Kristaps Porzingis may finally be going full unicorn next season.
According to a report by Ian Begley of ESPN on Thursday, the New York Knicks and head coach Jeff Hornacek want to push the pace in 2017-18 and would like for Porzingis to see more time at the center position.
The 22-year-old Porzingis has gotten most of his minutes at power forward in the first two years of his career, often playing beside a traditional center like Joakim Noah, Robin Lopez, or Willy Hernangomez. But as a 7-foot-3 menace who can post up, hit from deep, protect the rim effectively, and move well enough laterally to switch onto the perimeter, a stretch-five role may have always been Porzingis’ destiny, especially given the way the league has shifted.
The Knicks haven’t always had the best idea of how to utilize the Latvian, so this is certainly a very welcome development. And when you consider some of the gains he’s made this summer, it looks like the Porzingod is up for the task.
