Knicks Gain A Valuable Asset in Westchester
If the New York Knicks hope to win this season, they will have to rely on their current roster of 15 players, while leaning heavily on star forward Carmelo Anthony. However, if the Knicks hope to maintain their winning ways into the future as well, they have a new – and rare- asset on their side.
The 2014-15 season will mark the inaugural season for the Westchester Knicks franchise, who will be playing in the National Basketball Development League. Unlike most teams in the NBDL, the “baby Knicks” will be fully operated by the New York Knicks organization. This means that the NBA version of the Knicks will be able to use their new D-League team like a farm system, a practice that is commonly seen throughout professional baseball. In baseball, multiple minor league teams are necessary of each organization, as newly drafted players take several years, at least, to finally reach the big stage. Basketball is essentially the complete opposite though. Top draft picks become valuable pieces towards their team’s immediate success, and in some cases, such as Michael Carter-Williams‘ in Philadelphia last season, they are needed to be the leader of their struggling team.
The Knicks do not plan to stash all their top young guns in Westchester to open the season. It’d be pretty silly to have second-year guard Tim Hardaway Jr. tearing up the D-League, when he is already fully capable of producing at the NBA level. Rather, this team will be used for rawer prospects who need some time to develop their game before making the leap to the Garden platform. The majority of the roster was filled out through an expansion draft, although their roster for the upcoming season is unknown at the moment. However, one player who definitely will be playing at the County Center is 2014 second-round pick Thanasis Antetokounmpo. At first, the “Greek Freak 2.0” was leaning towards playing overseas in his native Greece, but he ultimately decided to stay in the States. This is good news for the Knicks, because by playing in Westchester, Antetokounmpo will be able to become familiar with the Knicks style of basketball. It is unlikely that the team will run the triangle offense, since they will be coached by Kevin Whitted, who has no prior experience working with “triangle guru” Phil Jackson. Whitted still does have Knick ties though, as he played with former Knick great and current Knick assistant general manager Allan Houston, for the Tennessee Vols basketball team.
Having this new minor-league team at their fingerprints, the Knicks will also be able to send down players who are struggling in the NBA. Take, for example, Cleanthony Early. Despite being regarded as a steal in last June’s draft, the rookie from Wichita State has disappointed thus far in the preseason. He will in all likelihood still crack the opening night roster, but if he continues to experience these bumps in the road as the regular season progresses, the Knicks are best suited shipping him to Westchester. Such a move would enable Early, or any other struggling player for that matter, to continue to receive regular playing time, while at the same time polish up his game. Even though this process could have been taken in the past, when the Knicks’ D-League affiliate was the Erie BayHawks, the Knicks now have increased control over the players that they move between Westchester and New York.
This will not be the first time that the Knicks have attempted to use their D-League affiliate as a means of fine-tuning their more inexperienced players. Before Linsanity became a world-wide phenomenon, Jeremy Lin was sent down to Erie in hopes of proving himself before being cut. Perhaps as a foreshadowing of the incredible weeks that would follow, Lin posted a MONSTEROUS stat line. A triple double, good for 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 dimes. Several days later, Lin was called up to New York. The rest is a story that will live in basketball lore for years to come.
If the Westchester Knicks can pave the way for the next global icon, then that’s great. But, quite frankly, that’s unrealistic and nothing will ever compare to Linsanity again. Rather, if New York’s newest minor-league team can provide the Knicks with a place to develop its prospects, it opens up the possibility of a Knicks dynasty that can be dominant for years. No, that’s not a joke. So don’t be shocked if Thanasis Antetokounmpo becomes a core player on the next Knicks championship team.