It’s been reported that there’s still no timetable for the return of Knicks’ star Kristaps Porzingis this season. Although fans are optimistic they’ll see the Latvian star grace the court in the 2018-2019 wars, there’s a great chance that Porzingis will be shelved for the year.
New York will be smart to shut down Kristaps this year and not force their star forward to come back sooner than he’s slated to. He remains to be the franchise’s best young piece and the Knicks can’t afford to lose him by aggravating his injury. Also, there’s no reason for the Knicks to rush him as they are still far from competing with their current roster.
With another losing season looming, the Knicks should just focus on player development while working on getting a good enough pick in next year’s draft. And while they’re at it, New York needs to put Kevin Knox under the spotlight.
The 19-year-old Knox was the Knicks ninth pick in this year’s draft. In the summer league, he showcased his elite offensive skills while earning comparisons to Jayson Tatum. It’s still early and the season hasn’t even started, yet Knox is being tagged as a steal at number nine given his impressive play in the summer league.
If Kristaps Porzingis really does miss all of next season, Knox has a great opportunity to make teams regret their decision to pass up in drafting him. With his size and offensive game that looks mature for his age, Knox has the potential to be the small forward of the future for New York.
Of course, growing pains are expected for a rookie. Knox won’t be jumping out of the door looking like an All-Star. Next season will be long and Knicks fans should be patient. They should just sit back and enjoy the ride as Kevin Knox makes the transition from potential steal to perennial All-Star.
Despite recent reports that Jimmy Butler wants to be in New York, the Knicks should just hold their ground and do nothing. They have a good foundation in Porzingins, Knitilikina, and Knox. Chances are, getting Butler will require them to gut their core. And even if Jimmy Buckets wants to be a Knick for now, who knows if he still feels the same when he’s a free agent next year?
The upcoming season will be a tough one for Knicks fans. But they have to just brave through it like they’ve done the past few years. Even without Porzingins, Knicks fans have something to be positive about–they get to see the metamorphosis of Kevin Knox into the next great Knicks forward.
