The New York Knicks have a secret weapon they can’t wait to unleash on the NBA in 2016. He made a splash last season, but we have yet to see how high his ceiling is, but we are about to. Kristaps Porzingis started his rookie year with a bang, plenty of them as he was named the putback king for his thunderous rebound dunks. His greeting to the NY area was not a great one as Draft Day quickly turned into a nightmare as Knicks fans booed when the selection was made.
But those boos quickly became cheers and this upcoming season will be more of the same as the entire dynamic of the Knicks has changed for the better. Phil Jackson pulled off the unthinkable as he acquired Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah from the Chicago Bulls and while most will see them as the reason the Knicks will make a run in the East, it will fall on the young but capable shoulders of KP. Not only will KP help lead the Knicks to a possible 3-4 seed he will make his first appearance as an All-Star in 2016.
Yes, I have gone as far as to say there will be another Knick with East across his chest, possibly in New Orleans come February.
Last season, despite hitting the dreaded rookie wall, KP averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game in 28 minutes. Now that he has a reliable supporting cast around him, including, leader, Carmelo Anthony we should be in store for a better version of Dirk Nowitzki. I love Dirk’s game, but KP is much stronger on the defensive end than Dirk ever was.
Here is how KP will make this All-Star team.
We know he can score, play defense and rebound, but as I stated earlier, we have yet to see his full potential. With Rose running the point looking for an open man, either on the blocks or the perimeter, KP will see easier shots and with his range, that already extends beyond the three-point line it’s safe to say we could see a 20 point, 10 rebounds season out of the 2nd year player. But Rose will not be the only reason he will make strides. KP and Anthony will have a season under their belts together chemistry wise, Noah will help him on the defensive end of the court as well as Courtney Lee, but the main reason I can see the All-Star game in his future will be the fast-paced tempo of the offense ran by new HC, Jeff Hornacek.
Last season the Knicks were lost on the offensive end as the Triangle offense stalled both he and Melo’s production but with Hornacek running the show there will be plenty of fast breaks, pick and rolls and loads of perimeter shots available. How many forwards in the East can claim the talent that KP has? There’s Kevin Love, but he’s not the same player that he was in Minnesota. Paul Millsap will have a spot, maybe one or two more but this is Porzingas time to shine, time to make Jackson look like a scouting genius.
There will be no rookie wall, no talk of him taking over the team from Melo, just winning, and having something to play for in late March. He’s still young, but you can see the potential and hungry he has. The Knicks will make a run in the East and leading the way will be their new All-Star.