Knicks Urged to Trade for Ex-Tom Thibodeau PG as Jalen Brunson’s Backup

Getty Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball in front of Tyus Jones #5 of the Washington Wizards.

As the New York Knicks evaluate their options to fill the Immanuel Quickley void in their second unit, a former Tom Thibodeau player could become a potential low-cost trade candidate.

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon bats for the Knicks to check at Tyus Jones, who played under Thibodeau in Minnesota, to serve as the new backup of Jalen Brunson.

“I’m just saying [if I’m the Knicks] I would be calling [Utah Jazz for Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton]. I would be calling Washington about Tyus Jones,” MacMahon said on the “Hoop Collective” podcast.

Among the three guards listed by MacMahon, the 6-foot-1 Jones is the cheapest option for the Knicks.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe speculated in the latest episode of his podcast that Jones’ price could be for “multiple seconds” which the Knicks have plenty of.

The heady former Duke point guard is on an expiring deal with $14 million owed to him this season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. A half-year rental would also give the Knicks the upper hand to recruit him for next season if things work out.

The 27-year-old Jones was one of the best backup point guards in the league during his last two seasons with Memphis before the Marcus Smart trade that brought him to the rebuilding Wizards last summer.

This season, Jones is averaging career highs across the board — 12.7 points, 5.6 assists (against just 0.9 turnovers), 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 36 minutes — while shooting a highly efficient 53% from the field and 44% from 3.

Another Wizard as Backup Big Option

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps had another Wizards player in mind as a potential trade option for the Knicks.

“The guy that I think would be really interesting for the Knicks is… Daniel Gafford,” Bontemps said on the “Hoop Collective” podcast. “And if the [Washington] Wizards do look to move Gafford, you pair him with Isaiah Hartenstein [and] you get back to what was one of the real Knicks strengths before Mitchell Robinson got hurt, which say you had 48 minutes of high-quality above-average-to-really-good center play. Whether it’s Precious Achiuwa Chua or Jericho Sims, they don’t really have the same thing now even though Isaiah Hartenstein has been awesome since taking the starting job for Mitchell Robinson.”

The 25-year-old Gafford is averaging 10.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 25.6 minutes this season as the Wizards starting center. He is more than qualified to spell Hartenstein, who averaged 37.6 minutes over the Knicks’ last four wins.

Wizards Forward Dismisses Julius Randle’s Monster Game

Wizards third-year forward Deni Avdija raised eyebrows when he dismissed Knicks’ two-time All-Star Julius Randle‘s monster game against them.

“For me, he’s not that tough to guard,” Avdija told reporters after the Knicks routed them 121-105. “But probably he’s aggressive. He picks his spots. And he’s trying to score honestly like he’s a big guy going into lane, getting fouls. That’s about it.”

Randle scored 39 points on 13-of-23 shooting from the field and hit 10-of-13 free throws against the Wizards. He added seven rebounds, five assists and one steal in a dominant performance.

Against Avdija’s defense, Randle scored seven points on 3-of-5 shots and had one assist against one turnover in 13 possessions, per NBA matchup tracking data. The Knicks outscored the Wizards by 24 points during Randle’s 38 minutes.