The announcement of the New York Knicks committing to the triangle is the first of many steps towards rebuilding this franchise to its former glory.
The New York Knicks have officially committed to the fabled triangle offense. So far, the results haven’t been great. In fact, it has been so bad that the Knicks have begun to admit mass confusion amongst the entire locker room.
The confusion doesn’t center around the complexity of the triangle offense, but rather the constant switching of the game plan and the lack of stability. With the introduction of the triangle as the prominent offensive set, the Knicks have started crafting an identity.
Per Al Iannazzone of Newsday, Kristaps Porzingis summarized the confusion.
"“We’ve been switching things up because at any point of this season, we never played like we wanted to,” Porzingis said after fouling out with 19 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. “It was like, ‘Maybe this will work. Maybe this will work.’ So we’re kind of looking for stuff.”"
The quote itself is about as vague as the Knicks’ offensive game plan. Winning basketball is not about changing your play style every single week. It’s about finding what you’re good at and building a game plan around that.
Whether it’s gaudy outside shooting, dribble, drive and kick, or putting a big man in the middle and surrounding him with shooters a la the 2009 Orlando Magic.
The Knicks have no semblance of a foundation in their offensive sets, and the announcement of the triangle being the only set they run is actually a positive. This means the Knicks have something to work off of.
For the rest of the season and into the offseason, the roster can now be built to enhance the triangle offense.
This is a major step in the right direction for New York, as it’s nearing an inevitable rebuild. The confusion and reluctance to run the triangle doesn’t stem from complexity. It comes from the fear of running something that hasn’t worked in the NBA for nearly a decade.
Carmelo Anthony isn’t the same player as Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, and he hasn’t been able to run the triangle effectively in New York. However, trade talks for Anthony became more serious in 2016-17, and deals were proposed for the first time during his Knicks tenure.
The Knicks tested the waters this season to see what the market is like for Anthony. This was a smart move because they now have a feel for the trade value Anthony presents.
During the offseason, the Knicks could still deal Anthony and turn a lost opportunity into a gigantic leap forward for the franchise.
With Anthony being dealt in the offseason, the Knicks need a solid all-around small forward who can play defense and score. Luckily for New York, this year’s draft class has a slew of those type of players, and the best one is named Jayson Tatum.
Tatum is a 6’8″ freshman who is being called the best freshman in college basketball. He’s leading Duke into the NCAA Tournament as favorites to win it all.
During Duke’s first three ACC tournament games, he scored 69 points and dominated from start to finish. Tatum could be the perfect replacement for Anthony if the Knicks can manage to attain a top-5 draft pick.
The triangle offense offers stability in New York, something that doesn’t come along often. Porzingis seems to fit extremely well within the triangle, as he’s had four assists during each of the Knicks’ last two games.
At this point, its all about finding players that fit the mold for the triangle and ones that are willing to fight through some tough times before being at the top.
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For once, the New York Knicks are making the right moves. All they need now is patience.