New York Notes: Schroder, Simmons, Bridges, Sims, Towns

While dealing Dennis Schroder to Golden State is viewed as a tanking move for a team looking to accumulate assets, the Nets can now play at a faster pace, according to coach Jordi Fernandez.

“Dennis was bottom ten slowest point guards in the NBA – pace doesn’t mean you’re better or worse – and Ben (Simmons) is 18th-fastest…We’re going to try to play faster. The ball is going to fly. He’s going to push. He’s going to throw it ahead,” Fernandez said, per Lewis (Twitter link).

We have more from the New York teams:

• As for Ben Simmons, he hasn’t logged over 27 minutes and 20 seconds in any game this season.  An unrestricted free agent after the season, Simmons said his playing time could expand soon, Lewis adds in another tweet. “I think my restriction right now is 27. I think it’s around that. So hopefully that changes soon,” he said.
• In an era when playing in all 82 regular-season games is a rarity, Mikal Bridges has established himself as NBA’s iron man. The Knicks wing made his 500th consecutive appearance in Sunday’s 100-91 victory over the Magic, a streak that started from his first rookie game with the Suns, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post notes. “Everyone talks about offensive traits and talents and defensive traits and talents, but the most impactful and the greatest trait you can have is availability and he has it and he’s shown it,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Shoutout to him. That’s a huge accomplishment.”
• Jericho Sims has garnered some trade interest, according to Bondy. Sims, playing on an expiring $2.1MM contract, has seen his playing time cut in recent games. The center position is the Knicks’ most obvious need, even though Mitchell Robinson is expected to return at some point. But the team doesn’t have many assets left after making two blockbuster trades in the offseason, though Miles McBride and Josh Hart could conceivably be dealt for the right player.
• Towns will return to Minnesota on Thursday for the first time since he was traded to the Knicks. He’s not sure how he’ll be received, according to Bondy. “I don’t know (how they will embrace me). But I know that every single day that I put on that Timberwolves jersey I gave the absolute best of me even when I wasn’t 100 percent,” Towns said. “I gave them all of me mentally, physically, spiritually. I was there nine years, so I go there with a lot of pride and joy for the memories that I have.”