Knicks Linked as Landing Spot for Sixth Man Extraordinaire

Expectations may not be all that high for the New York Knicks in 2022-23, as many expect them to finish as a mere .500 team by year’s end, but this is not to say that the front office won’t look to try and bolster the club’s talent pool along the way.

Should they be interested in making moves via the trade market at some point this season, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes that Houston Rockets shooting guard Eric Gordon could prove to be a worthwhile target for the franchise.

“Eric Gordon has combo-guard size (6’3″, 215 lbs), but he’s skilled and smart enough to play anywhere between the 1 and 3 spots. Most importantly, he provides positives on both ends of the floor, which could have him moving quickly up the pecking order in this rotation,” Buckley wrote.

“On offense, he might be best as a spot-up shooter, but he can create off the dribble for himself and his teammates. Since the start of last season, he has averaged 2.1 threes on 39.8 percent shooting. Those numbers alone should interest the Knicks, whose 31.5 three-point percentage ranks worst in the Eastern Conference and 29th overall.”

Buckley would continue by suggesting that the soon-to-be 34 years old does not fit in with the long-term plans of the youthful and rebuilding Houston core which, in turn, could help keep his trade cost at a “reasonable point.”

Though his presence on the tanking, 4-14 Rockets may not be all that beneficial, perhaps on a playoff/ play-in hopeful club like the Knicks his talents could be of great and beneficial service.

Knicks Could Use More Shot Creators

A 15-year veteran in the association, Eric Gordon has established himself as a trusty scoring threat, particularly when coming off the pine where he won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year back in 2016-17 and has finished within the top 2 twice.

Boasting career averages of 16.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 37% shooting from distance, the Knicks could use an offensive-minded talent to come in and help shoulder the load for the team’s scoring agenda.

As things currently stand, New York ranks a middling 16 in offensive rating, 25 in true shooting percentage, and 26 in effective field goal percentage.

By adding the veteran, the Knicks would boost their lackluster offensive production while simultaneously strengthening the depth on the roster from the one down to the three.

Lakers Interested in Knicks Guard

While Buckley believes the New York Knicks could be interested in trading for Houston’s combo guard, rumor has it that the team’s front office is already open to trading away one of their own, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on November 18 that Leon Rose and company are “willing” to move on from either Derrick Rose or Immanuel Quickley.

As far as where these players could potentially land if dealt, an anonymous Eastern Conference executive told Heavy Sports’ NBA Insider Sean Deveney that the Los Angeles Lakers could have an interest in pursuing the former MVP.

“He is always going to be the good soldier and he might not even want out of New York just because he and Thibs are so tight. But he’s going to want to play at some point and he is going to want a chance to win. The Lakers have always had interest,” the executive told Deveney.

The exec did note that while Los Angeles has shown interest in the past, making a trade for the Rose could ultimately get a bit challenging, as they have an over-inflated cap situation that would only become more complex with his addition considering his $14.5 million 2022-23 salary.

Rose has struggled to find consistency within the rotation for the Knicks this season, as he’s seeing just 13.2 minutes a night. Despite his low usage, however, the 34-year-old has been rather efficient as he’s boasting averages of 24.6 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per 100 possessions on 37.2% shooting from the floor.