The Feb. 8 trade deadline is approaching fast, with the New York Knicks expected to be active buyers this season. However, some potential trade candidates who have been linked to the franchise have seen nothing materialize as of now.
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, no “significant” talks between the Knicks and the Portland Trail Blazers surrounding backup guard Malcolm Brogdon have occurred. Brogdon has been a name heavily connected with New York since the trade that saw Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett depart for OG Anunoby last month.
“There hadn’t been any significant discussion between New York and Portland about Malcolm Brogdon as of late last week,” said Begley. “And Quentin Grimes is drawing interest from several suitors.”
Bruce Brown and Alec Burks are other names to monitor
Begley added that other names like Raptors’ Bruce Brown and Pistons’ Alec Burks are guys that the Knicks have been eyeing for quite some time, though he indicated that nothing major on the trade front has been put in the works as of now.
The Knicks’ biggest weakness right now is far and beyond bench scoring. They average just 24.5 points 39.9% shooting from the floor since Dec. 30, the day that Anunoby was acquired by the Knicks. Both marks rank in the bottom five of all NBA teams over that span.
The Knicks need bench-scoring
The lack of production from the second unit is almost certainly a byproduct of Quickley’s shot-creating prowess no longer being present. The team needs someone to initiate offense in the minutes that Jalen Brunson is not on the floor, something that Brogdon or Burks could help them accomplish.
With the deadline still a couple of weeks away, be on the lookout for talks with one of the aforementioned teams to heat up quickly. It is unlikely that the Knicks will pull off another blockbuster like they did with Anunoby, though it is likely that they will be aggressive in the market. However, who they will ultimately land is up in the air.
Follow this writer on X: @DylanBacker_