The New York Knicks aren’t going to the playoffs in 2018, but the foundation has been laid for sustained success and potential greatness.
The New York Knicks are in an uncomfortable position as the 2018 NBA offseason nears. Kristaps Porzingis could be sidelined until February of 2019, which may lead to the 2018-19 season being yet another long year for New York’s favorite franchise.
As the Knicks prepare for the next stage of the rebuild, however, one truth is being conveniently overlooked by critics: The foundation has already been laid.
That may come across as a surprising statement about a team that’s more than 20 games below .500. It may be even more difficult for fans to agree with when one acknowledges that the Knicks haven’t made the playoffs since 2012-13.
If the goal is to build a team that can win sustainably and compete for a championship in the long-term, however, then significant progress has already been made.
It may be uncharacteristic for optimism to shine through in the New York media, but this is more of an acknowledgement of facts. Between Phil Jackson, Steve Mills, and Scott Perry, the recent front office regimes have positioned the organization to return to prominence.
The question is: What are the foundational pieces that have been laid and what type of long-term value might they have to the New York Knicks?
The Franchise Player: Found
The single most difficult task of rebuilding is finding a legitimate franchise player. There are many high-quality talents who are masquerading as such, but acquiring a star who can legitimately lead the team into the future is a nearly impossible task.
One of the few teams that has managed to acquire a player with that genuine superstar potential just so happens to don the orange and blue.
Kristaps Porzingis still has flaws that he must address, but that can be said of any 22-year-old in any sport. Even as a player who’s believed to be too thin and unrefined offensively, he’s emerged as one of the best young players in the NBA.
That much was firmly established when Porzingis was selected to his first career All-Star Game appearance in 2017-18.
It’s further supported by the fact that, if games played weren’t a qualifier, he’d rank No. 1 in the NBA in blocks per game and opponent field goal percentage at the rim, and No. 18 in scoring. In other words: Porzingis is dominating defensively and scoring at a top-20 level.
There are many well-rounded players in the NBA, but those who can provide elite defense and score at a high level are tough to find.
With Porzingis on the roster, the Knicks have one of those very few players. How he’ll return and recover from the knee injury that currently has him sidelined is certainly a fair question, but if he’s proven anything, it’s that his work ethic is powerful.
As a young and spry athlete who’s surrounded by the people who got him to where he is today, Porzingis deserves our optimism.
The Perimeter Complement: Tim Hardaway Jr.
Supporting Kristaps Porzingis is a perimeter player whose progress has been greatly under-appreciated: Tim Hardaway Jr. In his first season back in New York, Hardaway is setting career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and three-point field goals made per game.
That’s especially impressive when one considers the type of adversity that Hardaway has been forced to overcome in 2017-18.
Hardaway suffered a stress fracture in his left leg that contributed heavily to the 22 games he’s missed in 2017-18. Almost as soon as Hardaway was healthy again, Porzingis went down and the entire focus of opposing defenses turned to stopping him.
Despite being tasked with adjusting while not at 100 percent, Hardaway has taken the challenge in stride and produced encouraging numbers.
Hardaway is averaging 19.0 points and 2.4 three-point field goals made per game in the 22 outings since Porzingis’ injury. That includes averages of 20.2 points and 2.5 three-point field goals made on 44.6 percent shooting from the field over the past 19 games.
Hardaway may not be the No. 1 star whom some inaccurately believe his salary requires him to be, but this experience should prepare him for the challenges of being a true No. 2.
The Defensive Specialist: Frank Ntilikina
Developing alongside Tim Hardaway Jr. is 2018 NBA Draft pick and defensive-minded combo guard Frank Ntilikina. The goal is to develop Ntilikina into a point guard, but he’s displayed the ability to defend all three perimeter positions during his early career.
His offensive game is still a work in progress, but the Frenchman is already one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA.
Every contender needs a player who can play legitimate lockdown defense along the perimeter. Even if he develops into an average offensive contributor, the first-year point guard has displayed the raw potential to fill that critical role in multiple phases.
Ntilikina has admittedly struggled to create efficient offense, but his defense has enabled the Knicks to be 1.8 points per 100 possessions better when he’s on the court.
By that same token, the Knicks outscored opponents by 4.0 points per 100 possessions when Hardaway and Porzingis were on the floor together. That number jumps to an insane net rating of +14.8 when Hardaway, Ntilikina, and Porzingis are all on the court.
In other words: The core of Hardaway, Ntilikina, and Porzingis has already begun to lead the Knicks to a postseason-caliber level of success.
The Top 10 Competition
As previously acknowledged, Frank Ntilikina was selected at No. 8 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. While he was drafted to play in the triangle offense, the goal remains developing Ntilikina into the franchise point guard—and he has the character and work ethic to make it happen.
What makes the current situation at point guard so intriguing, however, is the fact that Ntilikina is one of three former top-10 draft picks competing for the starting job.
If Ntilikina proves to be more of a 2 than a lead guard, then the Knicks would still have a chance to develop Trey Burke and Emmanuel Mudiay. Burke was the No. 9 overall selection in the 2013 NBA Draft, while Mudiay was selected at No. 7 in 2015.
Both have untapped potential to explore and the raw talent to potentially fill the role of the full-time starter for this rebuilding franchise.
Burke has lived up to the hype early in his Knicks career, producing starting-caliber numbers since being called up from the G League. Mudiay has struggled, but he’s still just 22 years of age and in possession of a rare combination of size and athleticism.
Regardless of how the point guard competition plays out, the fact that the Knicks have three former top-10 draft picks competing for one job is a promising sign.
The Draft Picks: Finally Retained
Even if you hate every other decision he made, New York Knicks fans should thank Phil Jackson for this. Jackson inherited a position that provided him with an uphill battle, as the previous regimes had a disheartening tendency to trade away draft picks.
After years of treating draft picks like meaningless assets, Jackson set the standard for the Knicks retaining and valuing their first-round selections.
Prior to 2018, New York hadn’t possessed the rights to its first-round draft pick on an even year since 2008. It gave away its first-round selection in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016, when it could’ve acquired cost-controlled talent to help sustain its success in the early 2010s.
For what it’s worth: The players selected with the Knicks’ picks were Gordon Hayward, Royce White, Dario Saric, and Jamal Murray.
We could lament the fact that Hayward is a star, Murray is inching towards that same status, and Saric is a dynamic talent who plays in the Atlantic Division. The past can’t be changed, however, which makes reflection the foundation for this critical point.
For the first time in a decade, the Knicks have a first-round draft pick on an even year—a sign that the organization is learning from its mistakes.
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Simply put: The New York Knicks have already laid the foundation for success.