The Knicks Should Bring Back Langston Galloway
By James Griffo
Almost a month ago, I wrote about how Shane Larkin’s diamond in the rough status in his sophomore season was, and still is, thriving at the point guard position. This time around, the Knicks may have, or have, found yet another diamond in the rough via Westchester. The man is Langston Galloway.
One of, if not, the principal offensive cogs aside from Carmelo Anthony, was Galloway, who put up 21 points on 8-14 shooting, going 3-6 from the perimeter, one of his shots being a, to borrow a phrase from NBA Jam, a monster putback slam, much like the one he had in his second NBA fixture against the Rockets. The Knicks had finally snapped their elongated 16 game losing skid, the longest in the franchise’s history on their annual Martin Luther King day fixture.
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Galloway is certainly living the dream with the worst team in the NBA at the moment. But that’s not the point at hand here. I don’t really care about the Knicks’ record, nor do I care about the progress they are making this season as a collective. Clearly, the team is unorganized, hence Phil Jackson sending out Iman Shumpert and J.R Smith to the as a salary dump. Myself and every Knick fan knows that this year’s team is a complete dumpster fire. It’s a given. No need to explain the record.
What fans should be scrutinizing now, and in the future to come as well, is the fact that the Knicks are making the right decisions in the board room and not backpedaling into the gallows of James Dolan’s cerebral cortex, something fans thought they would never see. Phil may not be stockpiling picks like Sam Hinkie or Danny Ainge is, but after seeing another encouraging Langston Galloway performance, all aboard the right decision train! It isn’t being derailed for once; it’s on the same working track.
After Monday night’s game against the Pelicans, there is absolutely no way that Galloway will not be resigned for the remainder of this year. With the All-Star break coming up next month, why not re-sign him? If Langston isn’t retained, then what a colossal waste of time. And as much as I don’t want to get into the same argument, remember the Jeremy Lin hullabaloo that wasn’t supposed to be a hassle, but then was made into a hassle by Dolan and the CAA?
Jan 8, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Langston Galloway (2) shoots over Houston Rockets forward Josh Smith (5) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Galloway doesn’t have to be putting up first-rate numbers like he did against the Rockets and the Pelicans on MLK day, and even against the Sixers last night, where he dropped 11, to go along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Phil Jackson and the front office should be doing anything they can do to bring him back.
Out of every youngin on the team, I can see Galloway with the best upside. Perhaps the biggest part of his game throughout his college years at St. Joseph’s, who almost upset UConn in the second round of last year’s NCAA tourney, to his current stints with the Knicks, aside from his freakish athleticism is his three ball draining. Galloway is currently knocking down 38% of his three pointers. Back in November for Westchester, Galloway hit seven three pointers, with the majority of them being contested. In today’s NBA, where three point shooting is are the best shots you can take, having someone like that, no matter if it’s a classic spot-up catch-and-shoot guy (still miss you, Steve Novak), or a consistent chucker (now, that’s an oxymoron) with massive poise, something Galloway definitely has, why pass up on him?
This season, in 5 games, Galloway is averaging 11.8 points, 3.2 assists a steal and 3.3 rebounds a contest, including an eFG% of 50% and a .532 TS% in 26.9 minutes a game.
With a guaranteed top 5 lottery pick (the jury is out on the first overall pick), a plenteous amount of cap space, in excess of $30 million, it’s time for the Knicks to start legitimately stocking up on talent. And at the best time, too, in a season where every Knick fan wants to forget. Phil Jackson would definitely not object to the idea. Langston Galloway is just the start of something new.