PG: Kemba Walker Kemba Walker has had an interesting few years, riddled with injuries, particularly his knee and inconsistency. Walker still put up respectable numbers while in Boston, but it was clear that the fit was not right. Now, Kemba joins the New York Knicks to rejuvenate his career after his lowest points per game average since the 2014-15 NBA season. Walker will have a great coach in Tom Thibodeau and an excellent cast to help him get back to his former All-Star level. SG: Evan Fournier Evan Fournier is another player who made a pit stop in Boston before eventually landing in New York. Fournier had great success in Orlando during his tenure there, scoring over 15 points per game for six straight seasons. Boston was not the right fit for Fournier, and he knew it. Fournier plays with flare and loves the limelight; clearly, New York was where he wanted to be. He should bring scoring to a team with a massive need for it. SF: RJ Barrett Barrett represents one of the most exciting things about the Knicks' starting lineup. He stands at 6'7" and weighs 215 lbs; his versatility and playmaking at his size are impressive. Barrett posted 17.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and three assists per game last year in his sophomore campaign. If he continues to improve, the Knicks will be frightening. PF: Julius Randle Randle is another beacon of hope in the Knicks' lineup. Randle won the 2020-21 NBA Most Improved Player award last year after an impressive 24.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last year. His PER of 19.7 was very impressive and well above the league average. Randle has improved in every facet of his game since he came into the league, evidenced by his assist increase from his second-year total of 1.8 to last year’s 6.0 assists per game. Additionally, his meteoric rise in 3PA and 3P% has been incredibly notable. He went from shooting in the mid-20% from behind the arc to shooting over 40% on over five attempts per game for an entire year. C: Mitchell Robinson For a 2018 second-round pick, Mitchell Robinson has shown moments of brilliance in his first few years in the NBA. Robinson’s eFG% was 65.3% last year, which was by far the best out of all of the projected 2021-22 starters. He understands that his role is not as much about his offensive game right now and more about his defense, intangibles, rebounding, and rim protection. The offense should come over time, and that will be his next step in his NBA career.
