New York Knicks: Projected 2014 Starting Lineup

Photo Credit: Jesse D. Garrabrant – Getty Images

The New York Knicks failed to make the playoffs next season and may very well may not be a playoff team this coming season. They re=signed Carmelo Anthony, but many believe that the reason he re-signed was all about the money, and they may be right. With the pieces the Knicks have in place, their starting lineup isn’t going to be the best, but it will look something like this:

Point Guard – Jose Calderon:

Recently acquired from Dallas via trade, Jose Calderon instantly became the best option to start at the point guard spot. At 32, he can still get the job done. Last season in Dallas, he helped the Mavericks advance to the playoffs but could not help them defeat the San Antonio Spurs who would end up winning the NBA Championship.

With nine years of NBA experience, Calderon is a veteran and knows what it takes to start in this league. He can shoot the three with confidence, hitting just under 45% of his attempts last season. In addition. the Knicks have been known to shoot a large amount of threes in the last few seasons; Calderon fits their game plan which will result in even more minutes. He can also pass the ball averaging 6.8 assists per game over the course of his career.

Shane Larkin, who also came over from Dallas, will look to challenge Calderon for minutes and eventually the starting spot. However for the time being, Larkin and Pablo Prigioni will look to battle for the backup role while Calderon leads New York’s offense.

Shooting Guard – Iman Shumpert:

The Knicks have a lot of options at the two guard spot, but I’m going to go with Iman Shumpert. The other options to start for the Knicks include J.R. Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr., who showed he can provide quality minutes last season.

Shumpert is a great, strong, athletic defender and coaches surely like that in a player. The problem is his offense. At times he can struggle on the offensive end, missing shots and being stagnant. However, he can catch fire and really shoot the ball at times, although his coach would like to see more consistency out of the young shooting guard. He shot 33% from three last season and will work to become a better offensive option for the Knicks. But for the time being, Shumpert’s defensive capabilities will win him the starting job.

Small Forward – Carmelo Anthony:

This is the most obvious starter on the Knicks roster and he is most definitely the best player. Anthony is a dynamic scorer and has a reliable three-point shot, hitting 40% of his attempts last season. He is definitely not the strongest wing defender in the league, but he is a solid post defender and can rebound better than most small forwards. Taking the LeBron James approach, the Knicks star has dropped weight this offseason and looks to be in great shape to be the Knicks’ primary offense next season.

Power Forward – Andrea Bargnani:

With Amar’e Stoudemire likely to receive a minutes cap and will not provably start, Andrea Bargnani will get the call to start at power forward. He is a 7’0 three-point shooter, being able to space the floor and open up other easier shots for his teammates. He is also willing to pull-up for a jump shot which is not usually expected from a big man. He doesn’t bring a great defensive game, but some nights he will surprise and secure the paint. Even if Stoudemire is healthy enough to start, he still won’t be able to handle full starter minutes. Regardless, Bargnani will surely get extended runs on the court.

Center – Jason Smith:

This may come as a surprise to some, but like I said, with Stoudemire not being the player he used to be, the Knicks will have a new look in their front court this upcoming season. Smith is my pick to start. As long as he can stay healthy, he has the skill and the size to be a starting NBA center. He proved that last year in New Orleans when he was healthy. He started next to Anthony Davis last season for 27 games and he only got to play in 31 total. If he can stay healthy he can help change the dynamic of the New York front court.