Emmanuel Mudiay has yet to play for the New York Knicks in 2018-19 due to injury. Is there room for him upon return?
Point guard was a topic of conversation for the New York Knicks in training camp and the preseason. Trey Burke, Frank Ntilikina, Emmanuel Mudiay and even Ron Baker competed for minutes in these five warm-up games, but the job went to Burke.
Since then, Ntilikina has taken over the main distributor role, with the Michigan product as the backup and Baker in as the third-stringer.
There’s no Mudiay, however. Not because of a place outside the rotation, but an ankle injury. He’s probable to return for Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News.
Emmanuel Mudiay is probable for tomorrow’s game against the Nets. David Fizdale believes Mudiay is the best passer on the team and will eventually give him a chance to start at point guard, just not yet after missing opening six games of season with a sprained ankle.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) October 28, 2018
So Knicks coach David Fizdale will give Mudiay a chance to start, which puts doubt about a role in the rotation to rest, for now.
With Ntilikina as the man at point guard, and Fizdale’s desire to reevaluate everything after five-game sets, the former Denver Nugget may have his chance on Nov. 5 against the Chicago Bulls. Can he maintain this opportunity, though?
Mudiay’s preseason encountered difficulties throughout, with a decline in minutes and marginal offensive production at 15 percent shooting on 2.0 points and 3.8 assists. Being New York’s best passer might hold water, but he can’t last on underwhelming percentages from the field.
Maybe Fizdale sees if early October was an anomaly for the 22-year-old guard. Though, he’s a career 37.4 shooter on 10.8 points and 4.3 assists. It cost him a starting role with the Nuggets and even a transition to the bench with New York after the February trade.
Long-term, even for the 2018-19 season, unless Mudiay shows something unforeseen from his first three seasons, he’s not the man at point guard. He will most likely contending for the backup role behind Burke or Ntlikina, both of whom have space in this potential race.
The upside is about 20 minutes per game for the Congo native once he returns and establishes a role. He owns the court vision over Burke and Ntilikina that may continue Fizdale’s praise and create an opportunity, but the latter players are more dynamic on the offensive and defensive ends, respectively.
There’s only so many minutes for Mudiay to take, as well, if all three point guards play and everyone returns to health. That’s sans Baker, whose role diminished quickly. Burke, Allonzo Trier, Enes Kanter, Lance Thomas and eventually Kevin Knox and Courtney Lee all have a piece of the bench-minutes pie to take. Where’s the fit for on-court time amongst this group?
Mudiay will receive a role, but its sustainability remains in question. Can he last in the rotation?