Is Shane Larkin a Good Fit in New York Knicks' Triangle Offense?

The New York Knicks made some significant changes to their point guard rotation this season, bringing in veteran Jose Calderon and second-year player Shane Larkin.

While Calderon was hailed as a perfect fit for the Knicks' newly installed triangle offense for his pass-first mentality and shooting ability, there have been questions about whether Larkin will be able to fit in quite so easily.

At 5'10", Larkin is significantly undersized. But the expectation has been that his speed and athleticism will help him hold his own at the NBA level.

Larkin's rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks didn't give us much to go by. He broke his ankle in the summer league and never got significant playing time in the 48 games he was able to eventually play in. The nature of his injury also made it difficult to get in rhythm.

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Essentially, Larkin is playing his second rookie season in New York. So expectations need to be tempered from the start.

With Calderon injured early in the season, however, Larkin has been thrust into the starting role. He has a golden opportunity to prove himself and play for a new contract after the Knicks declined his third-year option.

Statistically, Larkin isn't doing too well. Through the first five games, he was averaging just 6.8 points per game, while the Knicks ranked 29th in the NBA by averaging just 89.8 points per game.

As the team's point guard, that obviously doesn't reflect too well on Larkin. But in context—that being a new offense, new coach and new teammates to get used to—it isn't the end of the world.

The triangle is a team system as much as anything, so the Knicks' early struggles can't be pinned down solely to the point guard position. In fact, the core of their problems so far has come from Carmelo Anthony's poor shooting. Their record could be a lot different if Melo was producing at the level he has been for the past couple of years.

There have definitely been some positives to take from Larkin's early performances. For starters, he seems to understand his limitations. So his shot selection has been great. He's shooting 46 percent from the field through five games, ranking him third on the roster behind only two bigs—Amar'e Stoudemire and Jason Smith.

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Larkin's speed has also been interesting in transition, although this isn't something the Knicks have emphasized. Instead, he's been sticking to the triangle almost to a fault. It may actually be more productive to give him the freedom to run or work in the pick-and-roll when it benefits the team.

Defensively, Larkin has a knack for causing trouble for opposing point guards. He's not a stopper, but his 2.1 steals per 36 minutes are a sign of his quick hands.

The best sign of all, however, has been the team's assist totals. Larkin is averaging just 3.2 assists per game, but the team is sixth in the NBA with 22.6 assists per game. While Larkin hasn't necessarily been making the final pass, initiating the offense is still necessary for the team to put up numbers like that.

According to Fred Kerber of the NY Post, Calderon has had some kind words to say about Larkin's work so far:

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I talk a lot to Shane. He’s been great. He played a really good game Thursday. I was with him in Dallas as well, so it’s not like we just met. I try to always advise him. Last season was tough for him. He even says that. He got the injury in summer league, so he came kind of late to training camp. He didn’t have a lot of minutes for a big part of the season. He’s learning. He’s progressing every day. He has played more than any of us in the triangle because of the summer league.

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There have been—and will continue to be—struggles for Larkin, but he's looking like a solid long-term fit for the Knicks and someone who will step up as a role player to help shoulder the load at point guard once Calderon returns.

The issue now for New York is working out how to keep Larkin. After declining his $1.7 million third-year option, the Knicks are now facing unrestricted free agency to bring him back and won't be able to offer him any more than the total they declined. They could be facing another Jeremy Lin or Chris Copeland situation now that he's showcasing his talents as a starter.

For the time being, though, Larkin is looking to be one of the Knicks' better offseason acquisitions and is on course for a successful sophomore year.

All stats used in this article are accurate as of November 7.