Getty Kelly Oubre Jr. could be a target for the Knicks.
The New York Knicks are sitting at 9-9 on the season, and they can’t really find a way to break out of mediocrity.
Making a trade could be something that would help them in both the short term and long term, provided they find an impact player. With Evan Fournier benched and Quentin Grimes struggling to find minutes, the Knicks could use some help with their guards and wings.
There are plenty of targets to look at if you’re the Knicks, and with some teams already struggling mightily out of the gate, there could be some sellers out there.
With LaMelo Ball injured to start the year, the Charlotte Hornets find themselves at 4-14 and in a big hole. This might make them a good target for the Knicks if they’re looking at making some upgrades to the roster.
Kelly Oubre Jr. is a name who was floated by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley as somebody the Knicks could go after, and that would actually make a lot of sense for New York.
Knicks Target Oubre Jr.
The Knicks could use some more scoring, and with RJ Barrett going through his share of struggles out of the gate, it makes a lot of sense to get somebody who can step in and give them a lift.
Buckley argues the Knicks are good fit because they wouldn’t have to always rely on his scoring, so his streakiness wouldn’t be as much of an issue it would be with him as one of the lead scorers.
“The Knicks could be positioned to bring out Oubre’s best,” Buckley said. “They wouldn’t always need his scoring, which should allow him to hone his defense and off-ball activity, but they should be able to find enough shots to keep him fully engaged.”
Oubre Jr. has bounced around a lot during his time in the NBA, but the 26-year-old has been a solid contributor wherever he’s been.
His shooting from deep leaves a bit to be desired, but he’d definitely be a gigantic upgrade on the defensive end over Fournier.
Would the Hornets Give Him Up?
The Hornets struggling out of the gate would make them more likely to make moves, especially since the Knicks have draft picks and young assets to give up.
It also helps that the Hornets haven’t really been good this season with Oubre Jr. in the lineup, so he might not be viewed as an essentially asset. His streakiness is also hurting his value in any potential trade.
“It would help if his outside shot was more reliable (career 33.1 percent), but if it was, he might cost a fortune in a trade,” Buckley wrote. “Given his shooting limitations and the fact he has more career turnovers (518) than assists (504), he shouldn’t be too pricey, particularly if Charlotte isn’t keen on covering the cost of his upcoming unrestricted free agency.”
This might be what it takes to snag Oubre Jr. from the Hornets if you’re the Knicks. Whether he would be the missing piece the team is looking for remains to be seen, but it would make the bench a much better asset for the Knicks.