New York Knicks - Analysing the off-season thus far

The New York Knicks‘ front office was pretty busy during the NBA off-season, re-signing several players and adding a few big names through trades and free agency. Let’s look at each move and examine the impact that it’ll have on the team during the course of the season:

J.R. Smith

Re-signing J. R. Smith: Though some Knicks fans voiced their displeasure over this move, it was the most logical course of action for the Knicks to re-sign J.R Smith, their second highest scorer after Carmelo Anthony and winner of this year’s sixth Man of the Year award.

Amar’e Stoudemire and his wobbly knees are apparently on course for a minutes limit this season (20 minutes per game and even lesser on the second game of back-to-backs), and the dearth of cap space meant that the Knicks couldn’t scour the free agency market for a reliable scorer.

Their best option was to re-sign the volatile and unpredictable Smith, who averaged 18.1 points per game while clocking 33.5 minutes. But he disappeared during the 2013 playoffs, averaging 14.3 points while hitting a measly 33.1% of his shots.

The 3-pointer, his bread and butter, failed him miserably during the Playoffs where he shot only 27.3% from beyond the arc. The NBA recently suspended him for 5 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, after he failed a drug test for the second time.

Re-signing Pablo Prigioni: This was a really smart move by Glen Grunwald, the Knicks GM. Prigioni really helped the Knicks during his first year with them. His hard-nosed defence won him plaudits from NBA pundits in his rookie season.

Coach Woodson’s two-point guard tandem of Prigioni and Raymond Felton formed a formidable backcourt, especially on defence. Prigioni really knows to orchestrate an offence, having played for 17 years in his native Argentina and Spain.

His on-ball defence has been described as “pest-like” and has troubled many elite guards in the NBA. With the Knicks strapped for cash, Prigioni’s $1.5 million salary comes as a welcome change.

Signing Metta World Peace: The Knicks really hit the lottery on this one. Moving swiftly after the Los Angeles Lakers amnestied World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest), the Knicks signed him on a two-year deal, the first guaranteed.

Metta World Peace

The World Peace signing makes a whole lot of sense for the Knicks. They get a reliable backup for Carmelo Anthony. World Peace also brings something to the table that the Knicks sorely lack – tenacious defence.

During his 14-year span in the NBA, World Peace has proven to be a pesky defender, getting selected to four All-NBA Defence Teams, en route to winning the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004. He also brings valuable championship experience to the Knicks, having won the title with the Lakers in 2010.

But there is also a possibility of this move backfiring for the Knicks as World Peace’s behaviour on court can be described as eccentric. He is infamously known for his role in the Pistons-Pacers brawl in 2004 and for elbowing James Harden in the head during his tenure with the Lakers. His 14-year career has witnessed a total of 86 suspended games, including the playoffs.

Signing Beno Udrih: The departure of Jason Kidd meant that the Knicks needed a point guard with sizeable experience at the highest level to fill the shoes of Kidd, 2nd on the all-time assists list.

The Knicks’ front office believes that Beno Udrih can reprise the role of Kidd to a T. The Slovenian, who averages 9.2 points and 3.6 assists over his career in only 23.5 minutes per night, will definitely help the Knicks with his high basketball IQ.

Having played on the championship winning 2005 San Antonio Spurs team, Udrih knows what it takes to win a championship. The prospect of adding a second ring to his tally drove him to join the Knicks, albeit for a lesser salary, after having played for teams like Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic.

The 9-year veteran is known for his prowess to run the pick-and-roll (a staple of Mike Woodson’s offence) and his ability to read the opposing team’s defence. His pass-first mentality will definitely benefit the Knicks who have a plethora of jump shooters in Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and Andrea Bargnani.

Having another experienced point guard on the roster would help the Knicks’ offence which tended to stagnate, especially during the playoffs when there was too much of isolation with Melo and J.R.

Trading for Andrea Bargnani: This move proved to be quite unpopular with the Knicks fans and most members of the basketball fraternity. Andrea Bargnani arrived to the Big Apple on a trade with the Toronto Raptors that sent Marcus Camby, Steve Novak and Quentin Richardson, as well as a first-round pick in 2016, a second-round pick in 2014 and a second-round pick in 2017.

Andrea Bargnani

Many felt this was the latest gaffe of the Knicks in their history of over-paying players who subsequently failed to live up to the billing, considering the fact that Bargnani is due to make $23 million over the next two years.

But Bargnani is a unique player. Standing at seven feet tall, he is known for his range and his scoring abilities, averaging 15.7 points for his career. He can regularly knock down the 3-point shot, with many likening him to be the “poor man’s” Dirk Nowitzki.

Despite adding a new dimension to the Knicks’ offence, Bargnani, being a one-dimensional player, only worsens the Knicks’ problems on defence. Envisioning him and Anthony on the floor together would put a smile on the faces of many Eastern Conference rivals, because both players (add Amar’e Stoudemire to this list) tend to slack when it comes to defensive responsibilities.

Bargnani, the first overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft, succumbed to the pressure of being a franchise centerpiece for the Raptors, guiding them to the playoffs only twice in his seven years in Canada.

But with him no longer having to reprise that role with New York, the Knicks believe that he can be an offensive threat, creating matchup problems for opposing defences with his size and range.

Re-signing Kenyon Martin: Glen Grunwald made another smart move by re-signing Kenyon Martin, who had played a pivotal role during the Knicks’ 13-game winning streak last season.

The presence of Martin, a 13-year NBA veteran, helps the Knicks’ defence in the paint, with Martin known for his toughness and inside presence. His chemistry with Carmelo dates back to their days in Denver, where they spent seven seasons together.

Despite being undersized for a power forward/centre, it was the 6’9” Martin’s commitment and effort on defence that prompted the Knicks to resign him. He is also a solid rebounder, known for his ability to clean the class and soar high for putback dunks.

The only concern for the Knicks is whether the 35-year-old Martin, having been in the league for 13 years, can withstand the rigours of an 82-game season.

Drafting Tim Hardaway Junior: The Knicks used their 24th pick in the draft to select Tim Hardaway Jr. who played for the Michigan Wolverines.

Tim Hardaway Junior

Hardaway Jr. is the son of former Miami Heat All-Star Tim Hardaway, known for his lethal crossover. Hardaway Jr., a 6’6” shooting guard, can play the role of backup to J.R. Smith and can also be an able foil to Carmelo Anthony on the wing.

Hardaway Jr. had a good workout with the Knicks in the summer, which prompted them to pick his services. His all-round ability shone in the Knicks’s Las Vegas Summer League opener where he recorded 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal.

During the NBA’s Rookie Transition Program, he impressed many with his “leadership abilities and his thoughtful and compelling questions”, as described by the NBA’s SVP of Player Development, Greg Taylor.

Signing C.J. Leslie: The Knicks’ roster of the recent past has shown their tendency to pursue players who are in their prime or established veterans who are nearing their twilight, with no impetus given to youth.

The Knicks also haven’t had much activity in the Draft, sacrificing many picks through trades. But the Knicks have bucked the trend this year by signing many young players, one of whom is C.J Leslie.

Leslie, a 6’9” small forward, went undrafted in 2013, which surprised many. The former North Carolina State man then represented the Knicks in the Summer League and was subsequently snapped up by them.

Known for his explosive athleticism and above-the-rim play, he can really help the Knicks frontcourt, which lacks a consistent rebounder apart from Tyson Chandler.

Signing Jeremy Tyler: Another young player who caught the eye of Mike Woodson during the Summer League, Tyler signed a two-year non-guaranteed contract with the Knicks.

The Knicks coaches were particularly impressed by Tyler’s intensity on the glass, especially while garnering offensive rebounds. During the Summer League, Tyler had two games in which he grabbed 5 offensive rebounds.

Overall, his Summer League statistics were impressive as he averaged 12.8 points and 6.4 rebounds over 17.6 minutes in five games. Tyler was once regarded as a top national prospect with scouts being particularly impressed with his strong and quick footwork before he surprisingly decided to play overseas. Eventually, interest in him died down after he failed to make a mark abroad.

In the Summer League though, his commitment was never in question, as he was active on defence, communicating with teammates and protecting the rim.

Signing Toure’ Murry: The 6’5” forward was signed to a non-guaranteed contract by the Knicks. Murry’s solid Summer League showing ensured that he got a call from the Knicks, with Mike Woodson being impressed by the former D-Leaguer’s display.

Murry, who played college ball for Wichita State University, played his rookie season for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers where he averaged 9.0ppg, 2.8rpg, 3.0apg, and 1.8spg, helping them capture the NBA D-League title.

Signing Chris Smith: It has been speculated that part of J.R. Smith’s deal included a guarantee by the Knicks that they would sign J.R.’s younger brother, Chris Smith.

Chris Smith

Smith played for the Manhattan Jaspers as a freshman and sophomore and then joined the Louisville Cardinals for his junior and senior years.

Smith, who went undrafted in 2012, was offered a contract by the Knicks after impressing in the Summer League. But a knee injury suffered in training camp meant that his season ended abruptly.

In this year’s edition of the Las Vegas Summer League, he averaged 5.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists, clocking 19.9 minutes in five games. NBA sources have said that Smith’s contract is a non-guaranteed one, meaning that the Knicks don’t have to necessarily sign him.

In totality, the Knicks seem to have addressed their main concerns, namely size and reliability of their bench. The additions of Metta World Peace and Andrea Bargnani add different dimensions to the Knicks, albeit in two different aspects of the game.

Beno Udrih, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Chris Smith will benefit the Knicks backcourt by providing healthy competition to Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert and Pablo Prigioni. C.J. Leslie and Jeremy Tyler are raw, young talents who will back up Tyson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and Amar’e Stoudemire with their explosiveness and athleticism.

Hopefully, J.R Smith will not be the J.R. of old that we all know about, and will finally reach the pinnacle of his NBA career this season under the tutelage of Mike Woodson.

The Knicks have always had players who can play defence but only in spurts. Their success would depend on how Mike Woodson motivates them to stay committed on defence throughout the season.

In the last two years, the Knicks have been plagued by injuries to their star players, preventing them from gathering any sort of momentum through the regular season and into the playoffs.

The Anthony-Stoudemire tandem will need to flourish and it will be interesting to see how they sort out their chemistry issues. Hopefully, the players stay healthy and the Larry O’Brien trophy returns to the Garden after a gap of thirty-one years.