2. Something To Prove
Technically speaking, every player on every team has something to prove. The New York Knicks take that to the most extreme end of the spectrum, however, with players whose careers and legacies are riding on the 2016-17 season.
The other traits of Knicks’ identity are intriguing, but it’s the’ need to prove they still belong that makes this team special.
Carmelo Anthony is out to prove that he’s still a superstar in the modern NBA. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah are looking to prove that they can remain healthy for long enough to reclaim similar status.
Brandon Jennings has to prove that he can fully recover from a ruptured achilles tendon and start again for a team in the Association.
Beyond those four, it’s all about players establishing that they belong. Kristaps Porzingis is out to prove he isn’t a fluke, while Courtney Lee and Lance Thomas are looking to prove they can stick with one team.
Even head coach Jeff Hornacek is trying to prove that he can sustainably succeed in the NBA, and that’s exactly why this Knicks team has so much potential: the hunger for more.
Next: The Hunger, Part II