Lance Thomas
One of the most important pieces to the New York Knicks’ convoluted puzzle is backup forward Lance Thomas. The starting lineup projects to be of a high caliber when healthy, but the bench needs players like Thomas to step up on a nightly basis.
During a recent interview with Kristian Winfield of Elite Sports NY, Thomas weighed in on the Jeff Hornacek hiring.
"“I like him. He wants to win,” he said. “When you’re talking to him, you can tell that he didn’t come here just to get a job. He came here to help us win this season. So I’m on board with that, and I think everyone on the team who has met him already is on board with that. So I’m ready to work.”"
That’s all you really want to hear if you’re coach Hornacek.
Thomas is one of the most versatile and valuable players on the Knicks’ roster. Though he’s not a star or a starter, he’ll be an anchor of the second unit and New York’s proverbial glue guy.
An all-out competitor who gives just as much effort on the defensive end as he does on offense, Thomas will likely become one of Hornacek’s favorite players in 2016-17.
The fact that the glue guy is already buying into Hornacek’s philosophies is a great step in the right direction.
Thomas shot 40.4 percent from 3-point range in 2015-16, but his biggest appeal to Hornacek will be his defense. He held opponents to 41.4 percent shooting from the field in 2015-16 and tied for the best defensive rating on the Knicks.
The unsung heroes are often the key to a team achieving optimal levels of success, and Thomas has all of the tools to be the glue.
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Though the jury may still be out amongst Knicks fans, Jeff Hornacek already has the support of his players—past and present.