Jerian Grant Is Crucial To The New York Knicks' Rebuilding Process

Even after their ho-hum free agent signings, The New York Knicks are miles away from serious title contention even in the inferior Eastern Conference. The team’s plethora of inadequacies makes it nearly impossible to single out one roster move that might turn the franchise around. Still, the rapid ascension and development of rookie Jerian Grant is crucial to the franchise’s short-term and long-term success as a path to relevance begins to unveil itself.

New York shipped Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Atlanta Hawks on draft night after two years with the Knicks in return for the rights to Grant, the 19^th overall pick.

The Knicks have marginally improved their previously bare bones roster in the last week with the signings of Arron Afflalo, Robin Lopez, Derrick Williams and Kyle O’Quinn. Those players may get the Knicks out of the league’s cellar, but they won’t get the team anywhere near the penthouse suite. Grant may possess the power to do that.

The roster might be quasi-competitive come October, but Grant, along with fellow rookie Kristaps Porzingis, hold the keys to the resurgence of basketball in New York.

Porzingis, despite being the fourth overall selection in June’s draft, is a project. The Knicks’ front office, mostly Phil Jackson, believes that the 7-foot-3, 19-year-old Latvian has the potential to be a star in the NBA some day. For Carmelo Anthony, though, some day isn’t good enough as his prime wanes. At the moment, Porzingis is underweight and not accustomed to the rigors of NBA life nor the fierceness of NBA competition.

Grant is the more seasoned prospect – he is 22 and played four impressive seasons at Notre Dame. With the experience he brings to the pros, Grant may not endure the growing pains that other rookies go through.

The Knicks and their fans are not accustomed to building through the draft, which may explain some of the franchise’s failures over the last decade and a half. Developing its two first round picks is necessary for the Knicks instead of looking to flip them for established players.

Afflalo and Williams, both of whom are on two-year deals with player options after the first year, are coming to New York looking to prove themselves after statistically poor seasons. They are likely already looking ahead to more expensive contracts, whether that is with the Knicks or not. More importantly, none of the four free agents joining the team is a franchise-altering player.

With four years remaining on Anthony’s max contract, there is seemingly a win now attitude within the organization in spite of its obvious shortcomings. Since the team does not own its 2016 first-round pick – the Knicks sent it to the Toronto Raptors in the Andrea Bargnani trade – the team needs to begin building something sustainable with its young players that will attract next summer’s free agent crop.

Jose Calderon, the 33-year-old likely starting point guard for this season, is merely a bridge to Grant hopefully taking the reigns down the road. Even before Grant potentially takes a starting role, free agents will be more attracted to the team’s framework next summer if he is viewed as a budding star alongside Anthony.

Grant is a super athletic, explosive rim attacker and a capable shooter. Many of his threes last season were of the step back variety, which will not be acceptable at the NBA level. But based on one of his pre-draft workouts, Grant has been working on his jumper both set and off the dribble to extend to NBA 3-point range. After putting up 19 points per game in his junior season, Grant’s scoring average fell to 16.5 as a senior, but he ramped up his assist numbers to almost seven per night.

Playing in the ACC, Grant faced college basketball powerhouses Duke and North Carolina year in and year out. Against the Blue Devils, he looked fearless driving the ball right at Jahlil Okafor‘s chest – aggression that will transfer nicely to the association.

Grant’s offense will be vital to the Knicks’ success this season because outside of Anthony, the team lacks a definite second scoring option. With the exception of Afflalo, no current Knicks player makes his money by focusing on scoring. Grant will need to get buckets off the bench once the first line inevitably stalls early in games.

 

Brett Klein is an NBA writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bretttklein.