Getty Photographs (2); Anthony J. Causi; AP; Paul J. Bereswill
With the addition of Jalen Brunson, the Knicks consider they've mounted a decades-old downside on the all-important level guard spot. After a prolonged checklist of journeymen and past-their-prime gamers did not fill the void, the Knicks are satisfied the previous Mavericks guard can excel for them.
On opening night time, Brunson turned the thirteenth totally different starter at level guard for the franchise since 2009. The brand new period started with Brunson recording 15 factors, 9 assists and 6 rebounds and drawing a game-saving cost on the finish of regulation in a 115-112 extra time loss to the Grizzlies.
Whereas the season forward will inform whether or not or not the Knicks are proper, let’s take a peek at what they received improper previously decade-plus, rating all of the gamers the Knicks have tried at level guard on opening night time from most memorable to least memorable…
2012: Raymond Felton
Within the Knicks’ greatest season this century, Felton was one of many keys, averaging 13.9 factors and 5.5 assists in 68 begins to assist Mike Woodson’s crew win the Atlantic Division title en path to reaching the second spherical of the 2013 playoffs. However Felton struggled in that collection loss to the Pacers, taking pictures 0-for-7 within the clinching defeat in Indiana. His numbers tailed off the next season earlier than he was arrested on a felony gun cost. He was traded to the Mavericks after the 2013-14 season.
2011: Toney Douglas
Douglas had the ball opening night time, however this season was all about Jeremy Lin and the rise of Linsanity. Iman Shumpert additionally noticed a while on the 1. From February on, it was all Lin, although, till he suffered a knee harm in late March after fascinating town and main the Knicks to a 15-10 document as a starter. Following the season, Lin left to signal a four-year take care of the Rockets and the Knicks introduced again Felton.
2010: Raymond Felton
Felton was having fun with a improbable first season in New York, averaging 17.1 factors and 9.0 assists alongside Amar’e Stoudemire, earlier than the entrance workplace blew up a promising younger roster to land Carmelo Anthony in a blockbuster commerce. Felton and a handful of promising items have been shipped to the Nuggets in a February deal that introduced Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the Knicks. Billlups performed simply 22 video games for the franchise, together with Recreation 1 of a first-round playoff sweep by the Celtics to finish that season.
2013: Pablo Prigioni
A part of a small-ball lineup that additionally included Felton and Shumpert, the defensive-minded and pass-first Prigioni was a fan favourite. He finally settled right into a reserve position as coach Mike Woodson opted for extra measurement and offensive firepower on the place. Prigioni has since grow to be a coach, now working as an assistant for the Timberwolves and just lately named the pinnacle coach of the Argentinian Nationwide Workforce.
2020: Elfrid Payton
The tenth choose within the 2014 draft, Payton was criticized all through the season for his offensive shortcomings, however he introduced professionalism and protection to the most effective years in latest Knicks historical past. He averaged 10.1 factors and three.2 assists in 63 video games as Tom Thibodeau guided the franchise to a fourth-place end within the Jap Convention and the primary postseason journey in eight years. Payton’s play sagged because the season went on, and Derrick Rose in the end turned the Knicks’ true No. 1 level guard, although he got here off the bench for probably the most half. Payton signed with the Suns following the season and was used sparingly in a reserve position final 12 months. The 28-year-old guard is at the moment with no crew.
2016: Derrick Rose
After he was traded to the Knicks, Rose referred to as them a “tremendous crew,” raving a few group that included Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. The previous MVP had his moments, averaging 18.0 factors and 4.4 assists, however he was inconsistent and his season is most remembered for his going AWOL earlier than a recreation in opposition to the Pelicans in January. It was later revealed Rose left the crew — which struggled in a dismal 31-51 marketing campaign — with out permission as a consequence of a household matter. His second stint with the Knicks has been much more consequential.
2021: Kemba Walker
The Bronx native and four-time All-Star would’ve made for a touching story if he had extra left in his balky left knee. The Knicks gambled on Walker, and rolled snake eyes. Walker averaged a career-low 11.6 factors in simply 37 video games, was benched and finally dealt to the Pistons together with the draft rights to No. 13 general choose Jalen Duren to create wage cap room to signal Brunson within the offseason. Walker, 32, just lately was waived by Detroit and is a free agent.
2009: Chris Duhon
The revolving door at level guard actually started right here, in Duhon’s second season with the Knicks. The previous Duke guard didn’t have a nasty season operating the offense, posting an assist-to-turnover ratio of greater than 3-1, and began 137 video games on the level over a two-year span. Duhon signed with the Magic in July 2010 on a four-year, $15 million deal, however was by no means a starter once more within the league.
2019: Allonzo Trier
Undrafted out of Arizona the earlier 12 months, Trier was a shocking starter on opening night time as a consequence of an harm to Payton. It was his lone begin of the 12 months, and he was waived after the 2019-20 season. Payton and Frank Ntilikina ended up beginning nearly all of the video games on the 1 with neither doing sufficient to take over the beginning job. Trier hasn’t performed within the NBA since March 2020.
2018: Trey Burke
Burke was the man on opening night time, however the Knicks actually didn’t have a place to begin guard all season, rotating amongst Burke, Emmanuel Mudiay, Dennis Smith Jr. and Ntilikina throughout a dreadful 17-65 marketing campaign. Burke did put up stable numbers, averaging 11.8 factors and a pair of.8 assists in 33 video games, earlier than he was traded to the Mavericks within the Porzingis deal. He performed for the 76ers and Mavericks the previous three seasons, principally in a reserve position, and was among the many Thunder’s remaining cuts this preseason.
2015: Jose Calderon
The reply to a trivia query: Who has began probably the most video games at level guard in a single season for the Knicks previously decade? Calderon manned the purpose at tip-off 72 occasions within the 2015-16 marketing campaign, placing up modest averages of seven.6 factors and 4.1 assists. He shot it properly from deep, at a 41.4 p.c clip, however was traded after the season for Derrick Rose. He at the moment works as a particular advisor for the Cavaliers.
2014: Shane Larkin
The Knicks went younger on opening night time with Larkin, giving the previous first-round choose the keys after touchdown him in an offseason commerce from the Mavericks. He began simply 22 video games earlier than Calderon finally took over the place in Derek Fisher’s first season as head coach, which ended with a 17-65 document. The shooting-challenged Larkin lasted just some extra years within the league, and has since made a reputation for himself abroad in Turkey as a two-time EuroLeague champion.
2017: Ramon Classes
Classes’ job because the Knicks’ place to begin guard lasted three video games — two of them losses — earlier than he turned the backup to Jarrett Jack, and finally he was waived that January. Like many on this checklist, he was a journeyman kind who made nearly no affect, averaging simply 3.7 factors in 13 video games. Classes is now an NBA-certified agent.
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