When a rookie earns a serious role in an NBA team’s rotation, it’s worth noting. Because most first-year players tend to ride the bench. On the Knicks, here’s the New York Post:
Quentin Grimes’ rookie year started extremely slowly as he was used strictly in garbage time until early December.
But the Knicks’ 2021 first-round pick has impressed Tom Thibodeau so much with his ferocious demeanor, the shooting guard out of the University of Houston is now the coach’s choice to stay in the rotation over Cam Reddish.
Yes, the ballyhooed 2019 lottery pick out of Duke the Knicks traded for nearly two weeks ago is behind Grimes in the pecking order. Ironically, the Hawks asked for Grimes in the trade and the Knicks said no thanks…
In 30 games, Grimes, selected 25th in the draft, is averaging 5.5 points but shooting 40.5 percent from 3-point range, where a large percentage of his shot attempts come from. Though he’s shooting 41 percent overall, his effective field-goal percentage — which adjusts for 3-pointers being worth more than 2-pointers — is 57.2 percent.