Knicks rookie Kirstaps Porzingis has turned draft day boos into raucous cheers pretty quickly. The 7’3 Latvian rookie has Knicks fans delirious about his potential, and they aren’t jumping the gun. Even LeBron James, the best player in the world, was impressed.
“I think he has a bright future if he continues to get better. He will get stronger and I think he knows how to play the game. I think it was a good decision for them,” James said per The New York Post. LeBron’s voice is the most powerful in the NBA, so the Knicks have to be ecstatic about his high praise. It may help them land a major free agent.
Kristaps Is Already Better Than Patrick Ewing
Porzingis had the NBA buzzing Wednesday night after he sank what appeared to be a game-winning 3-pointer vs. the Hornets. The shot was waved off because it was released one-tenth of a second too late. LeBron was paying attention though. “They gave him an open shot,’’ James said. “I don’t know why. He’s a very good 3-point shooter. He’s confident in his ability and he should be.”
For years, the Knicks, despite playing in the heart of New York City, have struggled to attract marquee free agents. Carmelo Anthony arrived via trade, and that was precipitated by second-tier free agent Amar’e Stoudemire signing in 2010, and outplaying expectations. Since then, Anthony hasn’t been an ideal selling point because of his age (he’s 31) and his knack for not sharing the ball.
Lakers Admit They Whiffed On Porzingis
Now, Porzingis, and not Anthony, is the selling point. At 7’3, with legitimate 3-point range and above-average shot-blocking, the 20-year-old Porzingis is a prototype for today’s NBA. While teams are going small at power forward to space the floor, the Knicks have a player who can offer that spacing without sacrificing size.
The Knicks are 4-5, but they are far removed from last season’s debacle. When this summer’s free agents come to visit the Big Apple, the Knicks won’t just be offering an opportunity to play with Anthony, a former scoring champion. They’ll be offering a chance to play with Porzingis, the NBA’s future.
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