Prized Young Knicks Guard ‘Could be Dealt’ at Trade Deadline

Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks

Getty Head Coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks reacts against the Golden State Warriors.

Rumors may suggest that the New York Knicks could be gearing up to make a splashy acquisition by means of trade, but to do so they might need to part ways with some of their more valued assets in the process.

Though guys like Evan Fournier and Cam Reddish are often viewed as the most likely players to be seen offloaded at or around February 9th’s deadline, in a January 23 article by FanNation’s Fastbreak, writer Brett Siegel tabbed third-year guard Immanuel Quickley as one player, in specific, the Knickerbockers could deal away this season.

“Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish and Derrick Rose will all be in play in trade discussions ahead of the deadline for this team and Immanuel Quickley remains this teams best trade asset, especially given that he can hold a sixth-man-like role for many teams in this league.

“Attaching Quickley in a deal with a player like Fournier or Rose could immediately free up enough cap space for New York to go out and make a big addition, yet league sources have told Fastbreak that there is a push within the Knicks’ front-office to keep the young guard past the trade deadline,” Siegel wrote.

After struggling to find his rhythm early on in the season, over his last 17 outings Quickley has proven to be an invaluable member of Tom Thibodeau’s nine-man rotation as he boasts stellar per-game averages of 17.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on 47.9% shooting from the floor and 37.0% shooting from deep.

Despite having been the subject of trade rumors on numerous occasions throughout the year, as Siegel noted, the Knicks guard’s strong surge of late has tapered down the front office’s reported willingness to move him, though insinuated that, should they be looking to acquire a noteworthy player, his inclusion in a deal could make such a transaction far more likely.


Rockets Could Consider Pursuing Knicks Veteran

As Siegel suggested, Quickley isn’t the only Knicks player that could find himself on the move this season, as he mentioned three of his teammates by name, one of whom being Derrick Rose who, according to Coty M. Davis of FanNation’s Inside the Rockets, could prove to be an optimal trade target for the youthful and inexperienced Houston Rockets.

“Rose is far from the high-flying point guard who once took home league MVP honors as a member of the Chicago Bulls in 2011. But he remains an impactful player during the twilight years of his career due to his mentorship. And given the star potential of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., Rose could be a resource to Houston’s young backcourt.

“Rose has excelled in a similar role with the Knicks over the previous few seasons. And when his number is called, he has provided New York with modest on-court production. Thibodeau described Rose as a player who always cared about his teammates. And after watching Rose go from the youngest MVP in league history to a non-rotational player, Thibodeau said the former All-Star point guard has handled every phase of his career brilliantly,” Davis wrote.

Despite seeing a career low in minutes per game (12.9) and not having stepped foot on the hardwood since the start of the new year thanks to a bevy of coach’s decision DNPs, the former MVP and perennial All-Star has remained an outspoken mentor and leader for his teammates throughout the individually challenging season, and it is because of this that Davis believes Rose could prove to be a great veteran presence for the youthful Rockets.


Knicks Interested in Bucks Guard

Though some may believe that the Knicks should consider bolstering their frontcourt depth this trade season, Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto reported on January 23rd that New York has “expressed interest” in pursuing Milwaukee Bucks guard, Grayson Allen.

“With trade talks surrounding Reddish ongoing, the Knicks have expressed interest in Bucks starter Grayson Allen, a career 39.5 percent three-point shooter, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported.

Despite his “bad boy” reputation, New York’s interest in Allen does makes sense as he’s a tough-nosed defensive player and a trusty floor spacer who has averaged 10.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 40.1% shooting from distance since 2020-21 and has ample postseason experience under his belt, including an NBA Championship in 2022.

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