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New York Knicks: The Five X-Factors For The 2016-17 Season

By Maxwell Ogden

Jan 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Lance Thomas (42) saves the ball from going out of bounds by bouncing it off of Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Khris Middleton (22) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Lance Thomas (42) saves the ball from going out of bounds by bouncing it off of Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Khris Middleton (22) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Justin Holiday (7) moves the ball down the court during the second quarter of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Justin Holiday (7) moves the ball down the court during the second quarter of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Justin Holiday

Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 27 (4/5/1989)
Experience: 3 Seasons
2015-16 Slash Line: .386/.343/.730
2015-16 Season Averages: 14.6 MPG, 4.5 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.7 3PM

The New York Knicks entered the 2016 offseason with a number of pressing needs. Though finding a new and improved starting lineup was No. 1 on the list, there was a rational fear that Phil Jackson wouldn’t have the cap space to find the ideal backups.

Jackson circumvented the absence of cap space by acquiring his backup shooting guard, Justin Holiday, in the Derrick Rose Trade.

Holiday, 27, has traveled the long road to his current status as an NBA player. He went undrafted in 2011, spent a year in Hungary, made multiple stints in the D-League, and found himself at the back end of multiple NBA rotations.

Holiday has been drawing rave reviews from his coaches and teammates at every stop, however, which has ultimately landed him in New York with one year remaining on his contract.

Holiday flashed his upside in 27 games with the Chicago Bulls in 2015-16. After struggling with the Atlanta Hawks, he averaged 1.0 3-point field goal made on 43.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc in Chicago.

The Knicks will need Holiday to continue shooting the lights out while simultaneously tapping into his 3-and-D potential as a near 6’7″ swingman with a 7’1″ wingspan.

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