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New York Knicks: What fans can expect in 2017-18

By Daniel Lubofsky

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 19: Jeff Hornacek of the New York Knicks yells instructions to his team during the first half of a NBA game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 19, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 19: Jeff Hornacek of the New York Knicks yells instructions to his team during the first half of a NBA game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 19, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /
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What should New York Knicks fans expect from their favorite team during the 2017-18 NBA regular season? There are more positives than one might think.

Prior to the season opener, it had been roughly six months since New York Knicks fans last saw their beloved squad hit the hardwood. Plenty has changed since then.

The team parted ways with former president Phil Jackson. They’ve officially moved on from the Carmelo Anthony era after trading him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. And they’ve hired a new general manager in Scott Perry.

Now the team belongs to 22-year-old Kristaps Porzingis, who looks to lead the Knicks in this new rebuilding era.

The Knicks come into this season with little expected of them. That being said, it’ll still be interesting to see how the team functions after the changes made this past offseason.

Here are some of the things Knicks fans can expect from their squad for the upcoming season.

Jeff Hornacek Actually Coaching

It was well-documented during the Phil Jackson era how badly the 11-time champion wanted the team to run the triangle offense. The general narrative was that Jackson would constantly preach the triangle offense to both the coaching staff and the players, while never opening his mind to other options

One out of many of ramifications that came from that enforcement was the constraints it put on Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek.

The working theory is that Hornacek never got to coach the way he wanted to. He prefers to run an uptempo offense that values the pick and roll, and the three-point shot—principles that were absent in 2016-17

Jackson is believed to have confined Hornacek to a complex offensive system that didn’t allow for any individuality or creativity.

Expect to see Hornacek exhibit some authority when it comes to decisions on the court. Then maybe Knicks fans can see just what kind of coach the front office hired.

Modernized Offense

As mentioned before, due to Phil Jackson’s love for the triangle offense, the Knicks seemed to be stuck in the 90s for the better part of the past three seasons.

The NBA today is a pick and roll, pace-and-space game. Unfortunately, the triangle offense emphasizes none of those options.

Throw in Carmelo Anthony’s love for iso midrange jumpers, and the Knicks offense didn’t look pretty last season.

Now, with Anthony gone and plenty of fresh legs on the roster, the Knicks are much more suited for a run-and-gun style of play.

Couple that with the floor-spacing they have with Kristaps Porzingis Porzingis at the 4 and occasionally the 5, and Jeff Hornacek’s desire to run the pick and roll, and the Knicks offense should look much more like a modern NBA offense.

Youth Movement

When Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in September, it didn’t just signal the end of one era. It signaled the beginning of a long overdue rebuild in New York.

Over the past couple of seasons, the front office has done a surprisingly nice job of adding young players with upside.

Kristaps Porzingis is the obvious face of the franchise now that Anthony is gone. Willy Hernangomez made the All-Rookie First Team last season. Mindaugas Kuzminskas had some impressive games as a first-year player.

Tim Hardaway Jr. seems to have grown a lot since his first stint with the Knicks. Frank Ntilikina is a relative unknown amongst NBA fans, but projects to be an above-average point guard with unique value, seeing as how he’s 6’5″ with a 7’0 wingspan.

This core group of youngsters still has more questions than answers, but it will be interesting to watch how they develop together as the season progresses.

The Knicks most likely will not be good this season. The expectations have never been lower, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth watching. For the first time in what seems like forever, the team is taking the smart approach towards the ultimate goal of a championship.

Must Read: Five takeaways from the season opener

It’ll be interesting to see what kind of team the New York Knicks are and what kind of steps they make as a franchise.

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