New York Knicks: Road to relevancy starts with Jahlil Okafor

How do the New York Knicks regain relevancy?

On Sunday afternoon, fans at Madison Square Garden got a glimpse at what the future of the New York Knicks franchise could look like if a few ping-pong balls bounced a certain way. The potential future, the potential savior of the New York Knicks franchise was in MSG, except he was playing with the Duke Blue Devils and not the New York Knicks.

Yes, the future of the New York Knicks depends on a few ping-pong balls in the NBA Draft lottery this spring. That is the fastest way back to relevancy for the New York Knicks, who sit with a record of 8-37 so far this season. Getting Jahlil Okafor of Duke University would completely transform this franchise into a playoff contender, and maybe in a few years, a championship contender. Okafor would give Carmelo Anthony the second star that he needs to keep his career alive in its last years. Okafor would give Phil Jackson the star piece that he can build a winning roster around.

But, Okafor plays for Duke, not the Knicks. He is not playing for the Knicks yet, a hopeful fan of one of the NBA’s sorriest franchises would add.

Who is Okafor? What makes him so special? And why is he the key to a quick return to contention for the NY Knicks?

First, let’s tackle the issue of who is Mr. Okafor. If you haven’t seen him play a game for Duke yet, you have missed out. Okafor is one of the most talented players to come through the ranks of the college game in a while. He is a true superstar and a franchise player that, if a team that gets lucky enough to get the first pick in the draft, will change the course of a franchise. He is that kind of transcendent talent.

What makes him so special is how developed he is, even at a young age playing in the college ranks. His low post moves are polished, his offensive game a perfect mix of finesse and power, and his measurables are exactly what you want.

Watching tape of Duke's Jahlil Okafor. Offensively, he's the best freshman low-post player I've ever seen in the ACC. Remarkable talent.
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) January 4, 2015

He looked like a franchise player coming into college and hasn’t done anything to hurt that assessment at Duke this year. If anything, he has pulled away from the pack and has become a near lock for the first overall pick in the draft.

Any team that is picking first in the draft would love to have Okafor, but the Knicks would especially like to have him on their roster for the 2015-16 season. Getting Okafor would do a couple things for the Knicks. First of all, it would immediately give them a low post anchor to build around. The Knicks have a lot of weaknesses; basically every position besides small forward, where Carmelo Anthony plays, is up for grabs. Getting Okafor would secure that position for the future — potentially for the next 10 or 12 years.

But Okafor projects as more than just a long-term starter. Okafor is a true star, and would be huge for Carmelo Anthony. Carmelo appears to be very frustrated with his team this season. Shots of him looking on in late game situations with disgust or confusion or anger at his overwhelmed teammates are flooding in the internet. But with Okafor in the fold, Anthony would have another true star on board with him. Getting Okafor would take a lot of the pressure off Carmelo Anthony to continue to be the star for the Knicks. He could continue to play good basketball for the Knicks while slowly yielding more and more responsibilities to the young center as Okafor gets better and Carmelo gets older.

More from NBA

Also, Okafor would be a huge building block for Phil Jackson to build around. Jackson has his hands tied behind his back this season — poor decisions in past years by Knicks management has left a roster that is nearly capped out and devoid of any real talent. Jackson understands this and is shedding salary with an eye towards pursuing a big time free agent over the summer. With Jahlil Okafor on board, Jackson would have a lot better of a pitch to free agents that with any other draft prospect from this class. Nobody else in this current draft class moves the needle like Okafor does, and free agents would see that and be much more likely to consider coming to NYC to play in MSG if the Knicks were able to land Mr. Okafor in the draft.

There is a phrase going around that will only get more popular as the draft draws closer and closer — “Suck More for Okafor.” It is a crude phrase, and not really as fun to say as “Riggin for Wiggins” or “Sorry for Jabari,” but it get the point across. Knicks fans were likely saying it to themselves today when Jahlil Okafor was playing in Madison Square Garden and they will keep saying it to themselves as the draft draws closer.

Next: Who is the greatest player in New York Knicks history?

Home/NBA