Tony Wroten needs to make a case for a spot on the Knicks. Tony Wroten’s time in the NBA is filled with hype, potential, promise, and flash. His handles became famous in the NBA summer league. However, this is not a fairy tale story. He has the skills to turn summer league regulars and NBA hopefuls into his personal viral highlight reels. Wroten even showed real success back in November 2010 with a Sixers team that helped him make the NBA into his own summer league by averaging 21.9 points, 6.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game as a 21 year old back up! Sadly all the promise came to a halt after multiple injuries have stolen seasons from him.
The Case for Tony Wroten
Post Injury Reality
Now in 2016 Tony is coming off a partially torn ACL but he is the ultimate high risk, high reward play for the Knicks. He can come back as the budding star or he might be a shadow of himself. The evolution of his game prior to injury has been interesting because he hasn’t evolved. Throughout his time with the Sixers and Grizzlies, Wroten’s scouting report has read the same: he refuses to use his right hand and he has adopted the Rockets’ philosophy of never taking a mid-range shot. His three point shooting evolved into serviceable threat, whether as a function of all the long balls he takes or actual good shooting remains to be seen. His achievement on a Sixers team calls into question his abilities to succeed in a championship caliber system.
Exhibit A
His shooting habits should make him a comparatively effective shooter but his shooting is so bad he is 84th on a list of efficiency. When Wroten was on the Sixers this is what the average game looks like:
- 6:13 — Wroten layup attempt blocked
6:05 — Wroten made 3-pointer
5:48 — Wroten steal
5:41 — Wroten turnover
5:02 — Wroten turnover
4:39 — Wroten made layup
4:39 — Wroten made and-1 free throw
It would be a severe understatement to call him a bundle of energy. That list is literally a Wroten only team for 90 seconds. I don’t know many teams are willing to put up with that kind of system. But he is too much of a talent to ignore at his size, athleticism, height, and his endless energy.
Knicks Take a Smart Gamble
The Knicks’ made a deal of veteran’s minimum for two years to fit the risk. The Knicks have his Early Bird rights and a non guaranteed second year. They are already over the cap with $73.8 million so they can’t exactly be picky. It is all green lights financially for the Knicks, but what about developmentally?
Phil Jackson has certainly made moves to effect a cultural change, so should we listen to Kobe Bryant that, “People in New York just need to trust the fact that he knows more about basketball than any of them put together.” Jackson has called Kurt Rambis “perfectly capable” of permanently coaching the team. He believes that Rambis’ time with the Wolves left a “black mark on his coaching ability,” and while that may be true, Rambis’ interim 9-19 record and unimpressive play calling doesn’t inspire any confidence, hidden or otherwise.
Wroten in the Triangle
On one hand, Wroten’s drives to the baskets, passing ability, size, and defensive ability fit what Jackson needs for the team’s triangle offense. On the other hand, his shooting inability (21.3% from three), shooting philosophy, and questionable play calling suggest a repeat J.R. Smith experience for Knick fans. The Knicks shoot the most shots from mid-range, something Wroten doesn’t often do, and the Knicks operate the least out of the left corner after shooting only 200 shots from there the entire season, a problem when Wroten doesn’t use his right hand. Ever. His habits keep him out of the Knicks established areas, thus potentially adding either dimension and depth or problems and turmoil. His shot chart can do the talking along with his refusal to use his right hand and the Knicks weak left side corner game. Wroten in the triangle points to problems despite having the tendencies to potentially fix the Knicks spacing problems.
One Coach To Rule Them All
According to the raw numbers offensively, Wroten and the Knicks just don’t always mesh. Now, a good coach might inspire some wizard ability to bring the two together in perfect harmony but Kurt Rambis is still in the coaching seat. New York needs a driver as they are bottom third in the league per game and bottom third in scores off drives. Tony Wroten can fix that. Meanwhile, he clogs up a young back court guard heavy rotation. Does he stunt the growth of younger guys? Everything about this signing has its positives and negatives, and maybe at this stage, that is exactly what the Knicks want.
