{"id":733590,"date":"2017-08-25T17:09:20","date_gmt":"2017-08-25T21:09:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=733590"},"modified":"2017-08-25T17:09:20","modified_gmt":"2017-08-25T21:09:20","slug":"how-will-knicks-utilize-nba-g-league-westchester-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/how-will-knicks-utilize-nba-g-league-westchester-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"How Will Knicks Utilize Their NBA G League Affiliate In 2017-18?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Since taking control of the Westchester Knicks in the NBA G League, the New York Knicks have\u00a0utilized their affiliate in different ways. In year one, the organization added Summer League standout Langston Galloway and 2014 NBA Draft second-round pick Thanasis Antetokounmpo. Though Westchester struggled, the Knicks gave Antetokounmpo an opportunity to develop his skills close to the big club, which
\nlater resulted in a call-up during the 2015-16 season.<\/p>\n
Despite not making the big club\u2019s roster, Galloway joined the Westchester Knicks as an affiliate player. He was productive in his minor league stint and soon and earned a call-up with New York. His solid play later earned him a multi-year contract with New York.<\/p>\n
In year two, Jimmer Fredette earned two call-ups\u2014 one with the New Orleans Pelicans and one with the Knicks. It was clear he capitalized on the opportunity to strut his stuff as a star in Westchester.<\/p>\n
Like Galloway, Chasson Randle had a chance to make the roster after shining in Summer League. Unfortunately for Randle, he was waived before the start of the campaign.\u00a0 He stayed with the Knicks’ NBA G League affiliate to begin last season. During his short time in Westchester, Randle scored in bunches while developing as a point guard. He recorded 38 points against the Texas Legends and had a 36-
\npoint performance against the Austin Spurs. Following those performances, Randle soon became the fourth Westchester Knick to earn a call-up.<\/p>\n
The big league club has also assigned multiple players to Westchester in the past three seasons. Cleanthony Early, the No. 34 selection in the 2014 NBA Draft, was the team\u2019s first assignee during the 2014-15 season. During the 2015-16 season, the Milwaukee Bucks used\u00a0the flex assignment rule and sent Damien Inglis to Westchester. Inglis spent thirteen games in Westchester that season. By spending time in the NBA G League, Inglis received playing time he didn’t see in Milwaukee during his rookie season. Westchester also had an opportunity to evaluate the former No. 31 overall pick and brought him back for the 2016-17 season.<\/p>\n
Last season, five players (Randle, Maurice Ndour, Marshall Plumlee, Ron Baker, and flex assignee Rashad Vaughn) spent time with the Dub Knicks on assignment. Each player in their own right benefited from the NBAGL stint.<\/p>\n
Ndour spent the most time in Westchester. At one point late in the season, Ndour played in five straight days, appearing in three games for New York and two games for Westchester. Toward the end of the NBA season, Ndour proved he had remained ready while developing his game. He was able to produce when New York gave him an opportunity, thanks to those extra G League reps.<\/p>\n
Plumlee received quality minutes in the NBA G League and proved he could come through in a minute\u2019s notice. When Joakim Noah was scratched from a Knicks\u2019 game against the Atlanta Hawks, Plumlee had to bride a cab driver and<\/a> sprint to Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n While Baker spent 52 games with New York, the young gun still had an opportunity to work on his facilitating while in Westchester. He dished some nifty passes to Plumlee and kick-outs to Von Wafer. His time in Westchester was valuable because it gave him the chance to get quality minutes while learning \u201cIt\u2019s great to come down because I get minutes and tomorrow I can clip those minutes with one of my coaches and learn from all the situations I was put into tonight,\u201d Ron Baker said following Westchester\u2019s meeting with the Raptors 905 in December of 2016. \u201cThe ultimate goal of me [playing in Westchester] is to stay in shape, learn from everything that I do, and have that translate to the other team [New York Knicks].\u201d<\/p>\n
\nfrom unique real-time game situations, rather than watching for the sidelines.<\/p>\n