New York Knicks: In unnecessary defense of Kristaps Porzingis

In defense of Kristaps Porzingis, the latest overreaction by media sensationalists and shortsighted fans is a sign of what’s actually wrong with the New York Knicks.

New York Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis has hit a proverbial wall. Since opening the season with 11 games in MVP-caliber form, Porzingis has shot just 39.4 percent from the field and 33.7 percent from beyond the arc.

While those numbers are admittedly concerning, the overreaction by media members and impatient fans is far more disappointing.

Porzingis needs to improve his quality of play, but he’ll be the first to acknowledge that as true. He’s spoken at length about the new challenges he’s encountered in 2017-18, making a grand total of zero excuses along the way.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, the latest explanation Porzingis offered for his inconsistency is that he’s downright exhausted.

"“I’m tired. I’m so tired right now,” he said after the New York Knicks lost 121-103 to the Washington Wizards. “I have one day now to rest my legs and then get back and play better and have more energy, and also try and bring the team’s energy up.”"

That seemingly harmless comment has caused a media firestorm.

Stephen A. Smith of ESPN’s First Take claims that Porzingis, “Doesn’t have the body,” to be the franchise player. Fans have flocked to Twitter to echo those same concerns. In the process, the basketball world has lost its perspective.

In defense of Porzingis, only one thought comes to mind: Porzingis doesn’t need to be defended.

For as much as we want to blame James Dolan and James Dolan alone, Knicks fans and media members have played their part in the disaster that’s been the post-Ewing era. For every ill-advised trade has been the segmented fan response of, “We need to make a trade,” at the first sign of trouble.

That reality reared its ugly head as recently as the opening month of the 2017-18 NBA regular season, when many angrily questioned why the team didn’t trade for Eric Bledsoe.

Bledsoe is certainly a fine player, as the Milwaukee Bucks have come to learn. Milwaukee traded its 2018 first and second-round draft picks to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Bledsoe, however, albeit with protections on both selections.

Rather than developing Frank Ntilikina or evaluating the prospects in the 2018 NBA Draft, fans and writers alike grew upset that the organization didn’t trade for a 28-year-old point guard with a history of knee injuries.

Four postseason appearances in 16 seasons will cause this type of impatience, but shortsightedness is what got New York here in the first place.

If you’re wondering how this applies to Porzingis, it’s all about the need for instant gratification. Porzingis has been open and honest about every hurdle he’s encountered, thus providing the window into the NBA that fans often long for.

Instead of taking a communal approach to supporting Porzingis during his first season as a go-to scoring option, fans are already questioning if he has what it takes to prosper.

This is expected from media pundits who make their money off of hot takes and knee-jerk reactions. For the fan base to turn on the player who’s most responsible for the Knicks’ bright future, however, is a confirmation of what rival fans have long said about us.

Demanding greatness is a part of what makes New York’s fan base great, but its impatience is a reason why the organization has been in the gutter for the better part of 20 years.

There’s nothing wrong with pointing out when a player is struggling. To question if Porzingis is worth the hype after just 38 games, however, is a response that’s disingenuous to a player who deserves the opportunity to work through his first season as a franchise player with the support of his fan base.

Take your frustration out of the equation and look at the context of the situation.

1. Carmelo Anthony was still a Knick as late as the day before training camp. Roughly 24 hours before the 2017-18 season technically began, the player who was going to share the offensive workload with Porzingis was traded.
2. Even if the NBA community knew Anthony was going to be traded, no one knew what the return would be. Thus, no offseason workouts could be scheduled to get a head start on 2017-18.
3. Porzingis ranks No. 5 in the NBA in usage percentage at 32.5 percent. Even Anthony, who shouldered a massive workload, recorded a usage percentage of 32.5 or higher just once in his Knicks career.
4. Tim Hardaway Jr., the No. 2 offensive option, has missed the past 17 games with a lower leg injury.
5. The only Knick other than Hardaway and Porzingis who can generate consistent isolation offense is Michael Beasley, who ranks No. 76 in the NBA in Defensive RPM.

Despite all of this, Porzingis ranks No. 1 in the NBA in defensive field goal percentage at the rim. He’s the only player in the Association who’s facing at least 5.0 shots at the rim per game and still holding opponents below 50.0 percent shooting.

In other words: Porzingis isn’t allowing his quality of play on offense to dictate his effort on defense—something we haven’t said about a Knicks franchise player since Patrick Ewing.

Whether or not Porzingis is the franchise player or Frank Ntilikina is the star point guard of the future, patience remains the key. This is the first season of a long-term rebuild, which means it will take time for everything to come together.

You don’t have to like it, but you must understand that your disapproval doesn’t change the fact that it’s true.

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As far as Kristaps Porzingis is concerned, he doesn’t need to be defended. New York Knicks fans simply need to be supportive if they want the culture to change.