Knicks Snubbed on NBA.com 2015-16 GM Survey
By William Lee
NBA.com released their annual GM survey on Tuesday, and the New York Knicks were hardly mentioned in any category.
Now no one expect to see the Knicks listed in categories such as which team will win the 2016 NBA Finals, or even be ranked as a top four team in the Eastern Conference, but there were some categories you would have expected to see a Knick at least get mentioned…
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Kristaps Porzingis is escorted onto the stage with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number four overall pick to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
For instance you would think that the number four overall selection of the 2015 NBA draft, Kristaps Porzingis would get least get some votes for rookie of the year award…but no…
More from Knicks News
- Former New York Knicks center gets real about 2013 playoff shortcomings
- When is the deadline for the Knicks to extend Immanuel Quickley?
- How to watch New York Knicks players compete for bronze at World Cup
- 3 Reasons Tom Thibodeau can’t ignore Miles McBride in 2023-24
- Knicks fans get super anticlimactic ending to 2023 FIBA World Cup
Third overall pick Jahlil Okafor received the most votes for rookie of the year award with 44.8% of GM’s votes, which absolutely makes sense because Okafor will probably get the most opportunity out of any rookie to score, and in general, just do his thing. Okafor was followed by first overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns with 34.5% of votes, and Emmanuel Mudiay (a player available for New York to draft) received the third most votes. D’Angelo Russell and even… Myles Turner received votes for rookie of the year…yet no votes for Porzingis. You would think someone who is a combination of Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant would get some votes for rookie of the year…
Although Porzingis at least got a vote when it came to projecting which rookie would become the best player five years from now. That’s something, I guess… GMs overwhelmingly felt that Towns will be the best player in five years, with the Minnesota rookie receiving 62.1% of the votes.
Porzingis is not the only Knick to be slighted by the league’s GMs, Carmelo Anthony was not mentioned at all when it came to naming the best small forward in the NBA. Of course…it makes sense that LeBron James, and Kevin Durant would be ahead of Anthony. Even Kawhi Leonard, I understand, he is a great all-around player, not to mention a Finals MVP. But Anthony’s name not to be mentioned all seems disrespectful.
Anthony did however received votes from GMs for the player you want taking a shot with the game on the line. Anthony was fourth on the list, receiving 6.9% of votes. Stephen Curry received a majority of the votes with 51.7%, followed up by Durant (31%) and James Harden (10.3%).
Anthony has been clutch throughout his career, and hopefully there are more clutch plays to come.
It was not all negative, New York did get some shine in some categories, in partially Robin Lopez. Lopez received votes for who was the most underrated player acquisition this off-season. Lopez was also shown some love, getting votes for being the toughest player in the NBA.
The last category I felt that New York should have received more votes was for which team would be the most improved team in the 2015-16 season. With the Knicks finishing a franchise worst 17-65, you would think New York would easily make top five on this list. New York should at least get close to doubling their wins this upcoming season if all the key pieces remain relatively healthy throughout the season.
The Knicks to me, seem to have been snubbed on some category but check out the NBA.com 2015-16 GM Survey, it is a fun read to see what executives around the league think of random NBA topics.
Next: 25 Greatest Knick Players of All-Time
More from Daily Knicks
- Former New York Knicks center gets real about 2013 playoff shortcomings
- When is the deadline for the Knicks to extend Immanuel Quickley?
- 3 Rumored Knicks trade targets not worth giving up RJ Barrett for
- Bill Simmons ‘guarantees’ Knicks will have one of three stars by next year
- How to watch New York Knicks players compete for bronze at World Cup