Fred VanVleet could have a huge influence on the New York Knicks and their culture. He found college-level success (going to Sweet 16’s back-to-back with Wichita State) and then won an NBA championship last season with the Raptors. Playing alongside Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard, you can only imagine what VanVleet was able to absorb from a leadership standpoint.
He was also one of the biggest leaders on the team this season, and from that point of view he would almost instantly inject this franchise. He has a championship pedigree and could be an extension of Tom Thibodeau to the floor. VanVleet is young, but at the same time very experienced.
He is the type of player that fits Thibodeau’s system perfectly, being a strong player on both ends of the floor. VanVleet may not be as big a name as Chris Paul, but it would certainly bring at least some level of leadership to a team that desperately needs it.