Dave Fizdale is a tough man to read, and the starting lineups are likely going to be changing at numerous points during the season. The Knicks have a ton of rotating guards, and the starting lineup can be whatever Fizdale is feeling that night, but Emmanuel Mudiay seems to be the point guard he runs with the most. Next to him is Tim Hardaway Jr, who is one of the higher usage options on the team. Kevin Knox is a talented rookie who is logging most of his starts at both forward positions, depending on the Knicks lineup that night. Noah Vonleh and Enes Kanter have been trading off starts at times, as the revolving door even continues in the front court. As the Knicks try and figure out what they have, and also deal with Kristaps Porzingis not being healthy, the lineups will vary on a weekly basis.
Preseason Analysis: Nice Young Talent Should Improve the Lineup
The Knicks have been a laughing stock for sometime now, and this year isn’t going to be a whole lot of improvement, but they have some fun players to keep an eye on. Last year was tricky in terms of fantasy with the backcourt. Trey Burke came on late in the year, and so did Emmanuel Mudiay. This cluttered things for Frank Ntilikina, who is now entering his sophomore season in the league. It is unclear who will be the starter right now, and even if they are starting it does not guarantee clear cut minutes. This is likely going to be frustrating for fantasy, and it would be no surprise if they just ride the hot hand.
Tim Hardaway Jr is a volume player more than an efficiency player, and with the Knicks he has some usage. His usage does decline when Kristaps Porzingis is on the court, which is another thing to note. Porzingis is coming off a major knee injury which puts his season under a microscope. If Porzingis is healthy and returns to his usual self then we will have one of the better power forwards back in the game. If not, look for Kevin Knox and Enes Kanter to pick up some slack down low. Knox is a rookie out of Kentucky but has looked very good early on in the Summer League. He is going to have a promising role carved out for him with the Knicks building for the future. Kanter will be a good double-double guy, but his defense still is the one downside to his game. This can create frustration for pulling him early at times. Porzingis at the five alongside Knox at the four is something to watch for this season. Mario Hezonja also joined the Knicks from Orlando this offseason, and is currently slated to be the starting small forward.
