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New York Knicks: Pros and Cons of bringing Wayne Ellington back

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 04: Wayne Ellington #2 of the New York Knicks dribbles against the Utah Jazz during the first half at Madison Square Garden on March 04, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 04: Wayne Ellington #2 of the New York Knicks dribbles against the Utah Jazz during the first half at Madison Square Garden on March 04, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 14: Wayne Ellington #2 of the New York Knicks shoots over Kyle Korver #26 of the Milwaukee Bucks during a game at Fiserv Forum on January 14, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 14: Wayne Ellington #2 of the New York Knicks shoots over Kyle Korver #26 of the Milwaukee Bucks during a game at Fiserv Forum on January 14, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Pro: Three-Point Shooting

The first, and most obvious, reason for the New York Knicks to re-sign Wayne Ellington is the desperate need to improve from beyond the three-point line. New York ranks dead last in the NBA in three-point field goals made, as well as 27th in three-point field goal percentage.

Worst of all: New York, at 9.6, is the only team in the NBA to average fewer than 10 three-point field goals made per game. That’s a far cry from the 2012-13 team that set the league record for three-point field goals made in a single season.

More applicably: It’s reason to re-sign Ellington.

Ellington boasts career averages of 1.5 three-point field goals made and 2.6 per 36 minutes. That conversion rate is accommodated by a three-point field goal percentage of .378, which serves as a highly efficient mark for a perimeter shooter.

Since 2016-17, Ellington has averaged 2.5 three-point field goals made per game on .379 shooting—yet another compelling combination of volume and efficiency.

Thus far in 2019-20, Ellington has managed to convert 1.5 three-point field goals in just 15.5 minutes per game. That’s quite impressive when one considers that shooters generally need to play a decent number of minutes to establish a rhythm.

For proof: During the games in which Ellington has played at least 20 minutes, he’s converted 40.6 percent of his three-point field goal attempts.

That would be of great aid to New York’s floundering offense.