New York Knicks: NBA Draft Is The New Barometer For Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson is no longer building around Carmelo Anthony. The NBA Draft is the barometer of his success as team president of the New York Knicks.
The New York Knicks have failed to sign high-profile free agents during Phil Jackson’s tenure as team president. Between the inability to secure meetings with LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Durant, and being spurned by DeAndre Jordan and Greg Monroe, it hasn’t been pretty.
As Jackson publicly moves on from his attempts to build around Carmelo Anthony, however, free agency can be altered, if not temporarily dismissed, as a barometer for his success.
If building around Anthony is out of the question, then Jackson must turn his attention to the NBA Draft. While his critics have focused on the players he’s failed to sign and the others whom he’s alienated, The Zen Master has been plotting to do exactly that.
After inheriting a team that was without first-round draft picks in two of his first three offseasons with the organization, Jackson has done something that borders on unprecedented.
Running low on reasons to support Phil Jackson? There's this: New York owns all of its future Round 1 draft picks. https://t.co/AyMJmJhEfZ
— Daily Knicks (@DailyKnicksFS) May 2, 2017
The previous regimes may be able to criticize Jackson for the Carmelo Anthony saga and free agency, but this is one area in which Jackson has outclassed many of his predecessors.
Of course, there is some reason for trepidation.
New York hasn’t drafted a player who made multiple All-Star Game appearances in a Knicks jersey since it took Patrick Ewing in 1985. Moreover, since the Knicks drafted Ewing in 1985, just two draftees have gone on to become All-Stars in the orange and blue: Mark Jackson and David Lee.
Jackson, of course, was traded for Charles Smith and Doc Rivers in a move that left Ewing without a true facilitator for the remainder of his Knicks career.
With Jackson now at the helm, he has a chance to do what no Knicks executive has done since the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s: build through the draft.
New York won two championships in the 1970s, and both of its franchise players—Walt Frazier and Willis Reed—were drafted. It returned to glory in the 1980s, with a pair of dynamic talents fueling the process in 1979 draft pick Bill Cartwright and 1978 selection Micheal Ray Richardson.
New York later acquired Bernard King, and although he wasn’t drafted, the likes of Cartwright and Ray Williams were quality—and drafted—foundational pieces.
In 1985, the Knicks began what could have been an even greater era than it was. They drafted Ewing in 1985, Jackson in 1987, and Rod Strickland in 1988, but blew up that dynamic point guard combination before it could realize its potential.
Nevertheless, Ewing led the Knicks to 13 consecutive postseason appearances and two NBA Finals appearances.
Fast forward to 2015, when Jackson had a first-round draft pick at his disposal for the first and only time. Everyone seemed to have a theory about whom the Knicks should draft, with Emmanuel Mudiay, Kristaps Porzingis, and Justise Winslow surfacing as the top options.
Jackson opted to draft the enigma, and Porzingis has since gone on to become one of the most productive players in recent franchise history.
In 2015-16, Porzingis became the first rookie in NBA history to record at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 75 3-point field goals made. In 2016-17, he became the first player in franchise history to record at least 100 blocks and 100 3-point field goals in a single season.
Whether or not Porzingis is a true franchise player, he’s clearly established himself as a player whom the Knicks can build with.
Along with Porzingis is center Willy Hernangomez, whom Jackson acquired on the night of the 2015 NBA Draft. Hernangomez had an impressive rookie season, recording averages of 8.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 offensive rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 18.4 minutes per game.
For perspective, Hernangomez’s rookie season averages translate to 16.0 points, 13.6 rebounds, 4.6 offensive rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 block per 36 minutes.
Come June 22, Jackson will have an opportunity to find a third building block via the 2017 NBA Draft. If he succeeds in doing so, the Knicks would move forward with a starting interior and a starting perimeter player all but locked in for the next decade.
Re-signing players will be another hurdle entirely, but Jackson has the Knicks positioned for a promising and sustainable rebuild through the NBA Draft.
Must Read: Early May 2017 NBA Mock Draft
Free agency will eventually resurface as a significant factor, but for now, Phil Jackson should be measured by his ability to master the NBA Draft.