After searching for years, trying to find a capable starting point guard, the New York Knicks have finally found one with Jalen Brunson. Prior to this season, the Knicks had a lack of depth when it came to lead ballhandlers, but suddenly, they’ve realized it’s an area of strength, which could lead to Immanuel Quickley potentially being available via trade.
As of now, Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks are just below .500, in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Decent but still not among the elite teams who appear poised to compete in the playoffs.
Sure, the NBA’s play-in tournament gives the Knicks a chance to get in, but even then, later matchups against powerhouses such as Milwaukee, Boston, and Cleveland leave little hope to advance.
Basically, if the Knicks want to assure themselves a trip back to the postseason, more roster changes could be coming. If this is the case, a player such as Quickley could be the first to go.
It’s not because he’s a ‘problem’ or anything close. Instead, it’s because the 2020 first-round pick is one of New York’s more desirable assets. It also doesn’t hurt that he may be more expendable, thanks to Brunson’s presence.
While the 23-year-old Quickley is far from reaching his peak, doing so will be much more difficult with Brunson grabbing a stronghold of the lead guard role. In turn, trading Quickley may make the most sense, not only for the player but also for the Knicks organization.
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New York Knicks seeking first-round pick for Immanuel Quickley
If teams are interested in acquiring the third-year pro out of Kentucky, the Knicks are said to be asking for a first-round pick in return. Some may ask, what the heck? The Knicks already have a boatload of future picks. How about a player to help us win now?
Well, the Knicks still seem to be dreaming of landing a star or superstar in the near future. Perhaps they feel using a collection of future draft assets is the best way to accomplish their goal. There’s always the possibility of attaching a big contract, such as Julius Randle’s $23.7 million salary, to make the money work per NBA trade rules.
Quickley can help the Knicks, but he can also help a lot of other teams too, who may be prepared to give the former 25th overall pick a bigger role. While Quickley’s shooting splits have taken a bit of a dive this season, he’s become more involved on defense, where he’s averaging 1.3 steals per game.
- Immanuel Quickley stats in 2022: 9.5 PPG, 3.3 APG, 4.5 RPG, 37.6 FG%, 32.1 3PT%
If Quickley were exchanged, either for another piece that could help the Knicks right now, it would likely open up more playing time for their first-round pick from 2021, Quentin Grimes, who has played in just nine of the team’s 19 games this season.
With Quickley first becoming eligible for an extension this summer, it’s possible the Knicks realize they won’t be the ones to pay the young guard a big contract, knowing he won’t ever become anything more than a sixth-man at best with the Knicks. In turn, maybe trading Quickley now, or in the offseason would be best.
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