New York Knicks: Courtney Lee Talks New Team Identity
The New York Knicks have traded for and signed a number high-profile players. New shooting guard Courtney Lee explained the teams’ new identity.
The New York Knicks have built a roster with something long unseen at Madison Square Garden: an identity. After years of New York piecing together random collections of talent, Phil Jackson has built a roster that actually projects to play well off of one another.
The question is, what exactly is New York’s new identity? Recently signed shooting guard Courtney Lee has the answer.
Lee agreed to terms with the Knicks on a four-year deal worth $48 million. It was a cost-efficient signing that filled a critical need, as Jackson found a 3-and-D specialist who can play both on and off-ball from the 2.
According to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders, Lee believes that the Knicks’ new team identity can be summarized in one word: hunger.
"“With D-Rose, I feel like he’s hungry. He’s been criticized a lot in his hometown. He’d been in Chicago his whole career and then he’s hearing things like, ‘He’s not the same player. He’s injury-prone.’ The city flipped on him. He was the guy who was taking them to the playoffs and he was the MVP, so people can’t forget about that. As a player, I will never forget how talented that man is. I think he’s eager and hungry, and he’ll use all of that as fuel. This is his fresh start in a new location. He’s going to come out with a chip on his shoulder.”"
Lee continued:
"“And it’s not just D-Rose. Noah has a chip on his shoulder. Carmelo has a chip on his shoulder because he’s eager to win a championship. KP (Kristaps Porzingis) is still learning, but he’s a dog so he’s going to go out there and compete. Brandon Jennings, every time he touches the ball he wants to score 50 so I know he’ll compete. And as far as myself, I’m always hungry and I’m always ready to scrap. We’re going to try to get the job done night after night.”"
That hunger is exactly what Knicks fans have been waiting to see from New York’s favorite basketball team.
Since Jeff Van Gundy resigned in 2001, the Knicks have made a grand total of four postseason appearances in 15 years. There have been briefly successful teams, but the issue in New York has been the absence of an identity.
In 2016-17, it appears as though the Knicks will be a team with character.
Lee and Joakim Noah are the type of relentless competitors who can help craft the team’s identity. Carmelo Anthony, Brandon Jennings, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick Rose are the playmakers, but it’s Lee and Noah who will establish New York’s toughness and defensive consistency.
Per Kennedy, Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek loosely informed Lee of the role he’s being asked to play.
"“…[Coach Hornacek] wants me to bring energy on the defensive end. I kind of feel like me and Noah will be similar in that standpoint, bringing that energy. He’ll be a rim protector and I’ll be a perimeter defender, and we just want to cause as much havoc as possible for opponents. Then, on the offensive end, they just want me to be able to spread the floor, knock down open shots, get out in transition and play freely within the offense.”"
That’s all one can really ask of Lee.
Lee is a career 38.4 percent shooter from 3-point range. Thus, it stands to reason that his efficient stroke can help New York with the incomparably critical task of spacing the floor.
In transition, Lee’s athleticism and end-to-end speed should help him put easy points on the board in Hornacek’s up-tempo offense.
The definition of Lee’s value to the Knicks, however, will be found in the defensive consistency he provides. He’s done an excellent job of defending multiple positions throughout his nine-year career, and there’s no reason to believe that there will be a deviation from the norm.
If the Knicks play with the hunger and tenacity that Lee is alluding to, then New York should put a postseason-caliber team on the floor in 2016-17.
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After three years on the outside looking in, making the playoffs would allow Knicks fans to breathe a long-awaited sigh of relief.