Five Players the Knicks Brass Should Keep an Eye On
The New York Knicks suffered back to back brutal losses at the hands of the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers, proving that the roster still needs some improvement before they can start thinking about the postseason. It didn’t help that their two top scorers in Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. have been sidelined due to injury and there’s no guarantee as to when they will return.
Scott Perry and Steve Mills still have their work cut out for them. No one really knows what they’re thinking or what they plan to do now that the team is sort of in a rut. It’s unlikely that Perry plans on rushing things, especially since he made it clear at the beginning of the season that the focus is rebuilding the team and developing the young players so that they can be competitive for many years. However, it doesn’t hurt to add young talent that can be beneficial for the team and put them in a position to win.
There are plenty of free agents that can be brought in by the Knicks and use their skills to the team’s advantage and help improve the roster. Here are an assortment of players that should be on the Knicks radar:
Trey Burke — Westchester Knicks
In case you haven’t heard, Burke is finding his groove and reformatting his game in the G-League. Tim Hardaway Jr.’s former running mate from their Michigan Wolverine days has been on a tear in Westchester, proving to be a capable leader and working on his defense as well. If he continues to develop his game, it won’t be long before he receives a call up from another team. However, there have been hints that he wants to join the Knicks with his best friend Hardaway and perhaps catch up with their other peer Caris LeVert, who currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets. It also helps that Perry is a Detroit native and is a huge fan of Burke. It won’t be long before he’s called up by the Big Club soon. Very soon.
Melo Trimble — Iowa Wolves
Since his time in college at the University of Maryland, Melo Trimble was always known as a scoring point guard. This might be what the Knicks need to have instant offense off the bench. Between Ramon Sessions who’s not much of a factor despite his professionalism, Frank Ntilikina’s raw offensive game, and Ron Baker not being a true point guard, the team doesn’t have a player that can spark an offense off the bench. Trimble still needs work on the defensive end and needs to be careful to not have tunnel vision. However, he can definitely serve as a running for Ntilkina at least until he develops an offensive game, and could possibly serve as a member of the Knicks guards in the future.
Luke Kornet — Westchester Knicks
Without Porzingis, the Knicks don’t have a true big man that can spread the floor and play with a sense of pace. Enes Kanter, Kyle O’Quinn, Willy Hernangomez (at least until he fully develops an outside game), and Joakim Noah can’t really shoot from the outside like the Unicorn and that really slows the momentum down for the team. Enter Luke Kornet, an underrated Vanderbilt center that can shoot a lot of threes. A LOT. He’s averaging 15.2 points on 45.0% shooting, which includes an absurd 39.7% on seven three-point attempts per game. He’s also blocking 1.6 shots per game while moving the ball well and averaging 1.9 assists per game. Since he has a two-way contract with the team, the Knicks would be wise to keep a close eye on him.
Isaiah Hicks — Westchester Knicks
Hicks is another young player that’s on a two way contract with the Knicks. An undersized power forward measuring at 6'9," he’s an excellent athlete that can push the pace and is emerging as a solid defender with a midrange game. Although he has difficulty creating his own shot, can’t really shoot the three ball well, he can be a serviceable big man for small ball lineups and continues to show upside.
Derrick Williams — Free Agent
Now hear me out.
Williams, in many ways, is a lot like Michael Beasley. He’s a big forward that has many limits to his game. He’s not a great defender and he can a bit turnover prone. However, during his short stint with the Knicks during the 2015–2016 season, he emerged as a fan favorite and improved a lot during his tenure with the Knicks. He set career highs in free throws, shot 42% corner three pointers, was able to push the pace of the game, and was a good character teammate that was effective coming off the bench.
Plus, he’s freakishly athletic.
EXTREMELY athletic.
I mean look at this.
Knicks fans also love players like Derrick Williams who showcase hustle and want to help the team win. It’s also clear that he thoroughly enjoyed his time in New York.
And he clearly misses playing at the Garden.
He’s extremely young (only 26 years old) and would fit the timeline if given the chance. Assuming Doug McDermott doesn’t stay with the team or if the Knicks finally decide to cut their losses with Michael Beasley, Williams can step in and more than likely thrive in Hornaceck’s system.
There are several players other players that the Knicks should go after but these are ones that stand out the most. Whatever Perry decides to do, there’s no question that he has a tall task ahead of him. He could either wait it out before making a move or make a quick decision to stop the bleeding. Either way, the Knicks front office will have to decide what to do soon. If they intend on chasing the playoffs, these players must be considered on their radar.
*additional credit to NBA G-League, Basketball-Reference, Posting and Toasting, Knicks Observer
