Lance Thomas isn’t the reason the New York Knicks are bad. With or without him, they’re a team that will lose far more games than they will win. Without Kristaps Porzingis, they will often lose those games in difficult-to-swallow beatdowns.
There is, to some extent, a need to play Thomas every night. With Porzingis out, the Knicks really just need to throw bodies out there at power forward for 48 minutes. Their options are limited.
Thomas may also provide some intrinsic value as a locker room leader. He also serves as an example of the value of hard work to the team’s impressionable youngsters.