ESNY predicts the NBA 2K19 rating for every New York Knicks player and if you plan on buying the game, you may want to pick another team.
The New York Knicks are not set up for success next season on the court or on your video game console. With only one bonafide star, the Knicks are sure to be one of the worst teams in NBA 2K19. The game is set to drop on Sept. 11.
Here are predictions for each and every Knick’s rating in one of the most popular video game franchises around.
Kristaps Porzingis 89
Kristaps Porzingis should see a slight bump to his final rating of 88 from 2K18. Before succumbing to injury, KP was having his best season yet. He developed into a primary scoring option on offense and a dominant defender. At the time of his injury, Porzingis led the league in blocks per game with 2.4. Not to mention he was scoring a career-high 22.7 points per game.
Porzingis’ low rebounding and assist numbers will keep him slightly below that coveted 90 rating. He’ll fall just short of other elite big men like DeMarcus Cousins (90) and Karl-Anthony Towns (91).
Enes Kanter 83
Enes Kanter was an 83 rating for the final 20 weeks of the season in NBA 2K18. There’s no reason to believe Ronnie 2K and the developers at 2K sports plan to change this. Although Kanter has his deficiencies—namely as a defender and outside shooter—he’s very good at what he can do.
Kanter is a rugged player that can provide scoring in the post and he can rebound the heck out of the ball. His 11 rebounds per game—along with 3.8 offensive rebounds per game—make Kanter an easy decision for the developers. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Kanter stays at 83.
Tim Hardaway Jr. 81
Tim Hardaway Jr. put up some of his best offensive numbers of his career last year. But was he impressive enough to see a jump from his final 2K18 rating of 79? If he was, it’s not by much. THJ is a close call, but career-high per game averages in scoring (17.5), rebounding (3.9) and assists (2.7) is enough to move the needle slightly.
But he did have a career-high in minutes per game as well so don’t expect to see Hardaway’s rating higher than anything in the low 80s.
Trey Burke 80
It’s hard to believe that a player who dropped 42 points and 12 assists in a game last season would be anywhere below an 80 rating. Trey Burke will see one of the highest bumps on the Knicks. The diminutive guard was likely on one of his final auditions in the league last season before catching fire in a few games for New York.
With a new coach, running a more modern offense, Burke’s value should go way up. Perhaps David Fizdale will incorporate more pick-and-roll into the Knicks’ offense and effectively utilized one of best aspects of Burke’s game.
Mario Hezonja 79
Mario Hezonja saw steady growth in his 2K18 rating as the season went on. He started at a 73 and never fell below that mark. He eventually finished with a 76 rating. Perhaps the developers will be generous with Hezonja. A new team, new coach, and new system could help the former lottery pick with heaps of talent.
Pencil Hezonja in at a 79, but this one could be a little high.
