New York Knicks: Five reasons to love the Kadeem Allen signing

1. Pushing The Incumbents

The New York Knicks have made it abundantly clear that no one’s place in the starting lineup should be assumed. Head coach David Fizdale has a world of talent to work with, but the roster consists of players who have something to prove.

Point guard appears to be the deepest position on the roster, but the Knicks aren’t ready to settle for their options—and the signing of Kadeem Allen proves it.

Allen may be a roster long-shot, but he’s the type of player whose defensive intensity could instantly win David Fizdale over. That puts a great deal of pressure on four significant players: Ron Baker, Trey Burke, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Frank Ntilikina.

If Allen outworks them during training camp, then it stands to reason that their place in the rotation, if not the roster, could be in jeopardy.

This isn’t necessarily to say that Allen would replace them, but instead that he could expose their flaws. That would push all four players to work harder on the defensive end of the floor and push themselves harder on offense.

If the Knicks are looking to change the culture, then this is as solid a starting point in terms of convincing the guards to buy in on both ends of the floor.

Kadeem Allen may very well end up in Westchester, but he could be a culture-changing addition at training camp.