Con: Defensive Inconsistency
For as intriguing as Shabazz Muhammad may be as a scorer, he’s equally as underwhelming on defense. The physical tools are in place for effective defense against the two forward positions, but the results have been underwhelming.
If the New York Knicks decide to sign Muhammad, then general manager Steve Mills must do so with an understanding of the risk he’s taking.
Muhammad finished the 2016-17 NBA regular season at No. 70 amongst small forwards in Defensive Real Plus-Minus. 37 different small forwards recorded positive marks in Defensive RPM, yet Muhammad checked in at -3.19.
It was an accurate representation of the dreadful defense that Muhammad has played throughout his four-year NBA career.
It’s possible that Muhammad will be more inclined to defend once he settles into a system that gets him the touches he feels he deserves. It’s also worth noting that he’s 6’6″ with a 6’11” wingspan, which should enable him to defend both forward spots at an acceptable level.
Head coach Jeff Hornacek could help Muhammad find his defensive identity—much as he temporarily did with Gerald Green in Phoenix—but gambling on that transpiring is an admitted risk.