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The New York Knicks have continued to keep the third-year guard Quentin Grimes off the table including exploratory talks for Chicago Bulls two-time All-Star wing Zach LaVine.
“In years past, the Knicks shied away from including Grimes in trade talks with the Clippers for Paul George, the Bulls for Zach LaVine, the Jazz during Donovan Mitchell trade talks, and the Hawks, who also inquired about him,” Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto wrote.
Grimes was expected to make a major leap in his third year following an offseason training with 15-year veteran JJ Redick and NBA legend Anfernee Hardaway. Instead, he finds himself on the list of the Knicks trade chips.
His struggles have been pronounced. It grew even louder when Donte DiVincenzo flourished alongside Jalen Brunson in the Knicks starting backcourt when he was out with a wrist injury.
Grimes is averaging a disappointing 6.7 points on just 38.3% shooting, a drastic drop from his 11.3 points per game on 46.8% shooting last season. He is turning into a token starter for the Knicks this season, with Josh Hart and Immanuel Quickley averaging more minutes than him.
DiVincenzo has also eaten up into his playing time, providing a solid return for the Knicks’ midlevel investment. From last season’s 29.9 minutes, Grimes’ playing time is down to just 23.7 this season.
How long can he continue enjoying the Knicks and Tom Thibodeau’s faith is a question that will linger until the February trade deadline, especially if a star becomes available.
Zach LaVine Is Not Interested to Join Knicks
LaVine, who is in the second year of an enormous $215 million, five-year deal, is available. But his camp is not interested in going to the Knicks, according to the New York Post.
The Knicks reached out to the Bulls in February where they kept Grimes off. But the exploratory talks did not advance, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
LaVine is experiencing a down year, averaging 21.0 points on 44.3% shooting overall and 33.6% from downtown — his lowest since he joined the Bulls in the Jimmy Butler trade. He has been linked to the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings, according to Hoopshype.
Zach LaVine’s Red Flags
Ex-Knicks general manager Scott Perry raised some red flags about LaVine, a proven scorer but not a primetime playoff performer.
“When I hear a guy’s name like that first, I study the player himself,” Perry said on the Hoop Genius podcast. “No question that Zach LaVine can score the basketball. He has proven that in his nine years in the NBA. He shot the ball well. He’s a career 38% three-point shooter and explosive athlete. The next thing that I look at is, does he impact winning?”
LaVine has only been in the playoffs once, getting swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the 2021-22 season. He averaged 19.3 points on 43% from the field and 38% from 3-point distance, 6.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds in his lone playoff appearance.
“He’s played a total of four playoff basketball games,” Perry pointed out. “So now, I say to myself I’m looking at paying 40 [million] this year, 43, 46 and 49 million in subsequent years for a guy who to this point has not impacted winning to the level that his money says he should impact. So, there’s not a real match there, in my opinion.”
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