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Phil Jackson Expects Knicks to Be Competitive in 2015-16

By Maxwell Ogden

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After months of hype, Phil Jackson failed to bring a single big-name free agent to the Mecca of Basketball during the 2015 period of NBA free agency. Thus, New York Knicks fans have been left wondering what’s next.

If you ask Phil Jackson, what’s next is a significant improvement over what New York put on the court in 2014-15.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, Jackson believes the Knicks will be competitive in 2015-16.

That’s entirely possible.

If Carmelo Anthony is the superstar he’s believed to be, his presence alone should make the Knicks competitive. Having an elite player means competing for the postseason, no matter the pieces surrounding them.

Jackson opened up further about the Knicks’ recent acquisitions:

The four men Jackson is alluding to are Arron Afflalo, Robin Lopez, Kyle O’Quinn and Derrick Williams. They aren’t household names, but they’re solid.

At the very least, they’re an upgrade over what New York was working with in 2014-15—on paper.

There isn’t another star, but the Knicks have given ‘Melo three consistently productive veterans in Afflalo, Jose Calderon and Lopez. Afflalo has declined defensively and Calderon has never been great on that end, but they’re two of the best shooters in the NBA.

Calderon, also a natural facilitator, is a career 41.2 percent 3-point shooter who made 191 shots from beyond the arc in 2013-14. Afflalo has a career mark of 38.5 percent and averaged 18.2 points per game in 2013-14.

Both have the respective skills to adequately complement Anthony.

Lopez isn’t the star big men many Knicks fans were expecting, but he’s a competitive player with a solid set of skills. He can score from the post, work the pick-and-roll and defend the rim, all the while motivating himself to compete for offensive rebounds.

In the Triangle Offense, there isn’t much more that can be asked of him.

The rest of the team is some mix of upside and uncertainty. Kristaps Porzingis blends superstar upside with legitimate bust potential, while Langston Galloway and Jerian Grant could become the future at guard.

For those unfamiliar with Grant:

Throw in the underwhelming play and overwhelming explosiveness of Derrick Williams, as well as the lackluster production and intriguing versatility of Kyle O’Quinn, and there is no shortage of intrigue.

There’s also a surplus of reasonable skepticism.

Jackson, and every other logical human being, appears to have accepted the reality that New York is not yet a championship contender. In the meantime, he’s building a team with the presence of a prime-year scoring champion and a pair of respected veterans.

If Anthony is healthy and his supporting cast can remain the same, there’s no reason New York can’t be competitive.

Next: For the Knicks, 2015-16 will be all about the youth movement

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