Slash Line: .667/N/A/.667
Season Averages: 17 MPG, 8.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.8 BPG
One of two signings in the offseason, Noah Vonleh joined the New York Knicks on an unguaranteed contract. He made the team with an impressive preseason and carried the production into the opening week.
As an energetic backup off the bench to Enes Kanter and Lance Thomas, Vonleh entered games to dominate the boards, mostly, with games of 10, 6, 13 and 5 rebounds, respectively. That gave him an early, stellar average of 8.5 per game, which sits second on the Knicks.
Add in 8.0 points per game, and it gives Vonleh strong peripherals in just 17 minutes. It equates to 16.9 points, 18.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes.
There’s little question of who’s the first big man off the pine, as he worked ahead of Mitchell Robinson and Luke Kornet, both of whom have barely played or received “DNP-Coach’s Decision” on the box score. That could remain for the full 2018-19 campaign, let alone the first week, at this rate.
Vonleh has the chance to receive a spot start, too, if head coach David Fizdale wants to alter the lineup, which he indicated the possibility of.
David Fizdale just suggested that a starting lineup change *could* be coming for the Knicks after the Miami game. Says he’ll evaluate the first 5 games of film after that.
— Jonathan Macri (@JCMacriNBA) October 23, 2018
Again: the dude is honest.
That may mean changes before the weekend. So Vonleh’s standing could change and result in an elevated role, pending it’s in Fizdale’s cards.