Knicks all-time starting 5: Players who never reached playoffs in NY
By Tyler Watts
PF: Kristaps Porzingis
The Knicks slipped from second to fourth in the 2015 NBA Draft lottery, which meant missing out on D’Angelo Russell. They had just missed the playoffs for the second straight year, and New York desperately needed a second star next to Carmelo Anthony. The 7’3 big man with a jumper was oozing potential, and he was just too good for the Knicks to pass on.
Kristaps Porzingis was a starter from day one, and he earned the nickname “The Unicorn” for his unique ability to stretch the floor at his size. KP shot 36.1 percent from three-point range and blocked two shots per game during his time in New York. The 22-year-old earned his first All-Star appearance before a torn ACL ended his season and forced him to miss all of the 2018-2019 campaign.
In Jan. 2019, the Knicks traded Kristaps with Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee to Dallas for two first-round draft picks and three Mavericks starters. All three players quickly exited New York, including Dennis Smith Jr., who was a lottery pick in 2017, but the Knicks are still waiting for one of those first-round picks to convey.
Kristaps Porzingis has struggled to stay healthy throughout his NBA career, but he produces monster numbers whenever he is on the floor. He is on pace to set a new career-high in scoring and has netted over 20 points each night for five straight years.