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Grading the Knicks’ Offseason Business

By Will Z. Schwartz

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Aaron Afflalo: 

April 3, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Arron Afflalo (4) shoots against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The list of things the Knicks lacked last season is extensive, however some of the biggest holes they needed to fill were shooting and defense. In that regard, Arron Afflalo is an ideal fit. The shooting guard will slot right into the starting lineup as a much-needed 3-and-D wing player, adding scoring, athleticism and experience to a Knicks team that frankly, lacks all of that.

Afflalo’s versatility is also a key factor, with the swingman able to move up to small forward in order to accommodate some of the Knicks’ younger guards such as Langston Galloway and Jerian Grant. While last season was slightly disappointing by Afflalo’s standards, his achievements with the Nuggets and Magic suggest that he could be a very effective asset for New York.

At just $8 million a season, the Knicks managed to avoid overpaying, ensuring that extra cap space was left open for some of their other free agency targets. He may not be the flashiest of players, but Afflalo’s all around game should prove to be a useful commodity for the current Knicks side. Phil Jackson got this one right.

Grade: A-

Robin Lopez:

Apr 25, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez (42) reacts after being called for a foul against the Memphis Grizzlies in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

He may look identical to a certain center from across the East River, however Robin Lopez and his twin brother couldn’t be more different. While Brook possesses a skillful post game, Robin prioritizes defending and rim protection while taking on on a lesser role on the offensive end of the court. That being said, the argument can be made that the latter is possibly a better fit for the present-day Knicks.

With a 7”0, physically imposing frame, Lopez’s size and strength enable him to lock down opposing big men and clog up the lane. A lack of athleticism occasionally hinders his rebounding, however his tenacity and craftiness have helped him developing into one of the better offensive rebounders in the league. While scoring isn’t a major aspect of his game, he managed to average close to 10 points per contest last season, largely through dirty work such as put backs and tip ins.

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All in all, his impact on the side will likely be Tyson Chandler-esque, something the Knicks have missed since, well….Tyson Chandler. With the imminent cap rise, $13.5 million a season is a fair price to pay for a solid and experienced center. This one should turn out to be a wise long-term investment.

Grade: B+

Derrick Williams:

Apr 13, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Derrick Williams (13) goes up for the shot against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

The riskiest of Phil Jackson’s summer signings, adding Derrick Williams can swing both ways for the Knicks. The number two overall pick of the 2011 draft has been a perennial underachiever since entering the NBA, yet the talent he displayed at Arizona was sporadically evident during his time with the Timberwolves and Kings.

A powerful, athletic player, Williams has the capacity to act as a genuine offensive option in order to remove some of the scoring load from Carmelo Anthony’s shoulders. He garners question marks over his defensive ability however, and is well known for his inconsistency and lack of production on both ends of the floor. For every high-flying dunk, Williams seems to tally multiple poor decisions, which in the end causes more harm than good.

Derrick Williams has talent, and that doesn’t just disappear over time. $5 million a year is a sizable amount of money, and Phil Jackson will be banking on the Knicks being the right fit for him to finally unlock his potential. Some will say executives need to occasionally make high risk, high reward decisions in order to achieve success in the NBA. This decision however, seems a bit too high risk for my liking.

Grade: B-

Kyle O’Quinn:

After signing Afflalo, Lopez and Williams and filling up most of their cap space, many onlookers concluded that there wasn’t much else Phil Jackson could do in free agency. Not to be deterred, he instead went out and picked up Kyle O’Quinn in a sign and trade deal with the Orlando Magic. One of the league’s lesser known commodities, many Knicks fans knew very little about their team’s newest player when the news broke that he was New York bound. However while he does posses a slightly enigmatic quality, Kyle O’Quinn is an impressively astute signing.

Able to play both center and power forward, O’Quinn represents a solid depth addition by a Knicks team who desperately needed to stock up on bigs. His offensive potential is evident, with a silky midrange jumper and an impressive range of passing skills for a player of his size. He may not posses the athleticism necessary to become a truly elite defender, yet O’Quinn’s length and intelligence allows him to largely impress on the defensive end of the court.

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While his overall numbers in Orlando were not exactly scintillating (5.8 PPG and 3.9 RPG), an enlarged role with the Knicks should lead to a statistical influx in all categories. At just $3 million a year, he represents a low risk, high reward addition who can truly add something to this rebuilding New York side. Other free agent signings will receive significantly more attention, but the Kyle O’Quinn could represent one of the best value deals of the summer.

Grade: A-

Bottom line:

The Knicks failed to convince any of the big name free agents to move to New York, however no one really expected the likes of Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan and LaMarcus Aldridge to seriously consider them. Instead, Phil Jackson focused more on the B-level role players, attempting to build a team with enough talent to eventually convince star free agents that they’re ready to contend for a title.

With this in mind, I think we can all say Phil Jackson has done a very impressive job so far. In addition to adding brilliant young prospects such as Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant in the draft, the four free agents he’s signed represent solid, talented role players that are necessary to winning NBA basketball games. For the first time since 2013, the Knicks have managed to surround their star Carmelo Anthony with quality support.

They may not make the playoffs right away, but as the old saying goes “you need to walk before you can run.” The rebuild is off to a good start, and progress is slowly but surely coming along. If Phil Jackson keeps up the good work, New York could find themselves returning to the post-season sooner rather than later.

Grade: A-

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