It’s Jimmer time.
The Knicks decided to call up sharpshooting point guard and folk hero Jimmer Fredette on Friday. Fredette had been averaging 22 points on the Knicks’ D-League team and was named the MVP of the D-League All-Star Game last weekend. Fredette was the NCAA Player of the Year and Scoring Champion in 2011, and was the 10th pick in that year’s NBA draft. Fredette, 26, is a New York native. He will be on the roster beginning Monday.
The Greek Freak’s brother is coming to the NBA.
The Knicks have signed Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a 10-day contract, and he will join the NBA roster on Friday. Antetokounmpo was selected by the Knicks in the 2nd round of the 2014 NBA Draft and has played on their D-League team in Westchester, waiting for his chance.
Thanasis’ younger brother Giannis is a rising star for the Milwaukee Bucks. Thanasis isn’t as skilled, but has incredible athleticism and a very high motor. He should make an impact on defense right away.
Kristaps Porzingis finished a bit shy of being voted in as an All-Star Game Starter, but he’ll definitely participate in at least one event in Toronto.
Porzingis was named to the Rising Stars Challenge, a game played on the first night of All-Star Weekend between the top rookies and sophomores in the NBA. Porzingis, who hails from Latvia, will play for the “World” team.
Will Porzingis be selected for a skills competition, the dunk contest, or some Saturday event? He’s a long shot to be named a reserve for the big game, but you have to figure the NBA would like to tap into his mammoth popularity with one more event.
The Knicks have signed SG/SF Wesley Saunders. Saunders, 22, graduated from Harvard in May and was not selected in the 2015 NBA Draft. The 6’5 Saunders played for Utah in the summer league. Saunders is one of two Ivy Leaguers under contract— the other is Jeremy Lin.
Saunders was the 2014 Ivy League Player of the Year and won the league title in all four of his seasons with the Crimson. Saunders led Harvard to first-round NCAA upsets as a sophomore and a junior, and the Crimson put a huge scare into UNC in this year’s tournament. Saunders averaged 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals as a senior, shooting 45% from the field and 77% from the line. Saunders also saw a huge uptick in both volume and efficiency from beyond the arc, shooting 43% on 2.5 attempts per game.
The scouting report on Saunders? He has a tremendous basketball IQ (not surprising) and is a good ball-handler and passer with a good shot. However, he is not an elite athlete, so he will not threaten teams with his quickness.
Saunders was given a partially-guaranteed contract, meaning that he will have a chance to earn a roster spot in training camp. Maurice Ndour figured to get an invite to training camp, but instead signed a deal with the Mavericks after a strong Summer League performance with the Knicks.
The Knicks still have the $2.8 Million Room Exception to spend on Free Agents.
The Knicks have signed PF Derrick Williams. Williams was the #2 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. The 6’8 Williams, who played his college ball at Arizona, began his career with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Kings.
Williams possesses elite athleticism and great length. He is a very good finisher at the rim (70%) and is dangerous in transition, where he has the ability to blow by defenders and throw down highlight dunks (one of which is pictured above, against a solid defender in Bismack Biyombo). While he has the tools to be a good defender, he is mediocre on that end, due to inconsistent effort and faulty awareness. Williams is not a good jump-shooter, although, at 32% from 3, he could become a decent shooter for a forward if he can make a slight improvement (maybe around 37%).
Williams averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds per game in 20 minutes for the Kings last season.
Player Analysis: Williams has useful traits and obviously has upside, but he is by no means a bona-fide starter, and the Knicks could use more talent at the wing, preferably somebody who could shoot or defend, if not both. However, the Knicks do need players who can get to the basket, and Williams is one of those guys.
Contract Analysis: The Knicks will pay Williams $10M total over 2 years. Williams has a player option for the second year.
I really don’t like this contract. The Knicks had about $7.3M left in cap room, and they’re probably somewhere around $3M now, along with the $2.8M “Room Exception.” The Knicks needed another starting Forward (is this the guy?), a backup center, and probably a shooter and another PG. Williams gives them youth, athleticism, and slashing ability, so he has value. But they might have been able to do better with this money, or get Williams for less.
The thing that really bugs me here is the Player Option. Williams obviously has upside— he was the #2 pick in the draft just a few years ago. And the Knicks seemingly paid for that upside— overpaid, even. But let’s say Williams reaches that upside this year. Let’s say he plays well (not very well, but well). Let’s say he blossoms into a guy who can definitely be a starter. If that happens, Williams will opt out, and the Knicks will have to spend more than $5— perhaps well more, to retain his services next year.
That being said, the Knicks continue to acquire players who make this team better than it was last year. This roster is starting to shape up. It won’t be great, but it could be pretty good. There are still a few more moves to be made.
-Tommy Rothman
Robin Lopez has committed to sign with the Knicks, according to reports. The 27 year-old center, twin brother of Nets star Brook Lopez, played for Portland the last two seasons, before which he spent one season in New Orleans and four years with the Suns. Lopez only played 59 games last season due to a broken hand, but only missed two games in the previous three seasons combined.
The 7-foot Lopez is a very solid defender and a pretty good rebounder. Offensively, he is not a force, but has a nice touch near the hoop and is sufficiently efficient. He can certainly give his team 10 points a night, even if he is not being featured much in the offense.
Lopez had per-game averages of 9.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks last year on 54% shooting in 28 minutes per game. Lopez saw little playing time in the first few years of his career, but has averaged nearly 30 minutes a game the past three seasons, and will certainly see at least that many in New York, where he should be the unquestioned starting center and the team’s anchor on the defensive end. Lopez has career per-36-minute averages of 14 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Lopez is a career 76% shooter from the free throw line.
Lopez’s contract will pay him $54 Million over 4 years. There is one caveat, however: Lopez has committed to the Knicks, but the Knicks have made it clear that they will only finalize the deal in the (likely) event that DeAndre Jordan turns them down. Once the Knicks finalize the Lopez contract, they will have somewhere around $7.5M left in cap space, although that number could go up to $11.5 if they waive José Calderón, and $15M if they trade him without taking back any salary.
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