The signing of Tony Wroten gives the Knicks a young guard with upside. His ability to handle the ball and get to the rim gives the Knicks a new element to their offense. Signing him gives the Knicks some flexibility in the near future with their backcourt options.
The Knicks were flirting with a free agent addition and they finally made one in Tony Wroten. According to Shams, the Knicks are planning to sign Wroten effective Monday. After signing Jimmer Fredette to a 10-day contract last week, the Knicks opted for something more permanent for the rest of the regular season. With the addition of Wroten, Cleanthony Early will be sent down to Westchester.
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This is a good move, and not because I asked for it in December.
One crucial element missing from New York’s roster is the ability to slash and get to the rim. The Knicks don’t have anyone outside of Jerian Grant who can put the ball down and get to the basket.
On the surface, it seems like a small element missing. The Knicks have, by estimation, one star and a budding star, several good shooters and some fine defenders, but someone who can play the role of “slasher” has resulted in several low ranking for the Knicks.
The Knicks sit 23rd in the league in PPP on pick-and-roll plays as a ball handler, dead last in the league in drives and 23rd in the league at free throw attempts per game. Jerian Grant is a rookie, so there’s some variance with his production, Jose Calderon has never been a slasher and he’s 34 years old and Langston Galloway isn’t someone who can create with the basketball.
The Knicks need someone who can create off the dribble, both for himself and for others.
As for Wroten, that’s the one real skill he’s shown since his breakout two seasons ago. He’s not a point guard, perfectly stuck between the two guard position. He has the defensive profile that you want (six-foot-six with a six-foot-nine wingspan), but we’ve yet to see him turn into a positive defender, and a recent ACL injury creates his overall athleticism a question mark at this point.
He’s never been a good shooter. Over the previous two seasons, Wroten has failed to eclipse 28% from three-point range, though, taking over 100 of them in an attempt to improve from that area is a good sign. Still, he’s never been good outside of 10 feet. I think he can improve from this area in time, but right now, it gives him an unbalanced offensive game, as opponents can simply sag off of him, as they wait for him to drive.
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All negatives, let’s talk about some positives.
He’s just 22 years old. Before the ACL injury, he was putting it all together for Philadelphia, averaging 16.9 points, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Over his basketball career, Wroten has experienced some level of interruption – one season at the University of Washington and just 2600 minutes in Philadelphia. He could be someone who just needs time in one spot to figure out his game.
And of course, Wroten is great at getting to the rim. It’s been his best asset in his NBA career. In his few games back from the ACL injury this season, Wroten averaged 8.9 drives per game. Before his ACL injury, Wroten was a madman, averaging 10.3 drives per game, good for sixth in the league. If neither do it for you, Wroten averaged 8.0 drives in his lone full season, shooting 43% from the floor.
The point? Wroten, pre and post-injury, has gotten to the rim. It’s his one NBA trait. His body, more suitable for a defensive end than an NBA guard, allows him to overpower fellow guards on his way to the rim. His ability to bounce off of rim defenders has resulted in a solid amount of free throws, nothing great, but 4.4 free throws on his drives attempt in his last season is pretty good.
Also, hearing it's very unlikely that Wroten plays this season. Health was a serious question when he came back in Philly in December.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) March 7, 2016
Also, whether the Knicks get him to play this season, locking him in for his current minimum contract for a few seasons is a good idea for the Knicks. It gives Wroten a reason to trust the Knicks as he continues to recover from the ACL injury and come back 100 percent for the 2016-17 season. It also gives the Knicks a chance for some production at a minimum rate. No harm, no foul on that end either.
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The Knicks made a good move and took a chance on a 22-year-old with a track record of getting to the rim. If Wroten can bounce back and return to his normal production from his Philadelphia days, the Knicks got a steal. If Wroten can’t return to that same level, it was a good attempt by the Knicks to get production for cheap.