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Has Kristaps Porzingis Hit The Rookie Wall?

By Sean Linhares

Feb 26, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) slam dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the Magic 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) slam dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the Magic 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a lightning fast start to his career, New York Knicks budding star Kristaps Porzingis may have hit the dreaded rookie wall.

Did anyone expect this much from Kristaps Porzingis, this soon?

At 20 years old, KP has taken the NBA by storm in his rookie season. The Latvian sensation was taken fourth overall last summer by Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks and has since gone to work proving everyone of his doubters wrong.

Despite the draft day boos, Porzingis has become the sole reason of hope for many fans of the Knicks. Averaging 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, Kristaps has already garnered three Rookie of the Month awards, with many agreeing that he’s the future of New York basketball.

It’s pretty clear that this is a guy unlike anything else we’ve seen out of Europe. KP has blasted through any preconceived notions about being just another soft-Euro stretch-4 that can’t play both sides of the ball. There’s a reason Porzingis is called the Madison Square Guardian, after all.

He may have a relatively small frame, especially for a 7-footer, but Kristaps has shown a fire to him not many expected him to have pre-draft. This is a guy that doesn’t just initiate contact down low, he enjoys it. Porzingis wants to own you down low and won’t take no for an answer, and that goes both ways.

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KP still has a long way to go until he’s a truly great defensive presence, but there’s an incredible amount of potential there. Already, he’s among the league’s best at swatting shots and his athleticism allows for some interesting defensive sets. He still has a way to go in terms of building muscle and getting better at playing defense within the team, but the sky’s the limit for Kristaps on the defensive side of the ball.

As great as Porzingis has been, the physical toll this season has taken on him is beginning to show.

Coming into his rookie season, the most minutes Kristaps has played in a basketball season had been the 1,072 minutes he had accumulated last season while playing in Spain. Now a year older and playing in the much more physically demanding NBA, KP has already at 1,775 minutes played and finally, it is beginning to affect him.

Since the All-Star Break, nearly all of Porzingis’ statistics have dropped. He’s averaged only 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, and is shooting a dreadful 39 percent from the field, plus 26 percent from deep. Even more concerning? The past two games. After being given off against the Detroit Pistons last week, Kristaps has gone just 5-for-21 from the field, scoring a combined 19 points and snagging only 10 boards while swatting two shots.

Mar 4, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) reacts during the first half of a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) reacts during the first half of a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

I’ve been extremely critical of Kurt Rambis and his coaching of these Knicks, but to his credit, he’s done a nice job handling the collapsing Porzingis. Rambis hasn’t played his rookie star more than 30 minutes in his past six appearances, only hitting the 25-minute mark once even then.

I don’t think anyone thinks this is all Kristaps will ever be and it’s common for rookies to have a tough time late in their first NBA season. The regular season alone is double that of a college season, with longer games and a more physical style of play. When you add in the fact that KP is still just a kid and years away from being a finished physical product, it’s no surprise we’re seeing him sputter down the stretch.

This isn’t so much a rookie wall, but a rookie glass sliding door. You might accidentally walk into it once and it will definitely be embarrassing, but eventually you’ll just open that sucker up and walk right through.

Obviously you want the future of the franchise to get meaningful minutes and continue his development, but there’s also a cap on that. KP is a slim, 7-foot 3-inch specimen and the last thing you want is to wear him down in games that are, at this point, pointless.

From here on out, both Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps should be used to a minimum. Of course, you still want them to get playing time, but you absolutely can’t risk any injuries to the biggest assets the Knicks will have when it comes time to lure free agents to New York. The last thing this team needs is more questions about Melo’s knees or whether or not KP can stand up to an NBA schedule this offseason.

In the meantime, Rambis should be able to take their minutes and delve them out to guys with question marks still surrounding them. KP’s fellow first round pick Jerian Grant and second-year standout Langston Galloway could both see some more playing time down the stretch, while Derrick Williams is still as interesting a prospect as any on this roster.

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The Knicks may be far off from being a playoff team, but that doesn’t mean the rest of this season is a waste. With KP and Melo likely playing limited minuted down the stretch, this can be a nice time to move forward and try new things as we head into a crucial offseason for Phil Jackson and company.

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