The New York Knicks are building through a young core, which includes RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., Allonzo Trier, Damyean Dotson, Frank Ntilikina, and Ignas Brazdeikis. The million dollar question is whether any of the aforementioned players will grow into a star.
Well, here's the ceiling for every member of the Knicks young core, by way of comparing them to an established NBA player. This isn't to say that they'll become said players. Rather, their skill sets resemble similar qualities to the comparable talents.
R.J. Barrett – DeMar DeRozan
R.J. Barrett has the chance to quickly become the focal point of the Knicks offense, given his aggressive offensive skill set. In his one season at Duke, he attacked the rack, wasn't afraid to hoist up outside jump shots — although he was an inefficient shooter — and held his own defensively.
Averaging a team-high 22.6 points, as well as 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, he was an irreplaceable figure in the Blue Devils rotation. Barrett's skill set and production resemble a left-handed version of DeMar DeRozan.
Since becoming a starting fixture for the Toronto Raptors earlier this decade, DeRozan has been a go-to scorer. He plays with aggression and tenacity offensively, is an elite scorer, and hits the boards at a plausible rate for a wing. Meanwhile, his defense comes into question.
Kevin Knox – Andrew Wiggins
Kevin Knox endured an up-and-down rookie season, but he still showed off some encouraging aspects of his game. He showcased an ability to get physical inside, get to the rim and finish, and was willing to attempt outside jump shots.
Averaging 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, he didn't wow anyone on a nightly basis, especially defensively, but he has the offensive skill set and stature to become a more athletic Andrew Wiggins.
Wiggins has been criticized far more than he has been praised over the last two years. At the same time, he has a crafty offensive skill set. He has averaged 20-plus points per game twice by way of attacking the rack fearlessly and not being afraid to take open jump shots — even though he's a streaky shooter.
Mitchell Robinson – Rudy Gobert
Mitchell Robinson was the most intriguing development on the Knicks roster last season, and with some fine-tuning, as well as further advancement of his strengths, he can become one of the best centers in the NBA.
Robinson is a vicious shot blocker, emphatically finishes alley-oops, and hits the boards. In his rookie season, Robinson averaged 7.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in just 20.6 minutes per game while mostly coming off the bench. Hey, Rudy Gobert sat behind Enes Kanter for a couple seasons with the Utah Jazz before coming into his own.
Gobert is now one of the elite big men in the NBA. He's a stout rim protector, a pest of a defender, and finishes relentlessly inside. He has only become more productive with age and is an intimidating seven-footer.
Dennis Smith Jr. – Eric Bledsoe (Offensively)
Acquired as part of the team's return for Kristaps Porzingis at the NBA trade deadline, Dennis Smith Jr. impressed in his short time with the Knicks last season. Averaging a career-high 14.7 points, 5.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, he quickly became the captain of head coach David Fizdale's offense.
Smith has the offensive traits you look for in the modern-day point guard. He brings the ball up the floor, is fast, athletic, and penetrates off the dribble. In his soon-to-be first full season with the Knicks, why can't Smith evolve into Eric Bledsoe?
Now, Bledsoe is an All-NBA defender, but his offensive skill set is similar to Smith's. He's a high flyer, gets inside with ease, and can kick out to the open man by attracting double teams. Meanwhile, Bledsoe is an inefficient shooter; the reason relies on his athleticism and ability to absorb contact to chime in offensively.
Allonzo Trier – Lou Williams
Undrafted out of Arizona, Allonzo Trier signed with the Knicks having a chip on his shoulder, and he played like it. Averaging 10.9 points per game on 44.8 percent shooting from the field and 39.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc, he was an offensive spark plug.
While Trier can hit outside jump shots, he's adept at playing with energy, handling the rock, and forcing the issue at the rim. As a sixth man, or bench scorer, he could strive to become the next Lou Williams.
Today, Williams is viewed as arguably the best sixth man in the NBA, but he wasn't always such a prolific scorer; he took full advantage of all opportunities in the utmost way. He takes crunch time shots, can lead a first or second unit in scoring, and is most effective coming into games midway through the first quarter.
Damyean Dotson – Khris Middleton
Damyean Dotson has mostly flown under-the-radar in his two years in the NBA, and he has arguably been the Knicks' most consistent two-way player. He plays competitive on-ball defense, shoots off the dribble, and drains outside jump shots.
Averaging 10.7 points per game last season, he was a sneaky source of offense for the Knicks. His defensive reliability and offensive improvement put him in line to potentially be the next Khris Middleton.
Middleton began his career as a rotation player, but answered the call when the Milwaukee Bucks asked him to start, gradually improving since. He's an efficient shooter, an integral source of offense, a superb defender, and an underrated passer. Perhaps Dotson doesn't earn a $178 million contract, but he has the same tools Middleton did at an earlier stage of his career.
Frank Ntilikina – Dante Exum
Frank Ntilikina's time in the Big Apple has been a bizarre and discouraging trial. With that said, he still has a tantalizing defensive skill set. His long wingspan disrupts ball handlers, he plays strong on-ball defense, steadily brings the ball up the floor, and is a selfless player.
There's no statistic Ntilikina has that impresses, but if the Knicks push the right buttons and give him a consistent role in their offense — which is a gray area — he could make an impact. A best-case scenario for the Knicks is that Ntilikina blossoms into Dante Exum.
Exum is athletic, but he's more so a player who pushes the ball up the floor, makes the extra pass, and plays stout defense; though he's not a scoring outlet. At the same time, defense and athleticism is his identity, and you need players with that mentality to win games.
Ignas Brazdeikis – Joe Ingles
The Knicks traded up to select Brazdeikis in the second round of June's NBA Draft, and it's difficult to foretell what his role will be in the team's rotation this season, but he could be a diamond in the rough. He provides energy, sticks outside jump shots, handles the rock, plays competitive defense, and isn't afraid to force the issue at the rim.
In his one year at Michigan, Brazdeikis averaged 14.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. It's realistic to think — with consistent playing time — he could grow into the Joe Ingles mold.
Ingles is a reliable outside shooter, occasionally brings the ball up the floor, attacks the rack, and is a dependable defender. He's a crucial aspect of the Jazz and their identity, but it took Ingles a few years — partially due to playing time — to get an opportunity to grow into such a player.
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