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New York Knicks: Phil Jackson’s best and worst transactions

By Rob Wolkenbrod

GREENSBURGH, NY - JULY 08: Courtney Lee, Joakim Noah, and Brandon Jennings and President Phil Jackson of the New York Knicks attend a press conference at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on July 8, 2016 in Greenburgh, New York. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
GREENSBURGH, NY - JULY 08: Courtney Lee, Joakim Noah, and Brandon Jennings and President Phil Jackson of the New York Knicks attend a press conference at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on July 8, 2016 in Greenburgh, New York. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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TARRYTOWN, NY – JUNE 26: Kristaps Porzingis, first round Draft pick of the New York Knicks speaks to the media at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on June 26, 2015 in Tarrytown, New York. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY – JUNE 26: Kristaps Porzingis, first round Draft pick of the New York Knicks speaks to the media at the Madison Square Garden Training Facility on June 26, 2015 in Tarrytown, New York. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Best: Drafting Kristaps Porzingis

The Joakim Noah signing proved disastrous, but Phil Jackson found success in the NBA Draft for the New York Knicks. This was highlighted in 2015, when he selected Kristaps Porzingis, a Latvian big name that acted as the draft’s international man of mystery.

Of course Knicks fans jeered the Porzingis selection on draft night, as the team missed on the top three picks — Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor — and a popular name, Emmanuel Mudiay, remained on the board.

Well, Porzingis managed to cure doubts of his abilities immediately. His rookie campaign featured 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in 72 starts, as the Robin to Carmelo Anthony’s Batman and a much-needed youthful presence on a rebuilding team.

Porzingis took another jump in year two, with 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. The Knicks had a budding star on their hands, in the bright lights of New York City, and someone to take the reigns in the post-Carmelo Anthony era, which began in 2017-18.

Porzingis was on his way to a career year, averaging 22.7 points and earning a spot in the 2018 All-Star game. A torn ACL just days before, though, took him out for the rest of the season.

While Jackson only saw two years of the Porzingis experiment, he still made this selection amidst criticism and watched it pan out. It’s arguably the best move of his three seasons in New York.

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