The New York Knicks looked like a much improved team throughout the preseason, finishing it 4-2. Phil Jackson had a busy offseason, bringing in a number of players to improve the talent on the roster. One of those players was shooting guard Arron Afflalo.
Afflalo was brought in with the expectation of being the starting shooting guard. His experience playing alongside Carmelo Anthony with the Denver Nuggets was thought highly of, as the Knicks try and get Anthony some help offensively. Afflalo has shown in the past an ability to play defense and be the go-to guy offensively, both things the Knicks desperately needed. He was signed to a fair contract at two-years, $16 million with the second year being a player option.
It was a savvy signing by the Knicks who are trying to turn things around after a franchise worst, 17-win season during the 2014-15 campaign. Afflalo was one of the players expected to help turn that around, but the question is, when will he be able to help?
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Afflalo missed a large chunk of training camp and preseason with a left hamstring injury. He missed multiple weeks of practice and the first three preseason games. He was able to return for the last three, playing on a minutes limit. He looked good, showcasing his versatility offensively and his abilities defensively. Unfortunately, he was unable to make it through the final preseason game without a setback.
Near his minutes limit for the night, Derek Fisher and Afflalo agreed he could go back out to start the second half. It proved to be a costly decision, as Afflalo left the game minutes into the half with the left hamstring giving im problems once again, tightening up. While it could just be Afflalo not yet back in game shape, it is not an encouraging sign either way.
Soft tissue injuries are tough to deal with, and it could be worse off than the Knicks are letting on. Fisher said after the game he didn’t think it was a big problem and the move was precautionary, but we have heard that story before. If Afflalo is forced to miss time, where will the Knicks turn?
Many fans will clamor for rookie Jerian Grant to enter the starting lineup. He has shown great energy and an ability to get into the paint to create for himself and his teammates thus far. But, Fisher likes him paired with Langston Galloway off the bench right now. Also, he does not want to move Grant into the starting lineup in place of Afflalo, as Afflalo will return to the starting unit upon his return; yo-yoing Grant like that could stunt his development a bit, so he is likely to remain on the bench.
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Who would probably step into the lineup is Sasha Vujacic. If the preseason is any indication, he will slide into the starting lineup if Afflalo is out. He started the first three games of the preseason when Afflalo was sidelined, and saw his minutes dwindle every game after that, sitting out the preseason finale.
While Vujacic is someone that Fisher and the Knicks are comfortable playing, it is a huge downgrade for the unit. Vujacic and Jose Calderon are a poor pairing in the backcourt, as they will struggle to defend opposing guards and will not create much offensive by themselves. Both play off their teammates as three-point shooters.
Oct 17, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks guard Sasha Vujacic (18) sets up a play during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
It would put a ton of pressure on Robin Lopez to anchor the defense as the Knicks would be a turnstile at the point of attack. It would also raise the pressure on Kristaps Porzingis next to Lopez as they would have a lot of responsibility protecting the rim as Calderon and Vujacic would struggle slowing down guards.
The loss of Afflalo would hurt the Knicks on both ends of the court. The starting unit with Calderon, Vujacic, Carmelo Anthony, Porzingis and Lopez doesn’t look anywhere near as strong with Afflalo replacing Vujacic. This is a unit we discussed earlier in the preseason with negatives outweighing the positives by a wide margin.
If Fisher is determined to keep his units the same, and doesn’t want to break up the Grant and Galloway pairing, he should turn to them early and often in the game. Porzingis isn’t expected to play the normal 30-35 minutes a starter would early on, so it would not be a shock to see Grant and Galloway be the first subs for Vujacic and Porzingis early on.
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The starting spot for Vujacic seems to be more of a nominal once since he is the veteran player, but it is not something the Knicks should get comfortable with. If Afflalo is forced to miss an extended period of time, they cannot rely on Vujacic being their starting shooting guard next to Calderon or they are putting themselves in a hole at the start of every game.