Knicks Take Porzingis, Trade Hardaway for Grant

After much intrigue and debate, Phil Jackson and the Knicks decided to roll the dice in the NBA draft on Thursday night, selecting Kristaps Porzingis from Latvia with the No. 4 pick.

It was much to the dismay of Knicks fans at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, who thoroughly made their displeasure clear by raining down boo’s as Porzingis made his way to the podium.

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A few minutes prior, the Los Angeles Lakers caused a cascading effect at the top of the draft by taking dynamic Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell second overall, leaving the door ajar for Duke’s Jahlil Okafor to fall into the Knicks laps.

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But these are the Knicks, and things of this sort just don’t happen that easily.

The Philadelphia 76ers – despite their plethora of big men – snatched Okafor at No. 3. The Knicks, with the option of selecting Emmanuel Mudiay or Justise Winslow, opted for the obscure but skilled 7-foot-1 Porzingis instead.

Knicks fans, like many others, paranoid from the disappointing experience of foreign players, are unfamiliar with the power forward who played professionally with Baloncesto Sevilla club in Spain.

The fact that Porzingis has incredible upside and potential is not in much dispute. He compliments a surreal 7-foot-6 wingspan with a guard’s agility and shooting touch. Scouts routinely compare him with future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, while similarities to Pau Gasol have also been cited.

The Knicks have no shortage of needs, and a skilled big man of Porzingis’ size and agility that can extend defenses to their limits with precision shooting will certainly be an asset to them. They were 28^th in field goal percentage and dead last in points scored last season, according to Team Rankings.

But New York was also second to last in total team rebounds and 27^th in opponent field goal percentage. It’s unclear how Porzingis can impact this area or how long he will take to develop, if ever, into an adequate defensive presence.

‘The risk is great, the reward’s great, too

’

— Knicks President Phil Jackson on Porzingis

Despite his immense upside potential and freakish skills, there are legitimate concerns about his slight frame and just how quickly he can step in to help the Knicks. At just 220 pounds, conventional wisdom says he will get pushed and bullied in the paint by bigger more physical NBA front lines.

From a purely personnel standpoint, it is curious the Knicks decided to bank on Porzingis, a developmental project, given the contractual commitment they made to Carmelo Anthony that seemingly translated to a win now approach.

Carmelo feels Phil needs to make moves that can help immediately. "He said, 'we have to wait three years for this guy?'" Knick source claims
— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) June 26, 2015

Jackson defended the selection while cautioning patience as his new big man develops.

“This young man’s an eye-opening athlete and a player, and so that’s something we have to go with,” he told the New York Post. Jackson’s role as an executive had already been questioned by some and his recent move will certainly fan those flames.

The Knicks will need to use the forthcoming free agency period to address the defensive holes on the roster. The team will have approximately $26 million of cap space flexibility and should look for wing defenders and bolstering a front line that can contest attempts at the rim.

Jackson made clear the potential in a home run selection in Porzingis outweighed the more ready-to-contribute prospects in Mudiay and Winslow. And although questions remain about exactly how long Jackson will remain at the helm in New York, he’s taking a scrupulous and patient approach to the team’s rebuilding process.

View image | gettyimages.com

The Knicks finished off their draft night by swinging a trade with the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 19 selection, Notre Dame point guard Jerian Grant. New York sent Tim Hardaway Jr. in return.

Jackson is familiar with the Grant family from his days coaching Horace Grant (Jerian’s Uncle) on his first “three-peat” team in Chicago.

The younger Grant was the focal point of a strong Notre Dame team that made an impressive run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament in March. He averaged 16.5 points-per-game for the Irish, while successfully spearheading a heavy pick-and-roll style offense.

At 6-foot-5, the Knicks will benefit from Grant’s tremendous size, particularly at the point guard position where he will be able to display the aggressive playmaking ability that allowed him to break down defenses at the collegiate level. His athleticism and change of pace ability should spark a lackluster New York offense and improve its backcourt defense.

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