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Knicks Training Camp Battle: Langston Galloway vs. Jerian Grant

By Kenneth Teape

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The New York Knicks 2015-16 season officially began this past week, as they got training camp underway at United States Military Academy at West Point. With so many new faces, there are plenty of things to keep an eye on during training camp. At this point, it seems only Carmelo Anthony, newly acquired Arron Afflalo and Robin Lopez are the only players locked into starting spots. Incumbent point guard Jose Calderon will probably be in the starting lineup as well, leaving one spot up for grabs.

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That one spot could go to a number of players. The Knicks could decide to go with a traditional lineup, inserting rookie Kristaps Porzingis into the starting power spot between Anthony and Lopez. Or, the Knicks could go with more athleticism, deciding to start Derrick Williams next to Anthony. One other option would be going small, starting another guard such as Langston Galloway or Jerian Grant next to Calderon, pushing Afflalo and Anthony to the forward spots.

While head coach Derek Fisher may decide against starting Galloway or Grant, those two are part of one of the training camp battles for the Knicks. If one of the two do not crack the starting lineup, they will be battling against each other for backup minutes at both guard spots. Also, Calderon’s injury history is extensive, so they could find themselves in the starting lineup one way or another.

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Galloway, who was one of the bright spots for the Knicks in their franchise worst 17-win campaign in 2014-15, will be returning for his second year with the team. That, right off the bat, gives him a slight advantage over Grant, as he has a year of experience under his belt in the triangle offense. Both players have shown the willingness to work their tails off, as Galloway worked from undrafted free agent to starting guard on the Knicks in one year, and Grant grew into a go-to veteran for Notre Dame improving across the board in his four years at school.

That quality will help both players, as they will make for one of the more entertaining camp battles to watch throughout October. Galloway will definitely not get as many minutes this season with the Knicks as he did last season with the influx of talent that came this offseason. That alone should motivate him, as he wants to get onto the court and get a fully guaranteed deal, as he enters camp on only a partially guaranteed deal.

Where both players have an inside track to playing time though is on the defensive end. Galloway was regarded as a defensive minded player when the Knicks called him up last season with his ability to defend both point guards and shooting guards. Grant also brings some defensive chops to the Knicks, as his athleticism will greatly help him on that end of the court. Grant also has the look of a defensive stopper, as he stands 6-feet-5 inches tall.

Apr 13, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; New York Knicks guard Langston Galloway (2) celebrates after a three point basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Philips Arena. The Knicks defeated the Hawks 112-108. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

With so little practice time behind us, that is probably the biggest edge that Grant has over Galloway at this point. If one of them is to start next to Calderon in the backcourt, they are going to be relied upon more often than not to defend the opposing team’s best offensive backcourt player.

Grant, standing 6-feet-5 inches, compared to Galloway, who stands 6-feet-2 inches, has the edge there. He would not only have a size advantage over point guards, he has the size to matchup with players on the wings as well. Not to take anything away from Galloway, but it would get old fast watching opposing players with the skill set and size of like Joe Johnson, DeMar DeRozan, Dwyane Wade or Jimmy Butler, and that is just in the Eastern Conference.

What this battle could come down to is on the offensive end. The Knicks do not have much to turn to outside of Anthony and Afflalo for consistent scoring punch, so if Galloway or Grant can show they are capable of it during the preseason, it could push one ahead of the other in the pecking order.

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There is a very limited sample size of this, but from the NBA Summer League the offensive edge went to Grant. Grant averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 27.4 minutes per game. He shot 39.1 percent overall, and 50 percent from the three-point line. Meanwhile, Galloway averaged 9.8 points, 1.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game over 31.3 minutes per game. He shot 32.3 percent overall from the field and only 25 percent from deep.

While Summer League is a tough place to take stats away from, it is the only thing the Knicks have to go off of right now so it will play a part, even if it is just a little one. But, seeing what Grant did in college, and Galloway with the Knicks last season, both players can be streaky offensively, especially with their jump shot. But, once again, the size that Grant possess would give him an edge, as his ability to get to and finish at the rim is something the Knicks desperately need more of.

Ultimately, with the direction Fisher is hoping to take this team, their performance on the defensive end is what could determine their fate in the rotation. If that is the case, Grant would seem to have the upper hand. He is the more athletically gifted and explosive player, and the size advantage he has could really help the Knicks out to cover for the deficiencies in Calderon’s game.

Also, through no fault of his own, Galloway is not the player the Knicks invested a lot into. Grant is a first round pick that the Knicks acquired by trading Tim Hardaway Jr., a player that looked to be a keeper at this time last season. That means the Knicks and Phil Jackson would like to see what they have in their second 2015 first round draft pick, and want to make sure he is bringing brought along at the right pace.

If that means cutting into some playing time for a player like Galloway, it is something that will ultimately happen. While Galloway should still factor into the rotation, Grant would look to have a leg up at this point in time, as the only thing Galloway really has going for him is the experience edge he holds over Grant. But, with every passing day, that edge becomes less and less evident, as Grant will learn the system more and more as days pass.

While both players could start the season with the second unit, Grant looks to have the edge right now if a starting spot is truly up for grabs. But, you can be sure this will not be a battle won easily, as Galloway has shown in the past he will not back down from a challenge, and Grant is looking to prove himself. Both players will help the Knicks this season, and could ultimately help each other by pushing one another in practice.

The training camp battle between Galloway and Grant is just one of the many things to keep an eye on for the Knicks throughout the next month.

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