The New York Knicks had one of the splashiest free agency classes this season. Does that equate to a playoff team?
Is there a more intriguing free agency class than the New York Knicks?
At the end of last season, it felt like the Knicks were opting to go in a different direction. Carmelo Anthony trade rumors ramped up again, only for the former Syracuse superstar to remind people of his no-trade clause.
The always interesting Phil Jackson once again played his role as The Riddler, suggesting that Carmelo’s no-trade clause is the reason he remains in New York, not his desires to build around him.
And then the Knicks went out and build a team that fits around Anthony’s timeline.
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The first move for New York was trading for Derrick Rose. The cost was Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant, but the move brought Rose, once a superstar, to New York.
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There are questions if Rose is even good anymore, but he’s a better point guard option than some of the players (I consider
Langston Gallowaya combo guard) the Knicks sent out last season and has a higher ceiling.
Free agency brought more talent to the roster. Once the clock struck midnight, former center Joakim Noah was in the orange and blue, signing for $72 million over the next four seasons.
The shooting guard void was filled by Courtney Lee for a modest $52 million over four years, Lance Thomas re-signed for $27 million for four years and Brandon Jennings took a one-year deal to back up Rose.
On a smaller level, the Knicks signed 2015 second-round pick Willy Hernangomez as well as Mindaugas Kuzminskas, a Lithuanian forward who was undrafted in 2011.
The new nucleus provided Jeff Hornacek several pieces to create a rather interesting team, but does it make the Knicks a playoff team?
At first brush, the Knicks defense should be better. Noah played just 29 games last season, but played well on the defensive side of the ball, finishing 21st among centers in defensive real plus- minus.
Alongside Porzingis, his value as a defender on the perimeter comes into play, as Porzingis will operate and defend closer to the rim. Both can defend and switch, though, which is pretty scary for the rest of the league … if Noah is healthy.
The other defensive assets for the Knicks are Lee, Holiday and Thomas. I wrote about Thomas here, but Lee is the main key. Lee is slightly undersized at 6-foot-4, but has always been a good defender and a solid shooter, knocking down 37 percent of his threes last season.
Four years is very rich for Lee, but again, he’s an upgrade over Arron Afflalo.
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Thomas is a solid defender, but the advanced statistics aren’t fans. Still, the eye test suggests that he can play alongside Anthony at the forward spot and defend more perimeter-based wings, which is a plus on this team.
Offensively, can Rose and Jennings stabilize the offense? Anthony finished tied for the team lead in assists last season for the Knicks, a sign that he had the ball in his hands a bit too much. Rose doesn’t really do that. He’s much more a score-first point guard.
Jennings is a better distributor but is still coming off an Achillies tear (though, the 13 points and eight assists per 36 minutes during his Orlando stint was nice). It remains to be seen what he is moving forward.
Anthony is an offensive wrecking ball and the pieces around him got a little bit better on offense.
The Rose/Jennings combination should be an upgrade at point guard, Porzingis should take a step forward in season two as a more consistent shooter and Noah’s passing could help the ball movement as well.
And of course, the combination of Lee, Thomas (40 percent shooter from three last season) and Kuzminskas’s 37 percent shooting from three in the Euroleague gives New York a handful of guys who can take create spacing for Anthony isolation plays, Noah trying to create from the middle of the floor and Rose’s occasional acceleration drives to the basket.
It’s an offense that makes some sense.
The Knicks got better this offseason, though the practice was odd. The Knicks got a short-term point guard upgrade and better in the short-term at center and shooting guard.
Much like the Knicks of old, though, the Knicks are relying on players who couldn’t stay healthy to remain healthy and players knocking on the downside of their career to fight off Father Time.
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New York has better balance on both sides of the floor, and if everyone can stay healthy, the results could be basketball in May.