2. Alternatives and Comparisons
The New York Knicks aren’t getting a star in the form of former Wichita State Shockers guard Ron Baker. What New York may be getting, however, is a high-quality NBA player who could play big minutes as a reserve and develop into a starter somewhere down the line.
The best way to describe the value that Baker provides is by comparing to the players whom he’d either be replacing or emulating.
Baker plays a similar style to Sasha Vujacic, who has embraced his role as a sharpshooting combo guard this preseason. Vujacic has never before thrived as a facilitator, however, which presents the reality of this situation.
Vujacic, 32, could be a solid mentor for Baker, 23, but the long-term decision should be easy to make.
Baker’s NBA upside is somewhere along the lines of 13-year NBA veteran Kirk Hinrich. He can defend multiple positions, play on or off-ball, facilitate in a pinch, and space the floor with consistency and efficiency.
Thus, that brings us to the final reason the Knicks should name Baker to the main roster for the 2016-17 NBA regular season: the future.