4. The Value of a Sixth Man
Few franchises are as aware of the importance of a great sixth man as the New York Knicks. Three players have won Sixth Man of the Year while donning a Knicks jersey, and New York has won at least 50 games in all three of those seasons.
In the city of New York, having a great sixth man is the rough equivalent to having a great overall roster.
The three Knicks who won Sixth Man of the Year were the late great Anthony Mason in 1994-95, John Starks in 1996-97, and J.R. Smith in 2012-13. For perspective, New York went 55-27 in 1994-95, 57-25 in 1996-97, and 54-28 in 2012-13.
Brandon Jennings’ game just so happens to be perfectly suited for the role of a sixth man, as one could discern from the revelation of who his favorite player is.
Jamal Crawford, of course, is a three-time Sixth Man of the Year.
Prior to his well-documented injury, Jennings was a starter who was on an All-Star trajectory. In 2014-15, he was the primary playmaker for a Detroit Pistons team that had won 12 of 15 games entering the game he tore his achilles tendon.
As a relentless playmaker who has never met a scoring or facilitating opportunity he didn’t like, Jennings is perfectly suited for the role of a sixth man.
Next: Spacing The Floor