The New York Knicks are poised to be one of the best teams in the NBA, but their defense has taken a noticeable hit from past seasons under head coach Tom Thibodeau. They have just a 116.4 defensive rating, which ranks 20th.
The Knicks could add Isaiah Stewart to bolster their defense
The absences of Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa have significantly hampered their depth, and their interior presence defensively has been lackluster with Karl-Anthony Towns and Jericho Sims manning the middle of the floor. With that being said, New York is sure to be in the market to add defenders this season.
Fansided’s Nicholas Chiarito suggested Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart as a potential target. The Knicks and Pistons have been trade partners numerous times in the past few seasons.
“Isaiah Stewart, despite being an undersized big, would fix a lot of the Knicks size problems off the bench. He’s currently averaging 1.3 blocks per game and 6.9 rebounds while playing in 22.1 minutes per game. Those numbers would lead the Knicks bench and would be first in blocks,” Chiarito wrote.
Chiarito added that trading for Stewart would require sending Robinson the other way because of their salaries. The Knicks have been fielding offers on Robinson’s availability in the market as he continues to struggle to stay healthy. He played just 31 games last season and has yet to step on the court this season as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery.
Stewart could give the Knicks the frontcourt depth they need
Stewart could give the Knicks much-needed depth at the center position and create a strong frontcourt off the bench with Achiuwa. On top of that, Stewart is only 23 years old, so there is still plenty of room for him to grow, and Thibodeau tends to maximize the potential of his big men.
This season, Stewart is averaging 6.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks primarily coming off the bench for Detroit. Stewart has made major changes to his game this season, taking a lot more shots inside the paint and significantly less from the three-point line. He is shooting 60% from the field and 30% from three, though he is averaging less than an attempt from three per game after averaging 3.8 attempts from outside the arc last season.
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Offensively, the Knicks are set, so they wouldn’t need Stewart to make more adjustments to his game on that end of the floor. However, they desperately need improvements on the defensive side, and Stewart’s youth makes him a high-upside option to pursue for a price that will not gut them of their depth.
As the season goes on, the Knicks will likely become more aggressive in the market to make upgrades in the frontcourt. Stewart is sure to be one of their targets.
