5. 3-Point Shooting
If only one skill is going to keep Ron Baker employed in the NBA, it’ll likely be his 3-point shooting. He’s not Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson, but he’s a rhythm shooter who steps into his shots, excels off the catch, and capably shoots off the bounce.
The New York Knicks need to do a better job of spacing the floor in 2016-17 and Baker has the type of range that can help them do so.
Baker made an average of 2.0 3-point field goals per game on 36.9 percent shooting from beyond the arc during his four years at Wichita State. He also converted 80.1 percent of his free throws and hit 50.9 percent of his 2-point field goals.
Baker may not be in the running to become the Knicks’ go-to scorer, but he has the proficiency as a shooter to enable the go-to scorers to thrive.
Baker shot well during the 2016 NBA preseason, which offered a limited look into what he’s capable of providing. He’d get more catch-and-shot opportunities as a young player than chances to drive, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
With Baker on the roster, the Knicks would have a capable shooter who can attack closeouts and keep the floor stretched and spaced.