New York Knicks: 15 greatest floor generals of all-time

It certainly says something about the depth of great point guards New York has had over the years when someone who only played a single season with the team cracks the list, but nevertheless, Jason Kidd earns his spot for his contributions to the 2012-13 Knicks squad.

In what would ultimately be his final go-around in the NBA, Kidd presence played a huge role in New York’s best season of the century, 53 wins and a berth in the conference semifinals, the first appearance there since 1999.

Averaging a career-worst 3.3 assists in 26.9 minutes a night, Kidd certainly wasn’t the point guard maestro that led him to the Hall of Fame. However, his presence on the court and IQ changed the way the team played the game. He implemented a style that turned down good shots for great ones and moved the ball crisply around the perimeter for open threes, all originating from No. 5.

Kidd even got Carmelo Anthony of all people to buy in to a more unselfish style of play, leading to a third place finish in MVP voting for the 10-time NBA All-Star.

Given that most of his time on the court came as the off-guard, Kidd wasn’t always granted the opportunity to do what he’d done for nearly two decades prior, which is to have the ball in his hands and make plays. Rather, Kidd never let the ball stick and was always happy to make the pass leading to the assist, rather than hunt for the numbers himself.

Kidd’s time with the Knicks will never be as fondly remembered as some of his other spots, but it was his trademark unselfishness that brought new life into what was then a mediocre Knicks squad. His time with the Knicks helped lead to one of the best and most entertaining seasons New York’s faithful have seen in a long time.