3. Wing building block
When taking a look at the Knicks’ roster, it was clear where they needed to upgrade this offseason. The wing, specifically small forward, was clearly the team’s weakest position.
That point was driven home when Fizdale talked about his potential starting lineup, saying Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr. were too small to start together at shooting guard and small forward.
David Fizdale says he has no problem starting Kevin Knox and he would’ve had no problem starting Frank Ntilikina last year. He asked who else could start at SF for the Knicks and, when Courtney Lee and Hardaway were brought up — the coach indicated they’re too small.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) June 22, 2018
Fizdale is probably not wrong in that assessment. Lance Thomas and Troy Williams were the only small forwards on the roster heading into the offseason. At 30 years old, Thomas probably won’t be around by the time the Knicks are contenders again. Williams is also a bit of a tweener between shooting guard and small forward.
Taking a look at the roster, the wing was the only spot they didn’t have a building block. Kristaps Porzingis and now Mitchell Robinson, represent building blocks in the frontcourt. Frank Ntilikina, Trey Burke and Emmanuel Mudiay provide potential building blocks in the backcourt.
With Knox in the fold, the Knicks now have a legitimate building block at each level of their lineup. As a result, Knox fits a need in both the immediate and in the long-term.