National Basketball Association
New York Knicks: Jeff Hornacek Wants Courtney Lee To Shoot More 3s
National Basketball Association

New York Knicks: Jeff Hornacek Wants Courtney Lee To Shoot More 3s

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

Courtney Lee is one of the most efficient shooters in the NBA. New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek wants Lee to be more willing to shoot in 2016-17.


One of the most underrated signings of the 2016 NBA offseason was the New York Knicks’ four-year deal with Courtney Lee. Signed for a $48 million figure that was below market value, Lee has the potential to make a significant impact in New York.

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A true 3-and-D player, Lee is being pushed by head coach Jeff Hornacek to embrace his ability to shoot with both volume and efficiency.

Lee is a career 38.4 percent shooter from beyond the arc, which is a reliable and efficient mark. He boasts a career average of 1.0 3-point field goal made per game, however, which is lower than Hornacek would like it to be.

Lee recently outlined what it is the coaching staff has told him they want to see in 2016-17.

“I think that’ll change a little bit because the style of play coach Hornacek wants to play is up and down. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been on teams that utilize the post a lot…kind of a slower pace. I feel that those numbers should go up, as far as attempts, with the style of play.”

Lee should have an abundance of opportunities to step up and convert the 3-ball in 2016-17.

Lee’s defense is what will keep him on the floor, but his ability to space the floor could prove invaluable. New York has four prominent scorers in Carmelo Anthony, Brandon Jennings, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick Rose, but it needs shooters who can work the perimeter.

Between Anthony, Justin Holiday, Jennings, Lee, Porzingis, and Lance Thomas, the Knicks have six players who can shoot the 3-ball with consistency.

It’s Lee who could end up shooting the most 3s of anyone on the roster.

It stands to reason that Lee can maintain his efficiency with an increase in volume. He was 22-of-42 on 2-point jump shots from 20-to-24 feet in 2015-16, which comes out to 52.4 percent.

Merely taking a step back would enable Lee to turn those long 2s into 3-point field goals.

What makes Lee so intriguing is the fact that he can work without the ball and find holes in opposing defenses. Attention will be turned to Anthony, Jennings, Porzingis, and Rose, which should open the door for Lee to lose his man and convert off the catch.

For what it’s worth, Lee shot 40.3 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-point field goals in 2015-16.

Expect him to be one of the Knicks’ most lethal and dependable 3-point shooters in 2016-17.

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