Kyle O’Quinn has been a Knicks fan all his life and has seen a lot of bad teams growing up in South Jamaica, Queens. Now that he’s fulfilled his dream of joining the team, the burly 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forward believes he can be part of a playoff renaissance this season after signing a four-year, $16 million deal in a weekend sign-and-trade.
The Knicks finished 17-65, but Carmelo Anthony played injured much of the season before shutting it down in late February to undergo season-ending knee surgery. Through the draft and free agency, Phil Jackson has added a slew of new role players around him – none of star quality – but the rugged O’Quinn thinks he has a chance to make his playoff debut after three seasons with the miserable Magic.
“It’s a great possibility,’’ O’Quinn said Sunday in an interview with Orlando-based Basketball Insiders website. “We have a superstar in Carmelo Anthony, who is proven. We have Robin Lopez. We have Arron Afflalo, who I played with in Orlando. We have guys who have been there before and know what it takes to be successful.
“That would be great to make my playoff debut,’’ O’Quinn added. “I haven’t even thought that far, that would be special. And to do it in New York, in front of my Mom and Dad? That would be so great. I want this season to go longer than my first three seasons went. I was watching these last playoffs and saying, ‘Man, I gotta get there. I need a taste of that.’” read more
