According to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, only two spots in the starting lineup are guaranteed for the New York Knicks. Carmelo Anthony and Robin Lopez are the lone anchors as the rest of the spots are up for grabs. Head coach Derek Fisher is trying to push competition going into the regular season as position battles highlight training camp. All eyes are on rookie Kristaps Porzingis as the team tries to determine exactly how much responsibility to give the rookie. Could he and Lopez form the best defensive pairing?
Anthony has not been shy about his praise for Porzingis. The rookie is quickly earning the respect of everyone in the organization as he is being viewed as a future building block going forward. The issue is that the Knicks also signed Derrick Williams to a two-year contract and the veteran expects to earn the starting spot at the power forward position. Porzingis might be moving closer to the top. For his part, Porzignis is not focused on starting and simply wants to improve.
"I just need to stay focused and my moment will come sooner or later," Porzingis said, via ESPN.com. "This is my dream, to play for the Knicks. It's a dream come true. I'm really excited to be here. Best city in the world. So there's not a better place to win. Hopefully one day we can bring a championship here and have a big celebration."
Championships are on the brain for the Knicks. The team knows that in order to get more big names into the franchise they must win. Anthony told the media that he really has no expectations for the team, but he is certain they are playing to win. Last season was certainly a low point in the franchise's history and no one has the intentions of history repeating itself. After a quiet run in free agency, Anthony has confidence.
"S---, we're competing. People might not believe that, but we're definitely competing for that," Anthony said, via ESPN.com. "That's always going to be the goal. Whether we get there or not depends on us and what we're doing. That's always our big-picture goal."
Arron Afflalo appears to be a lock to be a starter alongside Anthony and Lopez. The biggest question mark could be the point guard spot. Jose Calderon is the reported favorite if he stays healthy. Team president Phil Jackson likes what he sees from rookie Jerian Grant. That could cause last season's breakout star Langston Galloway to be on the outside looking in. With just a partially guaranteed contract to his name, the point guard runs the risk of not making the final roster if he does not improve.