Daily Knicks
Fansided

Knicks Rumors: Reasons To Love The Willy Hernangomez Signing

By Maxwell Ogden

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the full first round draft board at the conclusion of the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the full first round draft board at the conclusion of the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next

4. Offensive Rebounding

The New York Knicks lost more than some have readily acknowledged by trading Robin Lopez. Though he’s not a star-caliber player, Lopez is as well-rounded a center as one will find in the modern NBA.

As Willy Hernangomez prepares for his debut in the NBA, he projects to thrive in an area that Lopez routinely dominated: offensive rebounding.

Hernangomez has averaged at least 4.0 rebounds per 36 minutes in each of the past three Liga ACB seasons. That includes 2015-16, when he averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes for Real Madrid.

Hernangomez also pulled down an average of 3.7 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes in Euroleague play, which establishes his consistency on the offensive glass.

For the Knicks, having a young center who can crash the offensive glass is crucial. Kristaps Porzingis and Joakim Noah are both productive in that regard, but it’s Hernangomez who can help anchor the interior on a full-time basis in future seasons.

Creating second-chance scoring opportunities will never lose its value, and that makes Hernangomez a valuable long-term asset.

Next: Interior Offense

Home/Knicks News