New York Knicks: Jerian Grant Is Coming
Deep on the Knicks’ bench is a player that has unlimited potential, but needs more playing time. That player is rookie point guard Jerian Grant.
While the rest of the city is hung up on Porzingis mania, Grant seems to have been lost in the shuffle. In limited minutes this season, he’s shown flashes of brilliance. His offense is still a little raw, but he’s proven that he can run a team and makes his teammates better, which is what all effective point guards are supposed to do.
He’s currently playing behind incumbent starting point guard Jose Calderon. While Calderon was never an All-Star caliber type of player, he’s shown that he can be an effective role playerover his decade-long career.
Who better to learn how to be an NBA guard from than Calderon?
While many Knicks’ fans continue to boo Calderon due to his stagnant and less-than-stellar play at times during this season, he’s acting as a mentor of sorts to Grant. Calderon’s most effective impact will be felt long after he’s gone, and when Grant develops into the star he has the potential to become.
Grant isn’t the best shooter, but he’s still learning to adjust to the NBA game.
Source: NBASavant.com
Many great guards struggled with their shots early in their career; just ask Jason Kidd. Many use to call him “Ason Kidd,” meaning he had no “J,” so they took it out his name.
Kidd went on to rank in the Top 5 in all-time 3-point field goals made.
Grant is at his most effective on the defensive end of the court, where he’s drawn comparisons to Rajon Rondo. He can defend both guard positions, which is a plus in today’s modern NBA. His defense helps create his offense.
Source: NBASavant.com
While he’s running the offense, the ball moves, the floor spacing is good, and everyone touches the ball, which was one of the main principles of the 1970’s Knicks when Hall of Famer Clyde Frazier ran the point.
Source: NBASavant.com
Even though he’s playing minimal minutes at this point in his career, he won’t be playing off the bench forever. He has to be patient and wait his time.
Sometimes the best time to learn how to run a team is from the bench.
While playing from the bench can be damaging to a young player’s mind, the Knicks’ coaching staff and veteran players have done a great job of keeping Grant’s confidence up. When he’s on the court, whether if it’s under minimal minutes or he’s playing a huge role, his body language shows that he belongs on the court and won’t be intimidated; it’s just a matter of being patient and waiting for coach Derek Fisher to entrust running the offense.
The sky is the limit for Grant. Over the years, the Knicks thought a quick remedy was signing guards past their primes—Baron Davis, Steve Francis, Penny Hardaway—or guards who never worked out—Stephon Marbury, Jeremy Lin, Raymond Felton.
They finally got it right, cultivating a young prospect. With Phil Jackson in tow, Grant is going to be groomed to be a successful long-term starter.
He has the potential to be the Knicks’ best point guard since Walt Frazier, one of Jackson’s teammates on the 1970’s Knicks.
With the expedient development of Porzingis, Fisher is growing as a coach and leader. With young players such as Grant and Cleanthony Early on the roster, the Knicks are finally developing talent, which is something they hadn’t done in quite some time.
They went for the quick fix and it always blew up in their face.
Carmelo Anthony is in his prime and has finally given into the system by taking less shots and trusting his teammates. In turn, the Knicks have a chance to return to when the The Garden was Eden once again.