Knicks’ young guard is raising trade value with dominant defensive stretch

NBA: New York Knicks at Minnesota Timberwolves
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

New York Knicks shooting guard Quentin Grimes has been at the center of trade conversations over recent weeks, though he may be raising his market value with his efforts on the defensive end through the past few games.

Quentin Grimes has stepped up defensively

Entering Monday, the third-year Houston guard has held his matchups to 5/22 shooting from the field with seven turnovers in the Knicks’ last three games, according to KnicksMuse on X.

While his offense has yet to truly take off, it is encouraging to see Grimes return to form on the defensive side of the ball after a rocky start on that end. Despite the possibility of playing for a different team within the next few weeks lingering, his efforts have been a major contribution to the Knicks’ 12-2 record over their last 14 games.

The Knicks could look to trade Grimes ahead of the deadline

Grimes has not had the ideal 2023-24 season he wished to have, losing his starting shooting guard spot to Donte DiVincenzo early in the season. He’s also currently averaging just over seven points per game and shooting just 40% from the field.

His struggles have sparked the trade rumors surrounding him and the franchise could take advantage of Grimes’ improved defense of late to go after an upgrade in the backcourt such as Blazers’ guard Malcolm Brogdon or Pistons’ guard Alec Burks.

Regardless, Grimes is still on the Knicks right now and without the services of Julius Randle for the next several weeks, they will need Grimes to continue his strong play defensively and step up his game offensively for the foreseeable future.

Follow this writer on X: @DylanBacker_

Mentioned in this article:

More about: