus on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest sports and esports news.
Stay tuned for more weekly NBA coverage of all your favorite teams!
“From Our Haus to Yours”
Featured photo courtesy of the Knicks app.