New Knicks head coach David Fizdale has yet to reveal his starting five. In fact, he hasn't said if any players are guaranteed starters.
All five starting jobs are up for grabs.
"Nobody's starting right now. He has no starters right now for Game 1 on Monday," rookie Kevin Knox said after Tuesday's practice. "So he's basically telling us you've got to compete and you've got to fight for your job. It's a good message for us. Now we have to come out, we gotta fight every day in practice."
Center Enes Kanter started 71 games last year. Courtney Lee started 69 of 76 games he appeared in. And Tim Hardaway Jr. started 54 of 57 games.
But Fizdale has been adamant about the players competing for starting spots.
"They all have a little taste for going after it," Fizdale said. "I think the fairness of it is what creates that competition -- that you have a fair shot to earn minutes and earn a starting spot. You can't help but bring energy to that knowing you're going to get a chance."
For example, the Knicks have three point guards -- Emmanuel Mudiay, Frank Ntilikina and Trey Burke -- who all started at least nine games a season ago.
They also have Ron Baker, Damyean Dotson and Lee at shooting guard; Knox, Hardaway, Mario Hezonja and Lance Thomas at small forward; Isaiah Hicks, Luke Kornet, Noah Vonleh and the injured Kristaps Porzingis at power forward; and rookie Mitchell Robinson, Kanter, Kyle O'Quinn and Joakim Noah at center.
The fact each starting spot is up for grabs is creating a competitive environment within the team.
"You can definitely tell throughout the whole practice," Knox said. "Nobody's loafing. Nobody's slacking off, no nothing. Everyone's going at each other. That's what's going to make it competitive this year, this whole training camp. Every day we're going to get after it, so I think Fiz's message is nobody's starting right now so everybody's trying to work for that job."
