NBA Rumors: Here's Why Knicks' Afflalo Is Always Benched And Has Remained As A Sub

By Jenn Loro - 27 Mar '16 11:32AM

Arron Afflalo has been pretty much a staple of swirling NBA rumors churning out from the rumor mills. The 30-year-old Knicks shooting guard has been utilized as starter for New York for the much of the season.

The record indicates that the Afflalo has so far started 57 out of the 61 games he participated in this season. However, interim head coach Kurt Rambis has been tapping Sasha Vujacic as the starting shooting guard despite spending much of the season from the bench.

The question that looms on everyone's mind is this: Is Rambis punishing Afflalo by going with such rotation?

"This is not a punishment. I think it's more his natural position coming off the bench and it helps us distribute some of our scoring. He's a player that can provide a lot of defensive energy and offensive punch," told Rambis as quoted saying by ESPN.

However, Knicks insiders suggest that utilizing Arron Afflalo behind Vujacic makes a lot of sense since the UCLA Bruins start will soon join the free agent market season this summer increasing the likelihood of him searching for greener pastures elsewhere. Furthermore, scooped rumors also revealed that Afflalo was benched off as Rambis reportedly wanted a more offensive-driven gameplay on NBA.

As reported by the Inquisitr, the 6'5″ & 215-pound shooting guard was hardly persuasive when he said that "as a professional...he's going to do what the Knicks feel is best for the team."

Meanwhile, in another roundup, Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis led Knicks' triumphant first two straight wins against the Bulls. With 106-94 against Chicago, New York nabbed their second of the two-game winning streak on Thursday night's game at the Garden. Although it would take a miraculous event to fuel New York's advance to the playoffs, their Wednesday and Thursday victories just showed that they're really competing.

"We're just trying to finish the season the right way. We're all trying to do the right thing. That's why the game is getting easier for us. We're finding our rhythm and I'm finding my rhythm and just trying to be aggressive and play my game," remarked Kristaps Porzingis after his remarkable performance in the winning games as quoted by Newsday.