New York Knicks – Porzingis vs. MudiayPast, Present and Future

The New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets are set to square off Saturday night as the Knicks’ long west coast road trip continues. The match upcarries special significance for fans who remember obsessing over the 2015 NBA Draft, when the Knicks selected Kristaps Porzingis with the fourth overall pick, passing on point guard and fan favorite Emmanuel Mudiay.

Many fans of the Knicks were puzzled by the Porzingis pick, and some went as far as booing him. Mudiay seemed like the obvious choice for New York, which was regrettably poised to start Jose Calderon at point guard for the 2015-16 season.

I will openly admit that I, like many, was a Porzingis skeptic. I thought traditional college phenoms like Willie Cauley-Stein, Justice Winslow, or Stanley Johnson would have been better, safer picks.

But even the idea of selecting one of those players assumed the Knicks would ignore their positional need at point guard.

It seemed completely unfathomable: a team who’s roster featured Calderon and Langston Galloway running the point passing on a point guard prospect like Mudiay.

If you ever need a reason to smile as a Knicks fan, bask in the glory of the Knicks’ gamble on Porzingis paying off in a huge way. Every time he takes the court, he redefines our expectations of him.

At first expectations were low. The fans just wanted to see him come out and contribute off the bench as a rookie. Most fans would have been happy with a modest 9.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks per game for rookie Kristaps.

Just making it through his first year as a rotational player would have been seen as a huge  positive for him on draft night. After a few weeks of basketball, things had completely changed.

Kristaps Porzingis has proven in his first season and a half that his talent vastly outshines everyone else in his class outside of No. 1 overall selection Karl Anthony-Towns. He has blown the idea that he is a “project” completely off the face of the planet. He’s shown the critics, with voracity, that he is here to stay.

Porzingis was very impressive as a rookie. He was responsible for 4.3 win shares, sported a PER of 17.80, shot 33.3 percent from the 3-pt line, blocked 1.9 shots per game, and put up 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

He finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Towns.

Emmanuel Mudiay has flat-out struggled in his first season and change. His FG% has been well below 40 percent. His turnover rate was just below 18 prcent last season. He was responsible for an abysmal win share total of -2.1. Even his supposed calling card, driving hard to the basket, has been well below league average.

He’s finished just 37.8 percent of his drives on 8.5 attempts per game. He’s responsible for only .72 points per possession when running the pick and roll. In almost every metric, Mudiay has been absolutely terrible.

There’s still time for Mudiay, at just 20 years old, to become a fantastic player in the NBA. He’s had flashes of brilliance, and most of his problems are fixable. Athleticism, strength, and unselfishness are traits that he’s been able to rely on, but he’ll have to add some finesse to his game to take the next step.

Improving his handle, his shot, and his vision will be huge for Mudiay as he ages into his 20s. The book is not closed on him yet.

With all of this in mind, I think it’s safe to say the Knicks made the right decision to draft Porzingis over Mudiay in 2015. Their selection with the fourth pick was a pivotal turning point for the franchise. Despite desperately needing a point guard, the Knicks opted to go with their preferred best talent available.

All the credit should go to Phil Jackson, Steve Mills, and Clarence Gaines for taking the risk.

Must Read: Porzingis vs. Jokic will square off in the battle of the super-skilled bigs

Tonight should be an exciting opportunity for both young players to put their talents on display.