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Just a season after returning to the playoffs, the New York Knicks find themselves watching the post-season from the comfort of their own homes.
After failing to build on last season’s success, the Knicks will need to go back to the drawing board as they continue to explore opportunities to return the franchise back to its rightful place atop the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, with how deep the conference is right now, the Knicks have a long way to go, and it all starts with finding a reliable point guard. Kemba Walker is likely leaving the team during the off-season, while Derrick Rose’s health is always a concerning issue to deal with, and despite his undoubted potential, Immanuel Quickley is still a year or two away from being a reliable starting-caliber guard.
To make matter worse, the Knicks are limited in what they can offer as a trade package to bring a star name into town. It seems like the front office and coaching staff are enamored with RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin as future building blocks for the team, and after his struggles this year, Julius Randle’s trade value isn’t what it once was. So, the Knicks will need to be players in the free agency market as they look to plug the biggest hole in their roster.
Luckily, Jalen Brunson is entering free agency this off-season, and his skill set aligns perfectly with what the Knicks need to continue trending in the right direction. And, according to Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, New York should be considered a major player in the chase for Brunson’s signature.
“Among 53 players who averaged at least 10 drives per game during the regular season, only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Chris Paul shot the ball at a higher clip. Even in a cash-strapped market such as this summer’s free-agency landscape, Brunson will have suitors galore. And while the Mavs are not limited in what they can offer him relative to outside admirers, they cannot promise him an offensive role more central than the one he has now,” Favale wrote as a reasoning point in why teams will pursue the high scoring point guard.
Brunson is Impressing in the Playoffs
In what was a titanic blow to the Dallas Mavericks’ chances of progressing out of the first round, Luka Doncic sustained a left calf strain following a collision with San Antonio Spurs big man Zach Collins during the final game of the regular season.
But, while Doncic is clearly being missed on the court, Brunson has raised his game to a whole new level on offense. In the second game of Dallas’ playoff series against the Utah Jazz, the 25-year-old guard went Super Saiyan and dropped a career-high 41 points to help lead his team to victory, tying the series as a result.
Brunson followed up his heroics with a 31-point outing against the Jazz in game three on Thursday, April 21. The future free agent is now averaging 32 points, five assists, and 5.3 rebounds over the Mavericks’ three playoff games this season, which is further driving up his value in the off-season.
New York’s Options Are Limited
Every team in the league knows that the Knicks are on the lookout for a new point guard, just like every guard hitting the free agency market will be expecting a call from the team’s front office. However, this year’s free agency class doesn’t project to be particularly deep, which leaves the Knicks with few options.
Outside of Brunson, Tyus Jones could be a potential candidate should he decide to leave the Memphis Grizzlies – but the talent well begins to dry up from there. Of course, New York could choose to go down the trade route if they can find a team willing to absorb Randle’s contract that kicks in after this season.
If the Knicks were to acquire a guard via trade, their options would likely be Russell Westbrook of the Los Angeles Lakers, or John Wall from the Houston Rockets. Of course, there’s also a chance both of those guards get bought out of their contracts and hit the free-agent market themselves, but that’s not something the Knicks font office should be banking on.
So, it looks like this off-season is shaping up to be a complicated one, especially if the Knicks strike out on their primary targets. Of course, if push comes to shove, you can feel confident in Quickley’s ability to adapt and improve throughout the course of a season if he’s thrust into a lead guard role.
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