Its Brazdiekies Time!

By Zach Cone-Douglas

It’s no secret to hardcore basketball fans that Ignas Brazdeikis can ball at a high level, in his first and only year at Michigan Brazdeikis proved he was capable of being the focal point of an offense, as a freshman he lead the Wolverines in scoring (14.8 PPG) while also being the second leading rebounder (5.4 Rebs.) on a team that went to the sweet 16 and Big 10 conference championship. But what was a shock to even avid college basketball fans were the way Ignas was able to hit the ground running in this past summer league. Brazdeikis averaged 18 points shooting 55% from the field and 57% from 3 while also being one of only five players to average more than (15 PPG) and five rebounds while still shooting above the 50% mark. Not only were his numbers exceptional but his play jumped off the screen during those summer league games, on a team with Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox, and R.J Barrett (all of whom are currently on the active New York Knicks roster) it was Brazdeikis who arguably shined the brightest during that stretch, not only showing the ability to bang with big-men in the paint and finish with contact, but also the crucial ability to step out and hit the 3-point shot at a consistent clip; something that will undoubtedly prove to be crucial skill at the NBA level. I do however realize that who plays well in summer league is in fact not always indicative of who will go on to have success in the league and if these types of performances were limited to just summer league games, then you would be well within your right to dismiss them, however that’s been far from the case so far this year. So, let me not dwell too far in the past any longer let's talk about what Ignas has done lately for the Westchester Knicks. So far in the new year Brazdeikis has continued to flash his exciting potential, scoring with no less efficiency as he averaged (23.3 PPG) on just over 50% the field, evidence that his displays over the summer were more the norm than an aberration.

Now obviously summer league success and impressive G-League statistics aren't enough for Brazdeikis to become a permanent fixture on the New York Knicks NBA roster, for that to become a reality Ignas will have to find his niche at the NBA level. With that being said let's look and project the possible pros and cons of signing Brazdeikis to a big-league contact. The obvious pro that jumps out right away is his ability to shoot the 3 point at a high percentage. This would be a huge plus for a Knicks team that ranks 28th in the league in 3-point percentage, shooting a woeful 33.4% as a team. Those numbers cry out for some reliable shooting to help open the paint for the likes of R.J Barrett and Mitchell Robinson and the way the league has trended any extra shooting is invaluable. Another pro Brazdeikis could provide at the NBA is the ability to handle the ball, mainly to the end of creating his own shot. With highly drafted rookie R.J. Barrett in and out of the lineup free agent signings Julius Randle and Marcus Morris have had to carry the load offensively averaging (19.3 PPG) and (19.6 PPG) respectfully, with the next highest after Barrett’s (13.6 PPG) being veteran journeyman Reggie Bullock at a whopping (9.8 PPG). More simply put the Knicks need more scoring...bad, and if nothing else Ignas has proven the ability to score. The only cons I can come with for having Brazdeikis is his ability to guard opposing wings on a nightly basis, or lack thereof, which become a liability on the defensive end. To that I say sometimes the best way to learn something is to go out there and do it and defense is a thing that can be taught and learned over time, so no better time than now to start learning. In my humble opinion is appears that Brazdeikis has some major potential and could end up being a big asset for the Knicks organization and the wise move at this point would be to invest in that potential with a fully guaranteed NBA contract.