When Derrick Rose emphatically came out and stated his newly joined New York Knicks were a ‘superteam,’ the entire NBA world either laughed, shrugged it off, or fainted in shock. Following Durant’s move to Golden State, Rose told Sports Illustrated that:
“You should believe in yourself and have the confidence in yourself that you’re playing on a superteazm.”
While a little ambitious, Rose just may be right.
Now I know what you’re thinking, Connor this isn’t 2011 and I agree, there is a lot that has to go right for this to work. Let me say from the outset: do I believe the Knicks will win the championship? No. Come out on top of the East? No. Be a top 4 team in the East? Even still, probably not.
But what I will say is that, if healthy, this team might just be one of the most exciting to watch all season.
Let’s breakdown what the Knicks did this offseason:
- Acquired MVP Point Guard Derrick Rose from Chicago
- Acquired Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah
- Acquired marksman Courtney Lee
- Acquired Brandon Jennings
- Named Jeff Hornacek Coach
Say what you will about the Knicks, but that seems like an upgrade in every facet compared to last year – especially when compared to people like Calderon, Vujavic, and Lopez all getting major starter minutes in 2015. Predicated on the health of many of their starters, that is certainly a no slouch starting five and the addition of offensively focused Hornacek could give the Knicks the structure they so greatly need. Don't forget only two seasons ago, Hornacek was runner-up in Coach of the Year voting as his 48-34 Suns finished the 2013-14 season.
So let’s look at the biggest piece first: Derrick Rose.
Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose getting moved from Chicago seemed odd to myself and many other NBA fans. Once the prodigal son of the Windy City, Rose’s exit was a shock to say the least. Opting for Rajon Rondo instead, Rose was shuffled as the Knicks scooped him, in what really is quite a safe contract especially in today’s NBA.
The 2011 MVP has battled health issues since his historic MVP season, and has really been a major question mark for the league. Can he regain his health and production? Can he get back to his usual athleticism?
For the most part, the answer has been a resounding no, however, in this past season something changed with Rose. After he was selected for the FIBA World Championship team, Rose changed his style of player. A slowed Rose still showed flashes of his blistering self but focused more on a poised nature. Post All-Star Game of the 2016 season, Rose averaged 17.5 points, five assists, three rebounds on over 46 percent form the field and 37.5 precent from deep – numbers that certainly aren’t to be laughed at.
If Rose can keep up his outside shooting, keep those turnovers low at under two per game, and mesh into the Knicks new offense, there is no reason as to why he can’t keep this up for an entire season. I for one am going to particularly look forward to how Rose runs Hornacek’s motion offense, especially now that he has weapons such as Porzingis, Anthony, and Lee at his perimeter disposal.
Joakim Noah
Sticking with a player who has battled health issues, Joakim Noah raises eyebrows. The once defensive player of the year started only two games in 2015-16 and played in only 29 total due to an injured shoulder. Noah, despite his offensive challenges, should bring the intensity on defense and the glass that the Knicks really require.
In 2015-16, Noah averaged 7.0 points, almost 15 rebounds, and 6 assists per 36 minutes. There is absolutely no reason why Joakim can’t average 10 and 10 game in, game out for the Knicks. He had a 101 defensive rating for the season and, when on, is an absolutely premier interior rim protector.
Furthermore, like an Andrew Bogut or Marc Gasol, Noah excels at passing from the high post. Hornacek in training videos has already alluded to running a triangle type offense andNoah’s abilities should be well highlighted. Look for him to feed Carmelo Anthony inside and space the floor to allow sophomore star Kristaps Porzingis room to work.
Kristaps Porzingis
We then look into the crystal ball for that sophomore star. An undeniable top three rookie last season, Kristaps has the ‘it factor.’ One of the most offensively well rounded young guys in the league, Porzingis is long, strong, and has a sweet stroke. Averaging 14.5 points and seven rebounds on 42 percent from the field, Kristaps was an instant impact player for the struggling Knicks.
The question now is to whether Porzingis can sustain his high level play. Porzingis’ production dropped off ever so slightly after the All-Star Game, especially defensively and in rebounding. He became a shadow of the man who torched the Hornets for 29 points and 11 rebounds in MSG early on in the season. The Knicks are going to need the youngster to improve on his production and consistency if he is to help out Noah in the front court. A coach such as Jeff Hornacek should be able to utilize Kristaps well, helping him getting better position in the low post and around the mid range.
Carmelo Anthony
Where is Olympic Melo? As a fan of Eastern Conference basketball and Carmelo Anthony in general, I sympathize with Knicks fans around the world seeing Melo tear it up internationally and doing less locally.
Coming off a superstar 2016 Rio Olympics, Carmelo Anthony needs to focus on bringing native New Yorkers a deep playoff run and getting back to his usual self. The top five pick of the 2003 draft is unquestionably still one of the league’s elite scorers.
The question for Carmelo now is whether he can sacrifice those few touches for the benefit of the Knicks. Can he lead, improve his defense, passing, rebounding, and intensity as so many others of the 2003 class have done? Carmelo will still be the first option for the Knicks and rightfully so, but how well he buys into the offense of Coach Hornacek and how he gels with three new starters will be a large determinant of New York’s success.
Overall outlook
Ultimately, there is a steep number of ifs for the Knicks: Derrick Rose and Noah’s health, a new coach, Carmelo’s production and whether Kristaps can progress.
One thing is for sure, however, and that is that on paper this team is as good as most in the Eastern Conference and the entire league, if healthy. They have veterans who have made conference finals and enjoyed individual success, plus a front office trying to win sooner rather than later. Their bench is still highly suspect and outside of Jennings, it lacks a lot of depth, but their starters may be able to stagger and compensate for this until a new solution arrives. If the practice videos emerging are anything to go by, this team may be real fun to watch.
It won’t be the super team of Cleveland or Golden State but they should be competitive in most games. If the whole unit can gel and stay healthy: I say strap in for the fireworks at MSG.
The Knicks may just be the super team of come back success stories, no one was expecting.
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