RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley’s departure from the New York Knicks means next man up, and Miles McBride just so happens to be that guy.
The Knicks extended McBride for three years at $13 million, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported.
Anunoby Trade Brings McBride From the End of the Knicks’ Bench to a Valued Rotation Piece
Prior to Saturday’s surprise trade, which brought in OG Anunoby, Malachi Flynn, and Precious Achiuwa from the Toronto Raptors to New York in exchange for Barrett, Quickley, and a future second-round pick, McBride had yet to get a significant run in Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation.
McBride scored five points and notched one assist in a season-high 18 minutes during the Knicks’ most recent 140-126 win over the Indiana Pacers. The pesky defensive-minded shooting guard now has an opportunity to replicate his role and output from the tail end of last season.
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McBride and Anunoby Set to Carry Knicks’ Perimeter Defense
The Knicks had a winning record in 2022-23 when McBride took the floor. Going forward, he’ll fill Quickley’s shoes. Those are big shoes to step into, as Quickley has been a Sixth Man of the Year Candidate dating back to last year and was in the midst of a string of 20-plus point performances prior to being dealt.
McBride figures to help a defense that has regressed since Mitchell Robinson went down. He and Anunoby will take on opposing teams’ best scorers on a nightly basis. McBride has earned himself a spot on the Knicks long term, and with that, the playing time necessary to make an impact.