Tony Wroten was a solid piece on a horrible team last season before tearing his ACL. The New York Knicks are taking a risk, but I think Wroten is worth it.
It’s pretty much impossible for the New York Knicks to make it to the playoffs at this point, especially with so many teams above .500 in the Eastern Conference — and even those teams are struggling to keep a playoff spot because of how close the records are in the standings. Back to my point, though, the Knicks would need a miracle to make a post-season appearance.
Thus, Phil Jackson makes the move to sign Tony Wroten today in order to improve the roster at the guard spot — something that should have happened a long time ago if he’s to expect his team to make a playoff run.
Wroten can’t save the Knicks’ season and that should be obvious for New York Knicks fans. However, he will offer something that not all the guards have: aggression. He’s a 6’6″ combo-guard with the speed and length to be able to defend some of the top-tier point guards in the league, if he takes the time to improve his defense to begin with.
Kurt Rambis said of Jimmer Fredette, “If he’s not able to defend anyone in practice, why would I play him in a game?” This fact rings all too true. Calderon provides awful defense, though he manages to provide somewhat on the offensive end. If Wroten is able to fill in for the aging Calderon with a strong ability to defend, that makes his appeal much better. He isn’t that great at shooting either, which is something he can work on when given the opportunity.
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Besides poor shooting from distance, however, Wroten isn’t scared to bring the ball to the paint, something the Knicks guards are guilty of not doing. Wroten has the size to finish strong at the rim, something Calderon and Galloway lack. I’ve mentioned before that Afflalo, Gallo, and Calderon rely too much on shooting off the dribble. Wroten — either because he knows he can’t shoot, or that it’s smarter to try and draw a foul — often drives to the rim and tries his best to complete a layup attempt or dunk. This is a plus, in my eyes. The Knicks could use some more players that aren’t scared of being contested in the paint, and Wroten offers that trait.
Wroten likely won’t have a chance to jump onto the court right away, considering his lengthy absence from the league. So, he’ll have to prove himself worthy of his contract. Which brings me to another point, Wroten’s risk factor.
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It’s obvious that there should be some worry about Wroten’s knee. However, if Phil Jackson was smart, then Wroten’s contract should be easily disposable. There is the slight possibility that Wroten plays some heavy minutes and proves himself to be a worthy starter or even a quality bench player; but there’s also the possibility Wroten crashes and burns and is waived by New York to clear up cap space for the summer.
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I think the Wroten move is a good chance to take. Derrick Williams has proven himself on the Knicks, so maybe there’s a chance that Wroten can shine too. Of course, his tenure with New York all depends on Wroten proving himself, so it’s up to him to make a name for himself.