Malik Newman, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Position: Guard
Age: 19 (2/21/1997)
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’3.5″, 182 pounds, 6’5..75″
Slash Line: .391/.379/.687
Season Averages: 27.7 MPG, 11.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 2.1 3PM
Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Malik Newman is one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2016 NBA Draft. He’s also a polarizing figure who plays the 2, but actually measures as a point guard.
Newman is a positionally ambiguous player, but his skills actually fit the role of a point guard in the Triangle Offense.
Newman struggled to finish with efficiency in 2015-16, which was projected to be one of his strengths. He’s a crafty ball-handler who can create penetration, but as a freshman, scoring against length was a weakness.
Fortunately for the New York Knicks, Newman proved himself to be a lethal shooter who can space the floor with consistency.
As Newman develops his additional skills, his ability to provide a positive impact from 3-point range could still earn him minutes. That’s generally the role of a point guard in the Triangle Offense, as Derek Fisher established during five championship runs.
There’s some work to be done here, but Newman could be a valuable addition.
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