Knicks Trade Proposal Swaps Quentin Grimes, Mavs Pick for Former All-NBA Wing

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Julius Randle #30 Quentin Grimes #6 of the New York Knicks react in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics.

The New York Knicks have overcome Quentin Grimes‘ shooting struggles to register a 12-7 record heading into Tuesday’s In-Season Tournament quarterfinal game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

But their record is a mirage, masking the Knicks’ struggles to match up against the elite teams. All their losses have come against top contenders in both conferences.

Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz proposed a trade idea that could fix the Knicks’ woes and better equip them for a deep playoff run this season.

The proposed trade:

DeMar DeRozan-Jalen Brunson Clutchtime Backcourt

DeRozan wanted to come to New York or Miami, per The Athletic’s Sam Amick.

Pulling off a DeRozan trade prevents the Heat, their rival and last playoff tormentor, from upgrading their already veteran-savvy roster. But more importantly, it will give the Knicks two of the top three clutch players from last season.

DeRozan and Knicks rising point guard Jalen Brunson finished second and third, respectively, behind Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox in last year’s inaugural Clutch Player of the Year race.

The 34-year-old DeRozan would ease the pressure off Brunson’s shoulder to carry the team the way he did in the Knicks playoff run last season.

DeRozan would immediately become the Knicks’ most experienced playoff performer, averaging 21.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 63 postseason games. He was an All-Star reserve last season, marking his sixth All-Star berth. He was also named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2018 and 2022.

With LeBron James no longer ruling the Eastern Conference, this could be DeRozan’s best opportunity to break through with a partnership with Brunson and the defensive philosophy of Tom Thibodeau.

The Knicks could re-sign DeRozan in the offseason to a 1+1 deal that will align with the remaining two years of Brunson’s current contract before it becomes more expensive.

Knicks’ ‘High-Level Problem’

While former Knicks general manager Scott Perry likes the idea of DeRozan in New York, a potential trade could lead to a “high-level” problem.

“You’ll have a number of players that operate in the same area,” Perry said on the December 4 episode of the Hoop Genius podcast, referring to the Knicks’ slew of mid-range players like DeRozan. “It’s going to be incumbent upon Tom Thibodeau and his [coaching] staff to figure that out and how you get those your four top players on the court along with Mitchell Robinson.”

Brunson and Julius Randle love to operate in the mid-range as much as DeRozan. RJ Barrett is at his best attacking the rim while he’s shown marked improvement as a spot-up shooter. Adding DeRozan to that mix will clog inside the arc even more for the Knicks who have endured spacing issues to reach the playoffs twice over the last three seasons.

“You figure out the best offensive path but sometimes those are high-level problems to have and you may rather have that high-level problem than not,” Perry said.

Bulls Reset With Quentin Grimes

This trade idea represents a haul for the Bulls for the expiring $28.6 million contract of DeRozan, who could leave them for nothing in the offseason.

Grimes, who struggled to have the ball in his hands in the loaded Knicks starting lineup, will have the freedom to develop into one of the top two-way wings in the league in Chicago.

In this proposed deal, the Bulls will also acquire the Dallas Mavericks’ top-10 protected pick which is likely to convey in the next draft. Serving as a salary filler is the disgruntled Evan Fournier who will come off the Bulls’ books next season, giving them a load of cap space especially if they also get rid of Zach LaVine‘s max contract.

Jericho Sims will also get the minutes he could not get with the Knicks, giving the Bulls a promising big man who can grow with Grimes and their former lottery pick Patrick Williams.