With training camp just one month away, the New York Knicks are preparing to situate their starting five and determine who will earn more playing time during the 2019-20 season.
Expected starting point guard Dennis Smith Jr. has spent the offseason refining his jump shot and working on his offensive efficiency. Entering his third season as one of the league’s more athletic PGs, he’s primed for a big year, but it all comes down to his ability to shoot from the field and his assist percentages.
Spreading the ball around the court will be a focal point for Smith Jr., which is where counter-part Elfrid Payton excels. Smith has never averaged over 5.2 assists while Payton has never fallen below 6.2 per game in five seasons as an NBA player. Comparing the two side-by-side, Dennis is slightly better in scoring production over Payton, but not by much.
The slim scoring margin arguably makes Payton the better option the start, and factoring in his assist totals further attests to that. Also, Smith averaged just 2.8 rebounds per game while Elfrid earned 5.3 in 2018. The better point guard is starting to become clear as we look at the statistical differences.
However, it’s challenging to measure athleticism, which is where Dennis dominates. He could very easily surpass Payton in overall production and influence, but as of now, he hasn’t proven to be the clear-cut starter.
What will the starting unit look like for the New York Knicks?
Based on the statistical output between the two point guards, let’s assume Payton starts the season as the starter. In that scenario, the starting five could look like this: Payton, Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, RJ Barrett. Kevin Knox would start off the bench and rotate in with Morris periodically.
If the Knicks are keen on competing next season, they shouldn’t be afraid to start options like Knox off the bench to start the season. Morris is the better player.