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The Knicks announced five additions as they prep for work in Tarrytown, signing Tosan Evbuomwan, Garrison Mathews, Dink Pate and Bryson Warren to Exhibit 10 deals. The team also confirmed the signing of previous Sixth Man of the Year winner Malcolm Brogdon, who inked an Exhibit 9.
Julius Randle, for one, wasn’t planning on a quick return flight to New York. “I packed for Vegas,” the All-Star forward declared after practice Monday in Tarrytown.
“You know what, everyone seems to be excited about this [NBA] Cup and I think the players love it. I know the fans love it. It’s been great,” Thibodeau said after practice Wednesday in Tarrytown. “I think it pops. I know, like me, you’re watching games, you know it’s a Cup game. You can tell by the court.
“Definitely. It’s exciting, our first game of the year. But our approach has to be the same. Everything has to be the same. Only thing that matters is that this counts for an actual win or a loss,” Brunson said after practice Tuesday in Tarrytown. “We gotta go out there the same way we’ve been going out in the preseason, with the same mentality we have. “And if anything, it has to be a little more, because we’re on the road now. It’s gonna be a hostile environment. They have a great fan base. So I’m up for the challenge.”
“I think I knew that coming in, because Evan, he earned it, really. It’s his 11th year. … Thibs said you have to come in and earn it,” Grimes said after participating fully in practice Monday in Tarrytown. “That’s what I kind of expected coming into training camp, but then I kind of got hurt, so it kind of derailed that. “But I felt like [Fournier] earned it. He was the guy that had it coming in. And I had to prove myself. I didn’t get the opportunity to do that.”
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Asked if Walker has been at the Tarrytown facility, Thibodeau said, “No, he’s away from the team. That’s the way it is. He’s rehabbing, taking care of what he has to take care of.’’ Thibodeau said Walker is not working with team trainers. “No, he’s away from the team,’’ Thibodeau said. “And that was agreed upon. Our management, his agent and Kemba, we just felt that was the best way to handle it.’’
The Knicks finally opened their training facility in Tarrytown on Friday but that does not mean they will be part of the season’s restart. According to an NBA source, commissioner Adam Silver’s Board of Governor’s conference call with owners left the impressions that bringing back all 30 teams was unlikely.
The Nets’ facility in Brooklyn and the Knicks’ campus in Tarrytown are supposed to be shut down under the state’s order. A person familiar with the NBA situation said plans are still fluid, but players on teams located in COVID-19 hot spots such as the Nets and Knicks would be helped out if May 1 becomes the day for opening league facilities. At the facilities that do open around the league, players can participate only in individual workouts — and not group sessions — the person said.
The Nets’ facility in Brooklyn and the Knicks’ campus in Tarrytown are supposed to be shut down under the state’s order. A person familiar with the NBA situation said plans are still fluid, but players on teams located in COVID-19 hot spots such as the Nets and Knicks would be helped out if Friday becomes the day for opening league facilities. At the facilities that do open around the league, players can participate only in individual workouts — and not group sessions — the person said.
“Everything happens for a reason, you know what I’m saying?” Dennis Smith Jr. said after Thursday’s practice in Tarrytown. “It was already written, God’s plan, I just gotta execute my part, put my work in and everything will work out. It’s a business. I’m here, playing for the New York Knicks, that’s my job right now, so that’s what I’m focused on. You realized [last year] anything can happen, so you just gotta be the best version of yourself.”
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With two weeks left before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, the 22-year-old Smith remains behind Elfrid Payton and Frank Ntilikina in the Knicks’ point-guard rotation. The 22-year-old former lottery pick potentially could be moved for the second consecutive year, but doing so would represent an admitted mistake by the Knicks’ front office after Smith was obtained from Dallas in last year’s Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster. “Everything happens for a reason, you know what I’m saying?” Smith said after Thursday’s practice in Tarrytown. “It was already written, God’s plan, I just gotta execute my part, put my work in and everything will work out.
The Post reported before training camp that January was a target for Bullock’s season debut. “It looked like a long journey,” Bullock said after practice in Tarrytown. “Back way in July, even when it happened, I was just thinking about, December is so far along, so far away. “To see that I’ve made up so much time over the time and worked hard to be able to get back out here, to be able to play with my guys playing with the Knicks. It was a long journey but I’m right here almost at the finish line so just continue to keep pushing.”
Morris, according to a source, preached accountability and playing unselfishly, pointing the finger at himself as well as teammates, specifically Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. The message was well received by the players, a source said. Fizdale then conducted practice at the Tarrytown facility and was promptly fired afterwards.
Paul, on the cover of Sports Illustrated last month, was at the Knicks’ Tarrytown facility the day before last month’s draft with draft prospect, point guard Darius Garland for a workout. He had hoped the Knicks would trade back in the draft to scoop up Garland, who went to the Cavaliers at No. 5. According to a source, Paul tried to get New Orleans to trade Davis to the Knicks last month as hard as he tried to get him dealt to the Lakers.