Knicks Hot Takes After 1st Month of 2023-24 NBA Season

The first 11 games of the 2023-24 NBA season have painted the New York Knicks as a competitive club but one lacking the top gear needed to contend for the crown.

In other words, things have more or less fallen in line with preseason expectations.

Still, there are some early observations we can make about this team to help form a trio of hot takes.

RJ Barrett Is Making a Leap

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 12: RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks celebrates his shot during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden on November 12, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

While seven outings aren't enough for RJ Barrett to completely change perceptions about his game, early indications are the No. 3 pick of the 2019 draft might be enjoying his long-awaited breakout.

Knicks fans would be forgiven for raucously celebrating this development, since his emergence was their single biggest hope for climbing the ladder this season. Again, it's super early, but his stat sheet is chock-full of encouragements, like his 48.7/50/84.8 shooting slash, career-high 18.2 assist percentage, per Basketball-Reference, and his rotation-leading plus-25.5 net rating differential, per NBA.com.

"I just think I have a little better rhythm and, of course, I think I'm growing as a player," Barrett told reporters recently. "It's a system that I've been able to be in for a little bit. ... It's kind of easy because I understand and know the reads, and so do my teammates."

While we can't say for certain this is a full-fledged breakout, we can note this is exactly how a full-fledged breakout would look.

Mitchell Robinson Is Coming for an All-Defensive Team

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NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 6: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on November 6, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)

Mitchell Robinson has long hinted at having an All-Defensive type of upside thanks to his wealth of physical tools.

He has never been this close to fully realizing that potential.

He appears to be in the best shape of his career, and his level of defensive activity would leave you to believe that's exactly the case. If he isn't wreaking havoc above the rim, he's disrupting pick-and-roll plays by somehow containing both the ball-handler and the screener. He's rebounding more (11.7 per game) and fouling less (2.0) than ever, the second of which has afforded him the most floor time of his career (29.7 minutes).

This version of Robinson is a certified difference-maker, and one that could easily be honored as one of the league's best defenders by season's end.

Julius Randle Still Determines Their Success

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ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 15: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on November 15, 2023 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Julius Randle probably isn't the Knicks best player, a distinction that likely belongs to Jalen Brunson. He certainly isn't their most-important one long-term, a category in which he likely at least trails Brunson and Barrett, if not other up-and-comers on the roster.

Still, Randle is the best barometer of New York's success.

Because the Knicks are so heavily reliant on him—they traded away his backup, Obi Toppin, this offseason and never found a true replacement—they're often as effective as Randle is on any given night. When he's on, they're hard to beat. When he isn't, they're borderline hopeless.

His win-loss splits are staggering and wholly indicative of his impact on this team. In wins, he averages 23 points on 44.2/40/76.2 shooting while posting a plus-13 plus/minus. In losses, he slips to 14.2 points on 26.4/16.7/63 shooting with a minus-8.6.

The Knicks may not be his team, but they could still wind up going only as far as he's able to take them.