New York Knicks: What the veterans need to do to stay in 2020-21
Moe Harkless
Moe Harkless has only played in eight games so far for the New York Knicks. There isn’t enough of a body of work to determine what it is exactly he needs to do to return next season. He is another younger veteran at 26-years-old.
The former St. John’s star has shot the ball fairly well, 44 percent overall and 33 percent from three. He’s also been a capable perimeter defender, that Miller can give the tough assignments to. The Knicks will need to see more of Harkless to make a determination on his future with the team.
Bobby Portis
The Knicks were very excited to land Bobby Portis in free agency, signing him to a two-year, $31M deal. Unfortunately, he’s been very disappointing. Portis has shot solid percentages of 44.6 from the field and 35.5 from three-point range. Other than outside shooting he has provided little impact otherwise. As proof, he has an overall net rating of -7.6 and poor offensive and defensive ratings of 100.4 and 108 respectively.
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The 6-10 Portis also struggles with rebounding, averaging only 5.2 boards per game. He hardly ever bothers to block a shot, averaging 0.3 per game. Portis’ only impact comes from his ability to make shots, but he still struggles in some spots. He only makes 60% of his shots at the rim and only 39.7% from mid-range.
At times Portis can be a solid scorer off the bench for any team. He’s the youngest of the Knicks veterans but hasn’t given the New York Knicks any other reason for him to return next season.
In addition to his other deficiencies, he doesn’t help defensively, pass often, or score inside the paint effectively. His jumper alone cannot save him. Portis will have to show some more versatility in his game to have any chance of returning next season.
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Which of the New York veterans do you think can play his way back on to next year’s squad? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.