Knicks Backup Named Award Favorite

New York Knicks forward Donte DiVincenzo is expected to go back to the bench to start the upcoming season after finishing last year with the starters.

DiVincenzo, 27, started 63 games for the Knicks last season, joining the starting lineup in early December to replace the struggling Quentin Grimes.

Grimes was traded in February to the Detroit Pistons and that solidified DiVincenzo’s place in the starting five. However, with the team trading for his college teammate Mikal Bridges, DiVincenzo is expected to go back to the bench and lead the second unit. The Athletic insider Fred Katz believes DiVincenzo can be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate if he can bring the same energy he had last season to this one.

“He performed well as a reserve during the beginning part of last season but took off once he joined the starters. Does he carry that swagger into the second unit? If so, he has a good argument as the NBA Sixth Man of the Year favorite,” Katz writes.

DiVincenzo averaged a career-best 15.5 points per game this past season with the Knicks and shot just over 40 percent from distance. He also played pretty frequently, averaging just over 29 minutes per game, which was also a career-high.

The Knicks had a number of injuries throughout the year that DiVincenzo often found himself as one of the best five players on the roster night in and night out. But considering the fact that the team is deeper this year, DiVincenzo may not be in that position often with the Knicks this season.

DiVincenzo has a decent amount of experience coming off the bench, so it should help him as his role transitions from the starting lineup to the reserves. That should help him tremendously as he seeks the Sixth Man of the Year honors.

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