For Knicks, 2015-16 Is All About the Youth Movement

Mar 10, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; New York Knicks forward

(17) dribbles the ball during the first half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz won 87-82. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Cleanthony Early

Entering the 2014-15 NBA season, few new additions excited New York Knicks fans more than Cleanthony Early. That held true for most of the year, as fans and analysts pleaded with the Knicks to call him up from the D-League.

Thus far, that experiment hasn’t worked out too well.

Early’s rookie season was absolutely brutal. He shot 35.5 percent from the field and 26.2 percent from 3-point range while averaging more turnovers than assists.

He did show signs of life late in the season, but even those were few and far between.

Fortunately, rookie seasons aren’t exactly determining factors in a player’s career trajectory. Early can still work his way into minutes and has the tools to be a valuable asset to the Knicks in 2015-16.

No player on the roster has more to prove to Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher than Early. A poor rookie campaign doesn’t mean he can’t live up to the hype.

Next: The Next Derek Fisher?