The New York Knicks have some decisions to make at point guard if they want to get back into playoff contention.
After making the playoffs with Elfrid Payton holding down the lion’s share of minutes, the Knicks replaced him with Kemba Walker in the offseason and it looked like it was a major upgrade on paper.
That ended up being disastrous for the team and Walker was practically banished from the team near the end of the season. The two sides will pursue a trade in the offseason in an effort to get a clean start for both.
Once that happens, the Knicks will have to find somebody to fill the void because Alec Burks certainly isn’t the answer long term. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley released a list of three trade targets for the Knicks, and Indiana Pacers veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon is on it as an option.
PG is a Priority
GettyAlec Burks isn’t the answer at PG.
The Knicks have been looking for a point guard for what feels like decades at this point, and they could finally find their guy through a trade.
Brogdon, although he’s 29 years old already, has proven he can hold down the starting role and he’d fit right in with the roster under its current makeup. Buckley argues he could be the perfect fit alongside Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. With the Pacers retooling their roster, there’s a possibility they could decide to shed some salary to start over.
“Brogdon could make a ton of sense for the ‘Bockers,” Buckley wrote. “He can handle the ball, but he won’t dominate it, meaning Julius Randle and RJ Barrett would still have their chances to create. The 29-year-old’s shooting (career 37.6 percent from deep) would make their lives easier on offense, and his versatility might help the defense get back on track after it slipped from fourth to 11th in efficiency, per NBA.com.”
Being a good defender and a good shooter is a good fit for any team, but it’s especially helpful on the Knicks. What could make him the true perfect hit is he can play without the ball always in his hands. Randle has the offense run through him, and he often brings the ball up to set up plays. If that continues into the next year, then Brogdon wouldn’t have to do much to fit in.
Can Randle Return to Form?
GettyJulius Randle could return to form.
A big part of the Knicks’ success in the future will revolve around whether Randle can recapture his All-Star form. With his $117 million extension kicking in, it’ll be important for him to perform the best he can because his contract will limit what the Knicks will be able to do in filling out the roster.
Getting players who can play off the ball like Brogdon would go a long way to making Randle more effective, but he’ll also need to be more efficient himself. Putting up 20/10/5 is nothing to scoff at, but his shooting numbers were down across the board this year compared to the last, so he’ll need to see if he can fix that.
The Knicks have a good core to build around, and if they all keep on developing, they could find themselves back in the playoffs before they know it.
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