5. Courtney Lee
Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 31 (10/3/1985)
Experience: 9th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .461/.467/.864
2016-17 Season Averages: 30.2 MPG, 10.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.5 3PM
The New York Knicks signed shooting guard Courtney Lee to a four-year contract worth $48 million. The purpose of the contract was to solidify the position, acquire an end-of-the-shot-clock scorer, and legitimize the perimeter from a defensive perspective.
Though Lee is far more than the 3-and-D player that he’s been mislabeled as, he’ll need to step up on defense and as a shooter against the Denver Nuggets.
Lee is shooting remarkably well with averages of 10.1 points and 1.5 3-point field goals made per game on a mark of 46.7 percent from beyond the arc. He’s upped those averages to 11.7 points and 2.1 3-point field goals made over his past 10 appearances.
If Lee continues to produce and shoot with that volume and efficiency against Denver, the Knicks should be able to execute well as a team.
On the opposite end of the floor, the Knicks have defensive ratings of 106.4 with Lee on the court and 108.9 without him. He’s holding opponents to 43.5 percent shooting from the field and a mark of 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The Knicks need to be able to slow down the likes of Will Barton, Wilson Chandler, and Gary Harris in Denver, and Lee will be the primary player tasked with doing so.