New York Knicks: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason
Bobby Portis signing
Are you sensing a theme here with the New York Knicks signings? No, this is not a joke. The first three players the Knicks signed with their cap space all play the same position, and they aren’t even done adding players to the power forward/center spot.
The Knicks and Bobby Portis agreed to a two-year deal worth just under $31 million. However, like Gibson’s contract, the second year is a team option, so if the pairing doesn’t work, the Knicks can move on.
Portis is an interesting signing by New York. Most people know the former Arkansas Razorback as the guy who punched out his teammate, Nikola Mirotic, while with the Chicago Bulls. Despite that ugly incident, Portis has turned himself into a solid contributor on the basketball court.
He has improved his stats across the board each season in the league, putting up a career-high 14.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last season with the Bulls and Washington Wizards.
His ability to stretch the court from the 4 or 5 positions is what will make him valuable for the Knicks, as he is a career 36.1 percent shooter from distance in his career and knocked down 40.3 percent in 28 games with the Wizards.
That 3-point shooting ability makes him a solid fit, schematically, alongside any of the other frontcourt players the Knicks have. His shortcomings defensively may be difficult to hide sometimes, but Fizdale is used to having to do that after deploying Enes Kanter last season.
Portis doesn’t turn 25 until February, so he is another player the Knicks are getting heading into their prime. If he can continue on the same development path as he has been on the last two seasons, the Knicks will have quite a versatile, offensive player for their frontcourt to use.
The confidence he has in himself and his new team and teammates is also refreshing. However, paying someone over $15 million annually you know won’t start, after handing out $10 million, is a bit of a head-scratcher.