Signings: The biggest signing moniker goes to Robin Lopez. A few years ago, Robin Lopez as your biggest signing would have been seen as a bad thing, However, Lopez has transformed his game since being drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 2010. Lopez is not an offensive force like DeMarcus Cousins, a great shot-blocker like DeAndre Jordan, but he is still a good player in his own right. This past season, he dealt with injuries, but 2013-2014 was Robin's best statistical season to date. He averaged 11.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. Signing Lopez was a great move for the New York Knicks in their new regime. Lopez can defend the rim and finish around the rim. Lopez is one of those players that are always going to give you effort.
The next signing for the Knicks was getting veteran shooting guard Arron Afflalo. Afflalo will be used as the 3-and-D guy in the starting lineup. According to NBA.com, Afflalo shot 40.5 percent on catch-and-shoot three-point attempts. Afflalo isn't a guy who can take his man off the dribble, step back, and then shoot a three. That's not him. But Afflalo is a good three-point shooter when he can catch the ball, square himself up, and then hit the three.
With the New York Knicks hopefully abandoning the Triangle offense and implementing more of a motion offense that requires a lot of down picks and curls. And according to NBA.com, Afflalo's three-point percentage is better when he has less than two dribbles. That offense will greatly benefit Affalo. And aside from his shooting, Arron is a good defender, especially on perimeter shooters. Afflalo's opponents had a field goal percentage of 32.2 on three-point shots when defended by him. The Knicks got a really good player in Afflalo for cheap. His $8 million a year is cheap considering the recent salary cap jump.
In a move to help the depth of the Knicks, Phil Jackson went and sought out the rugged Kyle O'Quinn. Now O'Quinn isn't the best rim protector. His opponents shot 57.8 percent when he was guarding them, according to NBA.com. The contract O'Quinn signed isn't a bad one considering the new salary cap. O'Quinn is just there to come off the bench and provide at least 18 minutes a game for the Knicks.
And at last, the Knicks signed a bust by the name of Derrick Williams to a two-year deal. Williams is Mr. Athleticism. He had high expectations, but he ended up flopping on his face, never developing an offensive game to transform into a two-way star. Williams' contract is very low risk, however. His contract is fully guaranteed, but is two years, worth $8 million which won't totally hurt them.
Draft: The Knicks had high pressure on them in this draft due to pass draft failures. But with the fourth pick in the draft, the Knicks selected Latvian Kristaps Porzingis. NBADraft.net compared him to Andrea Bargnani/Pau Gasol. Now Knicks fans would love to have Andrea Bargnani wiped from their memories because he caused them to not have a draft pick in the 2016 draft, but being compared to Andrea/Pau isn't a bad thing. Bargnani's jumper is really good (he's a career 35% shooter from deep). Kristaps showcased his ability to hit open threes on a consistent basis in Summer League. Defensively, Porzingis has the potential to be a better defender than both Gasol and Bargnani. His quickness is uncanny for a big man. Combine that with his length, and Porzingis has the potential to become a legit two-way star.
The Knicks also acquired the 19th pick in the 2015 draft because of them trading Tim Hardaway Jr. With the pick, they selected Jerian Grant. Grant was a four-way player at Notre Dame. NBADraft.net had this to say about Grant.
"At 6’5’’, and a mature 205 pounds, he possesses excellent size for an NBA point guard, and if you peg him into an off guard he still has good positional size ... Jerian’s athletic ability and length allowed him to finish at a truly elite clip for an NCAA guard ... He made 73.1% of his shots at the rim as a senior ... Grant also has developed into a player who takes extremely good care of the ball, while setting up his teammates at a high level ... His 6.7 assists per game as a senior (7th in the nation), were met with just 2.2 turnovers per game, which was good for a 3.04 assist/to ratio ... Grant is also a strong shooter, both off the dribble, and spotting up ... He hits FT’s at a good clip (78%) ... His ball handling allows him to create space for himself, and he’s a very savvy 1 on 1 player, who has showed improved shot selection as he’s progressed as a player ... From a defensive standpoint, he looks to be a player who can translate to the next level ... He’s capable defending on the ball, and he’s also good in the passing lanes, which allowed him to finish 6th in the ACC in steals per game ... He also is good challenging the shots of smaller guards, and even in the NBA his length will prove an asset when getting a hand up on NBA sized guards ... Grant has also shown the ability to step up in big games ... He looked amazing in Notre Dame’s run in the ACC tournament, and followed it up with a solid NCAA tournament."
The only downside that Grant has is his age. Being 23 years old, it could leave for less improvement from Grant. To put this in perspective; Anthony Davis has become one of the top players in the NBA, and he's not even 23 years old yet. Grant can be a great backup for Jose Calderon.
Off-Season Grade: B. The Knicks' offseason was a productive one. The players they drafted/signed are players that contribute to winning. They didn't overpay for anyone who hasn't proved that they can play, but signed players with a proven track record.