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Knicks fans, we've got an important update on Ariel Hakporty's injury and this could have a bigger impact on the team than people realize
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Tom Thibodeau just revealed that Hakporty is doing a little bit more on the court as he continues to recover from the torn meniscus in his left knee
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And listen, I know most fans aren't thinking about him right now, but this situation matters more than you might think
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Let's rewind a bit, so Hakporti suffered the injury back on February 26th against the Sixers in what was his first start for the Knicks
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He only played 16 minutes before going down, but in that short time, he put up 8 points, 2 rebounds, and a block
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And you could tell right away that his presence as a legit 7-foot center gave the team a different look defensively
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Then boom, he suffers a torn meniscus and ESPN's Shams Charania reported that he'd be out for 4-6 weeks
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Fast forward to now and we're starting to get some positive signs
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Now why does this actually matter you might ask? Because if we've been watching the Knicks lately, you know that depth in the frontcourt has been an issue
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Mitchell Robinson is still working his way back after missing months with his ankle injury
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Carl Anthony Towns has played through nagging soreness, and Precious Achua while giving effort has struggled with consistency
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And even with these guys available, the team still lacks a true backup center to take some pressure off them
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That is where Hakporti could come into play and let be real Hakporti was never expected to be a major contributor this season He a developmental piece someone the Knicks took a flyer on as a big center with shot and rebounding potential
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as the 58th pick in the 2024 NBA draft. But what if he could return before the end of the regular
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season? Even in limited minutes, he could provide a fresh physical presence off the bench. And even
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if he has a situational role since Mitch is back, when Mitch misses a back-to-back game, he could
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definitely be up next. And the way injuries have been piling up, you can never have too much depth
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especially at the center spot where the Knicks have struggled whenever Mitch isn't out there
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Now of course, we have to keep expectations in check. A torn meniscus isn't an easy injury to
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bounce back from, and even if Hakporti is getting closer to returning, it doesn't mean he'll
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suddenly be getting minutes. Tibbs isn't exactly known for throwing young guys into the fire
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and let's be honest, if everyone's healthy, Huckporti probably will not see the court outside of garbage time
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But if injuries pop up again, or if the Knicks decide to give Mitch some rest ahead of the playoffs
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then Huckporti could get a small window to show what he can do. So Knicks fans, what do you think
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Should the team try to get Huckporti some minutes when he returns, or is he just a non-factor for the rest of the season
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And looking ahead to the future, could he develop into a real peace for this team down the line
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Let me know your thoughts in the comments down below. And as always, if you did enjoy this video, make sure to hit that like button and subscribe to the channel for more in-depth NYX news and updates you won't want to miss
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It's been KNYT here and I'll see you guys in the next one
