Getty Dennis Schroder, New York Knicks
We’ve all heard about the New York Knicks‘ need for a new point guard and have seen the countless names linked with a potential move to the Big Apple in the coming months.
However, most of those potential guards are either coming to the end of their careers, have ridiculous salaries, or are drawing interest from multiple teams around the league. Of course, there are always pros and cons to acquiring a player, regardless of who they are or what they bring to the table.
But, with the 2023 free agency class projecting to be one of the strongest in recent memory, it makes sense to imagine the Knicks positioning themselves to be part of the conversation in a year’s time. As such, it’s fair to assume that any new additions will likely be on short-term ‘prove yourself’ deals, which will allow the Knicks to keep financial flexibility moving forwards.
So, assuming the front office strikes out in their pursuit of Jalen Brunson and that they turn their noses up at a potential Russell Westbrook deal, the question of who leads the offense next season becomes more complex.
However, According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Knicks do have options, especially if they’re looking for a short-term fix, with Dennis Schroder being a cost-friendly candidate to lead the offense next season.
“I don’t see Schröder receiving a much different deal than he did last summer, either. He should get something around the taxpayer mid-level, projected at $6.3 million. If he signed for that price, it would leave the Knicks with another $4 million of mid-level money to play with, too,” Katz reasoned in his latest article.
Schroder Can Fill the Gaps
As we all saw during his time with the Boston Celtics, Dennis Schroder can be an important cog in a team’s offense. The veteran guard is crafty in the pick-and-roll, can get downhill at will, and knows how to create for his teammates in drive-and-kick scenarios.
However, despite his career 4.7 assists per game, Schroder isn’t a playmaker and can’t be relied upon to be a team’s primary initiator in the halfcourt. But, assuming the Knicks keep hold of Julius Randle, that wouldn’t be the role Schroder was asked to play. Rather, the 28-year-old would be tasked with pressuring the rim and creating scoring opportunities for the team’s young play finishers Obi Toppin and RJ Barrett – something Schroder could do consistently if given a chance.
Nice inverted pindown from Schroder for JT here. The pindown forces the switch, and Schroder seals his man on the outside hip, keeping him towards the sideline. Opens the passing lane and a clear path to the rim.
The former Sixth Man of the Year runner-up is also reliable at creating his own offense when playing off-ball, utilizing his speed and movement to create passing lanes that pressure defenses into tough decisions and mistakes.
Knicks Have Options
Kemba Walker’s future with the Knicks is an open secret at this point, with everybody expecting him to move onto a new challenge before the start of next season. While Derrick Rose is likely to remain with the franchise in a bench role.
Still, the Knicks can explore plenty of avenues when looking for a new lead guard, many of which have been widely covered in the media. But, if New York is truly going to favor short-term deals, with one eye on next summer, then the pool of available players still holds some hidden gems.
@iHateShaun I wish Knicks fans knew Thibs is going to give Quick the start. I wish we were able to trust the FO to go full Youth movement and create a roster that would force Thibs to start him.
Ricky Rubio, Delon Wright, Goran Dragic, and Patty Mills are all names Katz mentions in his article as potential stop-gap additions, bringing their own list of pros and cons to the table. However, unless the Knicks decide to dangle Randle as part of a bigger trade, the team’s hands are tied in taking back a large salary – especially if they’re committed to Barrett and Toppin as future building blocks of the team.
Of course, New York also has some in-house options to consider, with Immanuel Quickley, Miles McBride, and even Quentin Grimes capable of running the offense and all deserving of a bigger role on the team moving forward. As such, the front office has some big decisions to make regarding the team’s need for a new point guard and, more importantly, what direction they want to take the franchise in the immediate future.