The 2016-2017 season has moved along at a rapid pace, and the Knicks have been a massive disappointment in the Eastern Conference. As a team that bulked up in the off-season, all eyes were on New York to see if they could compete for a playoff spot for the first time since 2012-2013. Since that time, the franchise has hit a major snag and will enter the All-Star Break with more questions than answers.
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| Carmelo Anthony (left) and Kristaps Porzingis (right) |
In this article, we will grade each forward on the Knicks and provide a quick recap for what they have done this year. Please make sure to keep an eye out for the other positions, which will be released within the coming days.
Carmelo Anthony
Grade: A-
- I am a huge Carmelo Anthony supporter, and the 32-year old has done very well statistically this year, averaging 23.4 PPG with 6.0 REB in 56 games. Commonly known as an erratic shooter, he has risen his three point percentage by a considerable margin this season (37 percent) in comparison to the previous campaign (33 percent).
If you are a Knicks fan, you know that Anthony has been the focal point of everything this season. Whether he is involved in drama with GM Phil Jackson or dealing with trade rumors, the Syracuse product has handled everything to perfection, thus explaining his almost-immaculate grade. Whether he remains with the Knicks after next week is a whole different story, but up until now he has dealt with the ruthless aggression of the New York media and Knicks fan-base, and that certainly stands for something.
Kristaps Porzingis
Grade: B+
- Porzingis IS the future of the Knicks, but some have worried about his ability to stay healthy over the long-haul due to his lanky frame. In my opinion, Porzingis has had a nice season statistically and it is too early to worry about his health. Looking at the numbers, he has averaged 18.3 PPG with 7.1 REB and is currently shooting 38% from three point range. At 21 years old, the sky is the limit for the Latvian native, and he should continue to evolve into a more well-rounded player as his career moves along.
Kyle O'Quinn
Grade: B+
- O'Quinn has seen time at both the power forward and center positions this year, but he will be classified as the former for the purpose of this article. Personally, I was indifferent about the signing two years ago, but the 26-year old is beginning to form into a nice player off the bench. O'Quinn has averaged 6.4 PPG with 5.6 REB in just 15.3 minutes of action per contest, and those numbers have made him an interesting trade candidate. However, if the Knicks were to hold onto O'Quinn, they would be keeping a cheap asset that has the potential to play an even bigger role on the second unit.
Mindaugas Kuzminskas
Grade: B-
- I originally predicted that "Kuz" would be the breakout player of 2017 for the Knicks, and he has been a fun addition to the team. Standing at 6'9", Kuzminskas has seen time at both the small forward and power forward positions, but has had difficulty guarding the latter. As a 27-year old rookie, it is easy to see that he is more seasoned than the other newcomers to the league, but does have some shortcomings in his game. Lately, his shooting has taken a nose dive, as he is only hitting 31% of his three point shots. Despite this flaw, the Knicks will likely stash him on the bench for the foreseeable future and hope that he ends this rut sooner than later.
Lance Thomas
Grade: C+
- Coming into the season, I was happy that the Knicks brought back Lance Thomas. I felt that the Duke product was a solid defender with a developing offensive game. Since that point, Thomas has played a very small role on the team, particularly due to various injuries. He has participated in just 32 games with only 17.4 minutes per session. Hopefully the 28-year old can finish the second half in a strong way and return to being a legitimate contributor to the team.
Maurice Ndour
Grade: C
- Similar to Sasha Vujacic on our previous list, Ndour was brought in this past summer to fill up minutes and be a fallback option if the injury bug were to hit the franchise. At 24-years old, Ndour still has plenty of youth on his side, but it is hard to see him getting any meaningful playing time in the near future. This year, he has averaged 2.3 PPG in just 7.2 minutes of action, and could be the first player booted off the team if the Knicks were to bring in any players before the deadline.
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