The New York Knicks have made a firm commitment to Kristaps Porzingis as the franchise player. As Porzingis prepares to take on that unenviable task, however, the search for a true No. 2 rests squarely on the shoulders of the front office.
As the Knicks prepare to find that prospect in the 2018 NBA Draft, a player on the current roster is already shouldering a significant measure of responsibility.
When the Knicks acquired Willy Hernangomez in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft, few paid the move any mind. Despite the appeal of the selection, Hernangomez was viewed as another one of former team president Phil Jackson’s strange personnel decisions.