What Do a Monk, Fox, and Unicorn Have in Common?
The Knicks have been a major disappointment this year. Meet the two players who can turn the franchise around
The New York Knicks’ season has pretty much been bad at every turn. They are 15 games under .500, and show no signs of turning their season around.
The so-called “super team” was a miserable failure. Joakim Noah is no longer the All-Star he once was. His contract will be an albatross for a long time. This season, Noah played in 46 games and averaged just 5.0 points per game. Yesterday, Noah was banned for 20 games for taking a banned substance.
The other big addition of the offseason, Derrick Rose, has been a headache the entire year. He has gone AWOL, been caught in the middle of serious legal allegations, and clearly left any defensive skills he once had in Chicago. At the trade deadline rumors swirled of unloading Rose, but somehow Phil Jackson managed to screw that up too.
On top of the offseason acquisitions not working out, the Knicks treated Carmelo Anthony worse than a player on a ten-day contract. Phil Jackson clearly does not care about the player who carried the franchise on his back for years now. While many people (including Melo) thought Jackson was on his way out of the Big Apple, Anthony is in this toxic environment for at least another season.
Currently, the Knicks sit 12th in the Eastern Conference. While every single fan is clamoring for a tank, that does not seem like the plan within the organization.
If the draft plays out to current standings, the Knicks will pick 7th. Unfortunately, that will take them out of contention for top prospects like Markelle Fultz and Josh Jackson. However, there are two perfect prospects that can push the franchise back to prominence.
De’Aaron Fox
De’Aaron Fox is the best prospect you are not talking about. Standing at 6'4", Fox has great size for a point guard. He is one of the fastest players in the country and averages over 16 points per game. The Kentucky point guard is looking to follow in the footsteps of John Wall and Tyler Ulis en route to becoming a consistent NBA contributor.
Why is Fox not ranked higher? Well, his jumper sucks. He is shooting an abysmal 23% from beyond the three-point line and is not strong from the free throw line either, shooting under 75%. However, the Knicks can help Fox strengthen his shot. Their patience would pay off dividends.
Malik Monk
However if Fox is off the board, the Knicks do not have to look far. Kentucky’s shooting guard, Malik Monk is a spectacular player who is ready to make the leap to the NBA.
Monk has been a star for the Wildcats. Averaging 20 points per game and shooting just under 40% from beyond the arc, Monk could step into the lineup right away and be an important contributor.
The SEC Player of the Year would be a welcome addition to the Knicks lineup and in tandem with Porzingis grow into a fearsome 1–2 punch in the Eastern Conference.
However, this will only be possible if the Knicks continue to lose. If they are able to pick in the top eight, they will be able to add the star they sorely need.
Unless, of course, the draft lottery does not go as planned and they get cheated out of the pick they ‘rightfully’ earned. Porzingis reminds us how that turned out last time every time he steps on the court.
