So often during that Heat series, the Knicks offense struggled with poor spacing, as Miami overloaded the paint and their ball handlers. Mitchell Robinson is not a short-range threat, often getting the ball and getting stuck above the foul line, and when combined with another non-shooter he leaves no room for Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson to cook.
Porzingis is a dependable three-point shooter, averaging a career-high 36% and the ability to get them a step or two beyond the arc, dragging opponents big with him. He is far more adept than the Knicks’ current five at making 4-on-3 plays from the middle range, having the touch to finish or the ability to make the right pass.
Teams will put him on the wing or change his picks if he’s exploiting too many easy runs, but Porzingis has shown the ability to punish small ones one-on-one, even if he can’t get them fully under the rim. Without errors, he’s long enough to contribute to New York’s patented offensive rebound, even if he doesn’t pick up as many as their current centers.