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Knicks Trade Rumors: Five Reasons To Pursue Goran Dragic

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 23, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) handles the ball during the first quarter of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) handles the ball during the first quarter of the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 10, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) is defended by Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) is defended by Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Facilitating Prowess

The New York Knicks have done an abhorrent job of creating offense for one another in 2016-17. There have been a number of games during which that hasn’t proved true, but there have been just as many during which they’ve abandoned team basketball.

By swapping out Derrick Rose for Goran Dragic, the Knicks would effectively address the need for superior consistency in creating ball movement.

The Knicks are 1-12 when they fail to reach 20 assists as a team and 16-10 when they eclipse that mark. That alone is reason to believe the Knicks need to add a player who can better facilitate Jeff Hornacek’s offense.

If there’s anything that’s proven true about Dragic, it’s that he’s a creative and dynamic playmaker who can facilitate the offense.

Rose is currently averaging 4.4 assists per game and 5.0 assists per 36 minutes in 2016-17. Dragic, meanwhile, is averaging 6.5 assists per game and 6.8 assists per 36 minutes—the seventh time in eight seasons he’s averaged at least 6.0 assists per 36 minutes.

Dragic isn’t exactly Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook with the assists he compiles, but he’s a willing and capable facilitator who efficiently creates for others.

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