Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer says that Dennis Smith Jr. is the wrong fit for the New York Knicks if they intend to run the triangle offense.
New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is unfortunately committed to running the triangle offense next season. Despite all evidence that it won’t work, Jackson is going to stick to his guns.With the eighth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Jackson will have some point guards to choose from to lead his signature offense.
Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer says if the Zen Master is going with an old offense then the team should stay away from North Carolina State point guard Dennis Smith Jr.
Via Tjarks:
If Phil Jackson wants the Knicks to continue running the triangle, then he should not draft Dennis Smith. The quickest way to waste draft picks is to pick players whose skills don’t fit with the personnel around them and the system they will be in, and to do so without a clear plan as to how to use them. The triangle may not be the most efficient way to create offense in today’s game, but it’s definitely not going to work if the Knicks commit to players who don’t have the skill set to run it effectively. Smith is almost the exact opposite of the type of point guard who has been successful running Jackson’s preferred offense.
A good triangle guard is a steadying presence who has the size to feed the post, can cut through the lane, and can consistently threaten the defense as a spot-up shooter. Smith is an inconsistent outside shooter (he shot 35.9 percent from 3 on 4.8 attempts per game) without great size (6-foot-3 and 195 pounds) who needs to play with the ball in his hands and doesn’t play any defense. The only way for Smith to be successful is if he dominates the ball and has the driving lanes to attack the basket and then kick it out to shooter. Having him walk the ball up the floor and throw it inside is a waste of everyone’s time.
Smith averaged 15.1 FGA and 3.9 TOs per 40 minutes while at NC State. He had a usage percentage of 27.2 percent. Everything about his one season of college says Phil Jackson shouldn’t want him.
For all the wrong reasons of course, but still the right call for Jackson. If international prospect Frank Ntilikina is available at No. 8, he’ll likely be the selection.
Ntilikina is more conservative than Smith. ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla calls him a “triangle kind of player.”
News of a couple new draft workouts for the Knicks has emerged on prospects with famous fathers.
The team is set to work out Columbia forward Luke Petrasek.
RBA's @Luke_Petrasek has #NBA Draft workout @nyknicks tmrw. Luke's Grandfather Connie Simmons played for NYK in 50's https://t.co/PZWjY5zi98 pic.twitter.com/R62z2XW51q
— BJ Bass (@bjbass2) May 29, 2017
Petrasek, a native New Yorker, was All-Ivy League Second-Team this season.
He averaged 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds on 49 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the arc.
Most notably, his grandfather was Connie Simmons. Simmons played for the Knicks for five seasons in the 50s.
Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reports that the Knicks are going to work out NBA legend Rick Barry’s son, Canyon.
The first thing you’ll notice about Canyon is that just like his father, he shoots free throws underhanded.
After spending three years at the College of Charleston, Canyon transferred to the University of Florida for his senior season. While he put up big numbers at a small school, Barry transitioned into a smaller role with the Gators.
Per Kennedy, Barry was at the Professional Basketball Combine. That’s a combine separate from the NBA’s for prospects who need exposure since they’re projected to go undrafted or late in the second round.
Canyon stood out, finishing second in the maximum vertical leap and second in the shuttle run. Per Kennedy, the 23-year-old measured in at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and 8-foot-3 standing reach.
While at the combine, Barry received interest from the Wizards, Suns, Hawks, and Cavaliers.
Canyon Barry (@cbarry719) getting hot during shooting drills: pic.twitter.com/GMidaBYBt4
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) May 16, 2017
