New York Knicks Have Intriguing Parts, Decisions in Young Backcourt
New York's backcourt isn't flashy, but there's plenty of talent present.
Shane Larkin, Langston Galloway and Tim Hardaway Jr. are cost-efficient athletes with upside. But do these three players have a future with the Knicks?
Larkin is eligible for free agency at the conclusion of this season. Hardaway Jr. could be sought after at the trade deadline, and Galloway has a partially guaranteed contract.
Shane Larkin
Larkin may not have All-Star potential, but he's a reliable role player who's familiar with the triangle offense. The 5'11", 175-pound point guard has been decent for the Knicks thus far, scoring 5.5 points per game and dishing 2.5 assists per game in 22.1 minutes per game.
He's a very quick player, with and without the ball, and via NBA.com, he moves 4.3 miles per hour per game while traveling 1.6 miles per outing.
The 22-year-old is still developing and is a bit raw, but he's progressed over the course of the season. He's averaging 5.5 assist opportunities per game, and via Basketball-Reference.com, his win shares have increased from negative-0.1 in 2013-14 to 1.0 in 2014-15.
Larkin may be a career role player, but that isn't anything to scoff at, especially considering his familiarity with head coach Derek Fisher's offense. If he's willing to re-sign with the organization for a reasonable contract, the youngster is definitely a keeper.
He has good range on his shot, knocking down 42.4 percent of his field goals and 35.1 percent of three-pointers. Larkin has shown he is capable of developing with experience. When considering New York's desire to maintain salary-cap flexibility, if he's willing to stay with the Knicks for a contract worth around $1.5 million per year, he should definitely remain with the organization.
Larkin may be expendable if the right trade offer comes around, but the Knicks need youth, especially at the 1, and he provides it.
Langston Galloway
Sometimes you get lucky and find an outcast who hustles his way into the starting lineup. Galloway, for some reason, was an undrafted point guard who's carved out a niche with the New York Knicks since his call-up from the D-League.
The 6'2", 200-pound guard has sparked the franchise and reminded its fans what it was like to win a few ballgames.
In his 12 games he's averaged 11.3 points, 3.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds while posting a player efficiency rating of 13.48, per Basketball-Reference.com.
Like Larkin, he doesn't possess All-Star potential, but he's an excellent role player who fundamentally understands how to run the triangle offense.
Scheduled to make $845,059 next season, Galloway is without a doubt a keeper for the Knicks. He's a role player who can be a sparkplug off the bench, and his meager contract keeps the doors open for New York to pursue pricier free agents.
In his limited time with the franchise, via Box Score Geeks, he's produced 0.78 wins. With a full season in New York, he can quickly become a fan favorite for his heart and desire to make big plays when needed.
Galloway is a scrappy player who can run an offense and get buckets. Even if an intriguing trade offer comes along, New York should keep the 23-year-old on board and let his youth and tenacity provide depth at the guard positions.
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Hardaway Jr. is the most talented player in New York's backcourt. He has the potential to average 17 points per game one day, but he needs to refine his shot selection and keep his attitude in check.
Sometimes, frustration gets the best of him. Sometimes, he's too much of a gunner and focuses only on chucking threes. But those issues aside, he can develop into a reliable scorer in this league for a long time.
New York will have some interesting deals thrown its way for Hardaway Jr., and because of his inefficiency on offense and defense, he may be expendable for the right offer. But if the Knicks can tolerate his growing pains, he should be a keeper.
In his second year in the NBA, his numbers have been shaky. His scoring has increased from 10.2 to 11.4 points per game, but his field-goal percentage has fallen from 42.8 percent to 39.3 percent.
Via Basketball-Reference.com, his value over replacement has decreased from negative-0.1 to negative-0.6, and his win shares have gone from 3.1 to 1.0.
According to Box Score Geeks, his wins produced is also second-worst on the team at negative-0.7, whereas Pablo Prigioni leads the franchise at 3.04.
Advanced stats haven't been kind to Hardaway's cause, and that may make him expendable on paper, but his talent and passion cannot be denied.
He can be too overzealous at times and even a bit hard to deal with, but he's a fierce competitor with a level of fire that every winning team needs. The Knicks should retain Hardaway Jr. for the duration of his rookie contract and see if he can work out the inadequacies plaguing him currently.
His defense is subpar, and his shot selection could be worrisome. But if he addresses those two issues, he could impact the Knicks positively while not commanding too much in terms of salary for the next two seasons.
No one is untouchable when you're one of the worst teams in the NBA, but Hardaway Jr.—alongside Larkin and Galloway—are blue-collar players who can be the foundation of a backcourt if paired with the right veterans.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
