3 former Knicks thriving elsewhere to start 2022-23 season
The New York Knicks are now a few weeks into the 2022-23 season. As expected after the team didn’t make a major trade over the summer, the Knicks have been out to an average (6-6) start.
New York has beat every team below .500 that it’s played thus far, with the exception of the Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks had their worst offensive game in a 112-85 loss earlier this week to a Nets team that’s been struggling on and off the court.
There is no easy fix for the issues that are plaguing this team. A start might involve moving on from Tom Thibodeau as the head coach, but that wouldn’t magically fix New York. The front office will have some tough decisions to make if the team continues to bury themselves deeper into a hole, which is what fans feared after a 2020-21 season that brought far more disappointment than hope.
And speaking of previous seasons, there are a few former Knicks that are off to solid starts in 2022-23. Fans should be happy for at least one of these players, but there’s one player in particular that doesn’t exactly have many fans remaining in New York after being drafted No. 4 in 2015. Chances are that you know exactly who I’m talking about.
To make matters worse (or better depending on what kind of fan you are), here are three former Knicks that have started the season on the right foot.
3 former Knicks that are off to a good start in 2022-23
3: Kristaps Porzingis
It’s been over three years since New York traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks, and earlier this year, he was traded to the Washington Wizards. The Knicks were right to trade Porzingis, so this isn’t to say that fans should regret that the team moved on from him, but he is off to a solid start in his first full season with the Wizards.
In 11 games, the 27-year-old is averaging 19.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 30.5 minutes while shooting 47.7% from the field and 33.3% from three. Most recently in a win over the Hornets, Porzingis finished with 19 points (6-for-14), eight rebounds, and five assists.
Having a healthy Bradley Beal and Porzingis on the court will make the Wizards a team to watch for in the East. The most games that Porzingis has played in a single season were the 72 contests that he played in as a rookie in New York. In 2021-22, he played in 51 games, and the year before that, 43. If he can stay injury free for the better part of 2022-23, Porzingis could have his best season since leaving the Knicks.