Porzingis is Not Ready to Lead the Knicks to the Promised Land (Yet)…and That’s Okay
It’s really easy to fall for any hype train with any New York sports team.
Whether it is Aaron Judge, Jacob DeGrom, Odell Beckham Jr., or John Tavares; the minute a young player showcases any measure of other worldly talent in this city, the fans will automatically believe they are capable of winning a championship with this player while damning all logic.
It’s silly but it comes with the territory.
That doesn’t mean these players will never measure up to the hype. It does mean that it’s not going to be an overnight success story. Some journeys to reach championship status take longer than others. It is still possible for any of these young athletes to achieve their goal of bringing a title to this city.
The same applies for the the 7'3" Lativian Unicorn at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks suffered back to back losses against the San Antonio Spurs and the Washington Wizards and currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference while being two games under .500 (18–20).
As usual, it’s time to kick off the panic button and start pointing fingers without rationalizing the situation.
Kristaps Porzingis, the aforementioned star of the team, didn’t help matters when he confessed he’s winded as the season approaches it’s midway point.
“I’m tired, I’m tired, I’m so tired right now,’’ Porzingis said to reporters yesterday after the game. “I have one day to rest my legs and get back and play better and have more energy and try to bring the team’s energy up. We’re in a tough stretch. The mental part doesn’t help at all. When it’s mentally tough, you don’t have it in you.”
While many can appreciate the honesty, these are not the words you want to hear from your franchise player who’s supposed to carry the franchise forward. Analysts around the Big Apple were “up in arms” when he said that after the game.
“ When you score two points after halftime and your team loses for the second time in 24 hours, saying “I’m tired” is the worst kind of concession speech,” Frank Isola of the NY Daily News said in an article regarding Porzingis’ comments. “It sounds like an excuse. A tired excuse.”
The creeping doubts about him leading a franchise are rearing their head again and it’s only going to get louder as the season traverses and the losses keep piling up.
There’s one problem with everyone’s criticism, analysis, annoyance, and distrust with this team going forward: they don’t seem to realize that they’re just not ready.
Despite their posturing and asessement that they can make the playoffs and make noise, it is easy for fans to forget that this is still a young team trying to figure out their identity and are still in the learning stages of how to be part of the NBA greats. Are they a team that places an emphasis on defense like the Minnesota Timberwolves or Boston Celtics? Do they enforce ball movement like the Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs? Perhaps they want to push the pace and score five seconds or less like the Houston Rockets.
These are questions the Knicks need to ask themselves and it’s up to the coaching staff to develop them so that they can be efficient going forward.
Fans and the media also seem to forget that this is Porzingis’ first season as the number one scoring option and he is still learning how to be a better player. His usage rate is up this season from 24.3 percent to 32.7 percent. That’s a blessing and a curse. Opposing teams are aware of this and take advantage of this glaring weakness by trapping him and forcing turnovers.
It also doesn’t help that Porzingis desperately misses his secondary scoring option in Tim Hardaway Jr. His injury has forced Porzingis to take on an even larger role than he already has and it shouldn’t be shocking that he’s feeling the wear and tear of the season. The Knicks don’t have an outside scoring threat, let alone someone who can score in transition.
That is also reflective on the fact that the guard play is woefully underperforming this season. Frank Ntilikina is still learning how to be an effective lead guard, Jarrett Jack’s game is limited — as is Courtney Lee’s — and Ron Baker just isn’t the type of player meant to be an effective point guard despite the fact that his position line reads “combo guard.”
Not to mention, there are four centers on the roster and that equates to an imbalance on the squad.
In other words, the team is still a work-in-progress.
Yes, Porzingis’ comments have rubbed fans and the media the wrong way but it shouldn’t be taken to such extremes that he’s not built for the NBA or isn’t a bonafide stud. He is still one of the most unique athletes in the game and the potential is still there. He’s only 22 years old and is still a growing player. Perhaps Knicks culture should stop insisting that he adapt quickly and just exercise patience and allow the Unicorn to blossom his wings and bloom into a Pegasus.
Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek also needs to place a major emphasis on player development and not just chase the playoffs for playoffs sake. Player fatigue also stems from high usage rating and if he’s not developing players to help take the pressure off of Porzingis, he’s going to continue to feel exhaustion and it will just lead more losses. Add that to underdeveloped players and you have a waste of an NBA season since you did not develop the young talent and you didn’t even make the post season.
He also needs to learn how to take advantage of Porzingis’ athleticism and mobility. That’s what makes him unique from other players in the league.
“When Porzingis screens for a ball handler, it puts the defense in a very difficult position,” John Schmeelk of the WFAN said in an article. “Porzingis can roll to the basket, flare out for a 3-pointer or spot up for a midrange jump shot. If teams focus on him, it opens up the lane for the Knicks’ guard handling the ball. It’s extremely hard to cover, yet the Knicks rarely use Porzingis as a screener.”
These types of decisions are a hindrance to the team’s progression and if Hornacek cannot see why this is a problem, then he can be expected to find himself on the unemployment line at the end of the regular season.
This is not the end for this youthful squad. The fact that they have exceeded expectations shows that the Knicks are not too far behind in terms of talent but they’re not ready to compete against the upper echelon teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Toronto Raptors on a night to night basis YET. There’s still time to turn things around but the Knicks culture should keep in mind that there’s plenty of room to grow.
Porzingis will get the Knicks to the top eventually. It’s just not now.
Other Knicks Notes:
1.) The reigning G-League Player of the Month Trey Burke has not slipped through Knicks general manager Scott Perry’s radar. According to Stefan Bondy of the NY Daily News, the Knicks front office are impressed by his development and are interested in signing him to a ten day contract. However, there’s just one pesky problem: no roster space.
“Among the other 14 players on the roster, point guard Ramon Sessions would be the most likely waiver-wire candidate given his small contract (one year, $2.33 million) and lack of playing time,” Bondy said. “ However, the Knicks would prefer to make a trade to free up a roster spot. They already waived a player on a guaranteed deal (Mindaugas Kuzminskas) to make room for the return of Joakim Noah following a PED suspension.”
It’s an understandable assessment since Perry wants to accumulate as many draft picks as possible to build the team, but the chances of him trading a center like Kyle O’Quinn are slim. Not too many teams are in need of a backup center and are willing to part ways with a draft pick for them.
The most logical step is to just simply cut Ramon Sessions and sign Burke. Sessions has a veteran’s minimum contract. The Knicks are not exactly losing an arm with this decision.
Teams can start signing ten day contracts tomorrow. Burke is currently averaging 27.3 PPG while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. The Knicks cannot lose him to the G League Showcase, which starts Jan. 10 in Toronto. It is the league’s premier scouting event and he can be picked up by any big club in the NBA. Burke is a former lottery pick and teammate of Tim Hardaway Jr. during their Michigan days. It’d be nonsensical to just let him walk away.
2.) Enes Kanter is a really good dude. I just like the guy. Even though his game is flawed since he’s an unreliable defender, he does care for people and does a lot for others. You may not like his game but you can’t hate on the man.
3.) Good news! Two Knicks are in the conversation for being starters for the All Star game! Bad news: they’re on the outside looking in. It is possible for one of them — particularly Porzingis — to get in with the player’s voting. Guess we’ll wait and see. It is something to keep an eye on.
*credit to CBS Sports, NY Daily News, NY Post, WFAN, SNY.tv, Basketball-Reference, NBA.com/Stats
