How This Trade Impacts New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have to figure things out with their starting five. It is what is keeping them from playing complete games, as they crumble either in the first quarter at the onset of the game or in the third quarter coming out of halftime. Sometimes, it is at both times, putting the team in too deep of a hole to climb out of.
The defense has been a big reason for the struggles of the starting five. Adding someone such as Jerami Grant to that mix would help fix a lot of the issues.
Grant could become their ace defender in the starting five, helping replace what the team lost when Reggie Bullock departed in free agency. RJ Barrett has lapses in some team defensive schemes, but he has come a long way as an individual defender. Having two strong individual defenders will help turn things around.
Grant has also shown that he can succeed as a go-to option offensively. While his statistics have dropped this season from his first with the Detroit Pistons, a lot of that could be attributed to the team being so young and inexperienced.
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But, would the Knicks be willing to shake up their rotation this much? Obi Toppin has been thriving off the bench, showcasing more confidence in his second season and providing a ton of energy. Alec Burks has been excellent as well with the second unit.
Trading Toppin would leave the Knicks thin at the power forward spot, as Jerami Grant will likely be inserted as the starting small forward. That in itself could cause some clunkiness in the starting five, as Evan Fournier’s spacing is integral to the offensive success.
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Tom Thibodeau isn’t one to make drastic changes, especially in season, so it is hard to imagine the Knicks making a move that would shake things up to this extent. The starting five needs some more time to build chemistry and should be afforded that change. Elfrid Payton started 63 games for New York last season to hammer home how reluctant Thibodeau is to make changes.
