New York Knicks: Jarrett Jack of all trades at point guard
Veteran point guard Jarrett Jack seeking a guaranteed contract has opened plenty of eyes since taking over as a starter for the resurgent New York Knicks.
The long career of Jarrett Jack has had its share of great moments mixed in with an array of injuries and missed opportunities. Entering the twilight of his career as a temporary point guard and roster mentor for rookie Frank Ntilikina, Jack has suddenly played himself into a starting role, looking to remain with the team this season.
The belief by many in the New York Knicks‘ front office was that Ramon Sessions would remain the starting point guard as Jack would do most of his work mentoring Ntilikina in practice or from the bench. After three subpar performances from Sessions, that plan was quickly scrapped as head coach Jeff Hornacek made the decision to put the former Georgia Tech star in the starting lineup prior to the team’s home matchup with the Brooklyn Nets.
Since Jack’s insertion into the starting lineup he’s revitalized a struggling Knicks team, providing veteran leadership at the point guard position. New York tallied off three straight wins before falling Wednesday night to James Harden and the Houston Rockets. During the streak, knocking off the three-time defending Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers had the entire basketball world taking notice of the explosive Knicks.
Hornacek shared his thoughts on Jack’s impact on the team during the winning streak with the New York Post.
"“When things get crazy, he can get us into something, and he guides us, too, He’s a thinking point guard. If some guy hasn’t had a shot in a while, he’s going to figure out a way to get him the ball. If somebody’s hot, he’s going to figure out a way to give him the ball. He’s out there thinking about the game. Jarrett is a veteran guy who’s really done a nice job finding the mismatch when there is one, getting the guy who’s hot, make sure he calls a play for that person. He’s just a good team leader that way.”"
The 13-year veteran has sustained several injuries over the past two seasons, limiting his play and value during free agency. Jack suffered a ACL injury early in the 2015-16 season as a member of the local rival Nets, ending his year immediately. The following season he was waived by the Atlanta Hawks during training camp after not being fully recovered from the injury, followed by a brief stint with the New Orleans Pelicans that ended prematurely due to a season-ending meniscus tear in his right knee.
Injuries aside, Jack has had a decent NBA journey with stints as a member of both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, where he served as the primary backup for superstar Stephen Curry.
This effective tenure earned Jack a non-guaranteed deal with the Knicks at the start of training camp as his focus was to help develop Ntilikina. He talks about his continued enthusiasm for the game and mentorship skills in a recent interview.
"“That’s just my job, pulling guys aside or directing on the court while the game is going on, That’s always been me, just trying to put people in the right spots. That’s something that was never hard for me. I love all of it. The highs, the lows — probably the lows more because it really shows the type of character you have in those moments. When everything is going great, everybody is all smiles, high-fiving. But the adverse situations, really just shows you can maintain those characteristics through the good and the bad. For me, it’s just another hurdle to try to get over.”"
It will be very interesting to see what the Knicks will do with Jack moving forward since he doesn’t have a guaranteed contract and a currently suspended Joakim Noah returns to the active roster soon.
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All signs point to a trade in the near future including a few current Knicks to free up space for a spot that Jack has definitely earned.