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A glaring need for the New York Knicks this offseason is point guard. For decades they’ve been trying to solve this problem, and this offseason could be their best chance at doing it.
New York has been linked to big names like Damian Lillard, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell, so the fans are hoping the front office is able to land one of them. In the event that doesn’t happen, there are several more avenues to pursue.
Of the three names listed, Brunson was expected to be the one who had the most weight. The Knicks even hired his father as a coach, and many fans believed that to be a sign of things to come. However, the trade for Christian Wood brings even more scoring to Dallas, and it further pushes them into title contention so Brunson might want to stay now.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey notes that point guard is the hole for the Knicks to fill this offseason, and he says a player like Raul Neto could help out in the event they swing and miss on a big name.
“If they strike out on a higher-profile target like Brunson, even a play for depth with someone like Raul Neto would make sense,” he wrote.
Does Neto Make Sense?
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GettyBrooklyn Nets wing DeAndre’ Bembry dribbles away from the Washington Wizards Raul Neto.
On its face, Neto doesn’t really solve the problem Knicks have a point guard, but it would give them a steady veteran who can help fill the void. For his career, Neto averages six points per game over seven seasons with the Jazz, Sixers and Wizards.
If the team is looking for a star to take over at the spot, he’s far from what you’d expect. The explanation makes a little bit of sense, however, as he’d only be the backup option in the event of losing out on a star. No matter what happens, it seems like Immanuel Quickley will get more of a look at the position next year, something Bailey notes.
“Giving Immanuel Quickley a shot at the role next season feels like an obvious option, but the Knicks would be wise to go after more,” he wrote.
Alec Burks played out of position at point guard last season, and the results were mostly bad instead of good. The Knicks will certainly look to avoid that again next year, so that means they’d have to give other players looks.
Neto would help with that, and he’d be a steady option at the position. At this point in time, that’d be a good thing for the Knicks.
Can They Land a Star?
GettyDallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson.
It’s looking increasingly difficult for the Knicks to land a big name point this offseason, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Lillard looks likely to stay, Mitchell will be difficult, and Brunson seems to be leaning toward staying in Dallas. Getting Neto for cheap would be nice, but it wouldn’t add any star power to the team.
Julius Randle and RJ Barrett remain the main scoring options, and with both of them being ball-dominant, perhaps a star point guard isn’t what the Knicks need. It’s going to be a busy offseason no matter what happens, and it all starts with this month’s NBA Draft on June 23.
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