New York Knicks: Realistic goals for Kristaps Porzingis in 2017-18

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NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 18: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks poses for a portrait during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night as part of 2017 All-Star Weekend at the Smoothie King Center on February 18, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Make The All-Star Game

As will be touched upon, three postseason openings have been created by the departures of Jimmy Butler, Paul George, and Paul Millsap. In addition to the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Atlanta Hawks likely falling out of the postseason, the All-Star Game has lost three mainstays.

The Eastern Conference lost a three-time All-Star in Butler, and four-time All-Stars in George and Millsap, which has thus created an opening for Kristaps Porzingis.

One could argue that Butler, George, and Millsap joined DeMar DeRozan, LeBron James, Kyle Lowry, Isaiah Thomas, and John Wall as the best players in the Eastern Conference. Gordon Hayward’s arrival will likely consume an All-Star appearance, but that’s one of three.

Porzingis has been projected by many to make a leap during the 2017-18 season, and it’s a genuinely fair goal to set for himself.

Individually, Porzingis should exceed 20 points per game after averaging 18.1 on 45.0 percent shooting from the field in 2016-17. He did so while ranking third on the Knicks in field goal attempts per game, which is reason enough to believe he should improve his scoring rate.

So long as Porzingis simultaneously makes progress on defense, then it’s fair to believe that he’ll be an All-Star in 2017-18.

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