New York Knicks phenom Kristaps Porzingis is preparing for his third NBA season. What realistic goals should he set for himself in 2017-18?
The New York Knicks have made it perfectly clear that the front office intends to build around Kristaps Porzingis. The trade rumors are being buried beneath a mountain of excitement pertaining to what Porzingis can do as the leader of a youth movement.
As Porzingis prepares for his third NBA season, that incredible opportunity will be met with a level of pressure that he hasn’t yet faced.
New York hasn’t made the playoffs since 2013, but Knicks fans seem to be coming around to the idea of a long-term rebuild. Porzingis will be surrounded by players developing along a similar timeline, however, which makes gauging progress more subjective than ever.
There are objective areas in which Porzingis must improve, however, as well as individual and team goals that are equal parts ambitious and rational.
Coming off of two historically productive seasons, Porzingis is now expected to realize a greater portion of the star potential that the undeniably possesses. Whether or not Carmelo Anthony is around to help him do so, the expectations are higher than ever before.
The question is: What are five realistic goals for Kristaps Porzingis in the third season of his NBA career with the New York Knicks?
5. Improve Interior Consistency
At 22 years of age, Kristaps Porzingis is already one of the most well-rounded big men in the NBA. He can shoot the three-ball, protect the rim, occasionally switch on the pick and roll, go to the post, and put the ball on the floor.
Being well-rounded is a feather in Porzingis’ cap, but he must improve the consistency with which he performs along the interior if the rest of his game is going to flourish.
Porzingis is an outstanding shot-blocker, but he ranks amongst the least effective rebounders at his position. He admittedly plays alongside three top-flight rebounders in Willy Hernangomez, Joakim Noah, and Kyle O’Quinn, but Porzingis has the size advantage to dominate the boards.
He doesn’t need to pull down 10 rebounds per game, but the Knicks allowed more second chance points than any team in the NBA in 2016-17—and the 7’3″ big has the best odds of changing that.
Offensively, Porzingis can make the game easier for himself by scoring with improved efficiency in the post. He won’t be Hakeem Olajuwon overnight, but he doesn’t need to overpower opponents when he can simply back them down, create space, and shoot over them.
Porzingis’ ability to post up and crash the defensive glass would go a long way towards stabilizing New York’s efforts on both ends of the floor.
4. Shoot With Confidence
For all that Phil Jackson did to alienate the masses, he offered necessary constructive criticism of Kristaps Porzingis after the 7’3″ phenom’s rookie season. He questioned why it is that such a good shooter was struggling to knock down shots.
Jackson came to the conclusion that Porzingis didn’t realize how much of an advantage his height truly was, and was thus rushing his shots—a realization that KP later came to himself.
Come 2017-18, Porzingis should show no hesitation when the ball finds him and a shot is his intention. He shoots from well above his head, which creates a release point that a vast majority of NBA players are unable to come close to altering.
Porzingis will be more than a stationary shooter in 2017-18, of course, but in catch and shoot situations, he must not be afraid to let the ball fly.
In other situations, Porzingis’ height could be an even greater strength from a scoring perspective. He should be able to bank shots in from 12-to-16 feet with regularity, and should face futile resistance when he attacks the rim.
It can be frustrating to have a drive to the basket stymied, but Porzingis will make the most significant of leaps when he realizes how much of an advantage his size truly is.
3. Anchor The Defense
The New York Knicks are coming off of one of the worst defensive seasons in franchise history. New York ranked No. 23 in points allowed per game, No. 25 in points allowed per 100 possessions, and No. 30 in second chance points allowed.
If the Knicks are going to improve on the defensive end of the floor, then Porzingis must take another step towards reaching his Defensive Player of the Year potential.
Offense is fun to talk about, but Porzingis’ size, length, and instincts are too profound to ignore the defensive possibilities. He’s already one of the best shot-blockers in the NBA, ranking in the top-10 in blocks per game in 2015-16, and the top-5 in 2016-17.
As impressive as that is, Porzingis must work with Hornacek to design a defensive role that better fits his greatest value to the Knicks: His rim protection.
Porzingis will shoulder the biggest offensive load of his career in 2016-17, but that’s even more reason to station him in the paint. He’s a walking deterrent to any slasher who wants to test New York’s interior, which could thus neutralize an entire aspect of an opponent’s game plan.
Porzingis has struggled with foul trouble, but that’s more a product of him trying to cover too much ground on defense. New York must simplify his role and make him the anchor.
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.
1. Compete For The Playoffs
With or without Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks need to embody the trait that made the teams of yesteryear so feared: Unrivaled competitiveness. New York may not win 50 games—or 40, for that matter—but it must not lose its competitive edge.
The Knicks have the personnel to make every game they play a battle, and the development of said identity begins with the franchise player.
Porzingis has the fire inside of him to one day become an elite scorer and a genuine defensive anchor. He doesn’t need to make that progress overnight, but if he proves relentless as a rim protector and fearless as a No. 1 scoring option, the team would have an example to follow.
Porzingis has the respect of the locker room and the admiration of the coaching staff, which is the perfect formula for leadership.
With Anthony on the roster, the Knicks should not only compete for a playoff spot, but reach the postseason. Without Anthony, the return would likely determine the validity of New York’s postseason aspirations, but competitiveness should remain nonetheless.
The Knicks don’t necessarily need to make the playoffs, but as the franchise player, part of the onus is on Porzingis to make sure his team never loses its desire to win.
Must Read: Realistic goals for Carmelo Anthony in 2017-18
It’s shaping up to be a polarizing season for the New York Knicks, but fans can exude confidence knowing that Kristaps Porizngis looks the part of a franchise player.