New York Knicks: Finding hope within the roster
By Bryce Olin
The Wings
Even Buffalo Wild Wings would agree the Knicks have way too many wings. There has to be a trade on the horizon to free up some space for the Knicks. You can’t bury that many big personalities on the bench; it’s terrible for locker room morale, as I learned in 2K.
J.R. Smith
| Season | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P% | TRB | AST | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | 74 | 32.7 | 5.4 | 12.9 | .415 | .394 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 14.5 |
| Career | 692 | 26.2 | 4.8 | 11.3 | .425 | .371 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 13.4 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/12/2014.
I don’t know what happened to Smith after he elbowed Jason Terry in the face in the 2013 Playoffs, but since that point, Smith has been terrible. Toward the end of last season, Smith came on strong for the Knicks, but it was too late at that point. For a guy who shot 42 percent from the field last season, Smith definitely is on the trading block. The trick is finding a team that actually wants him. I don’t think there’s anyway Smith stays with the Knicks all season because he does stuff like this:
I still don’t know how a shoe company that sells lace-less shoes hasn’t gotten Smith on board for a commercial.
The lone bright spot of Smith’s game is his three-point shooting. Last season, he made 39 percent of his three-point attempts, but he shot 6.5 threes per game. Smith definitely knows how to get his money’s worth.
Iman Shumpert
| Season | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P% | TRB | AST | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | 74 | 26.5 | 2.5 | 6.5 | .378 | .333 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 6.7 |
| Career | 178 | 26.2 | 2.8 | 7.3 | .391 | .342 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 7.7 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/12/2014.
I’m a Shumpert fan. On a functional team and with a specific role, Shumpert could be a really good player. Maybe that happens this season in New York. He’s a good defender when he tries. He’s athletic, and he’s not a bad shooter, either. Shumpert regularly comes up in trade talks around the league, but if I’m the Knicks, I’m keeping him alongside Larkin and Hardaway. In three or four years, that might be a really good lineup.
This season, the Knicks should move Smith or give the majority of Smith’s minutes to Shumpert. He’s a much more consistent player, and Shumpert doesn’t hoist up seven threes per game. That’s a plus.
Travis Outlaw
| Season | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P% | TRB | AST | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | 63 | 16.9 | 2.1 | 5.2 | .399 | .350 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 5.4 |
| Career | 622 | 20.9 | 3.2 | 7.6 | .423 | .337 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 8.5 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/12/2014.
With as many wings as the Knicks already had, I have no idea why they agreed to take Travis Outlaw from the Kings. There’s absolutely no reason to have him unless there’s a possibility of trading Shumpert and Smith, which is possible, I guess. Depending on where Anthony plays, either as the stretch-4 or on the wing, Outlaw might play about 10 minutes per game, or he won’t play at all. Realistically speaking, he shouldn’t play at all.
Cleanthony Early: The Steal of the 2014 Draft
Having watched Early at Wichita State several times throughout his career, I knew he was going to be a solid NBA player. He’s got that killer instinct, the size, the athleticism, and he’s a lights-out shooter and scorer.
I have no idea how he fell out of the first-round and into the Knicks’ lap. I also don’t know how much playing time Early will see this season. I’d imagine Fisher and Jackson will try to bring him along as fast as possible, but there’s only so many minutes to spread around.
The Knicks are forming a nice base of young talent with Larkin, Hardaway, and Early. With Carmelo committed to long-term with the Knicks, the Knicks have a solid group of young players to help out their star within the next few seasons.