Getty Evan Fournier could be on the move.
The New York Knicks made a trade for Cam Reddish in January, but instead of him getting instant minutes with the club, something that wasn’t happening with the Atlanta Hawks.
For a variety of reasons, things haven’t exactly panned out the way Reddish would’ve expected with the Knicks as he still can’t crack the rotation, even on a struggling Knicks team.
Coach Tom Thibodeau has said it’s because he doesn’t want to just remove somebody else from the rotation to make way for him, so it could mean more moves are on the way.
“Everything was discussed, you know, we like who [Reddish] is,” he explained. “We like the talent. It’s a long season. You know, we traded someone who wasn’t in the rotation. So, you can’t keep adding to without taking someone out, or you know, you have injuries. Just have to be patient and work our way through it.”
The easiest way to get minutes for a newly acquired player is to ship out somebody who is currently in the rotation. Swapping Knox for Reddish didn’t do that, so the Knicks have some more work to do.
Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reports Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel are all available for the Knicks as trade candidates, and any one of them leaving town would free up the needed minutes for Reddish to start playing.
Move Coming Soon?
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Perhaps the contract that needs to be moved the most, and one that could prove to be the most difficult, is Fournier’s four-year, $78 million deal. He’s shown that he can be a deadeye shooter, but he’s been streaky for the Knicks and he might perform better with less stakes.
Instead of being one of the team’s costars, he might be a better fit as a third or fourth option on a team, or even coming off the bench. His contract pretty much guarantees he’ll stay in the starting lineup for the Knicks, but that might not be for the best.
Reddish’s best bet for playing time would either be Burks or Fournier leaving New York since they share similar skill sets with each other. Interestingly enough, Burks has filled in at point guard a lot this season, but the results there have been mixed to say the least.
From the outside looking in, it seems like the Knicks are more open to trading one of these players than not, but it’s not as simple as that. Even if a player is available, it doesn’t automatically mean they’ll be taken on by another team.
Can a Trade Happen?
GettyDerrick Rose and Evan Fournier look on from the bench during a game against the Orlando Magic.
A trade can definitely happen, and it’d be a bit shocking if somebody isn’t shipped out by the Knicks later this month.
Reddish wants to play and there’s a good chance the Knicks also want him to play as well. For this to happen, somebody has to be moved. Look for the Knicks to be very active in the weeks leading up to the deadline.
If somebody isn’t moved, it’d come as a big shock.
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