Knicks Rumors: Pros, Cons Of Pursuing Jeff Teague In Free Agency

Con: Defensive Inconsistency

The New York Knicks need a point guard who can hold their own on the defensive end of the floor. That’s becoming increasingly more difficult to come by, but there are available options who qualify as proficient defenders at the position.

Jeff Teague isn’t necessarily a poor defensive player, but he’s far from the ace defender that New York needs at such a significant position of need.

Teague is a better defender than Derrick Rose, which eases some of the caution about potentially signing him. That doesn’t necessarily make him reliable on defense, however, and that truth is one that New York must weigh and consider.

Although not a liability, this has become a point guard heavy NBA and Teague hasn’t consistently displayed the willingness to hold his man in check.

What’s frustrating about Teague is that he’s proven capable of playing at an elite level on defense when he’s tuned in. The inconsistency is more about his effort than his ability, and that’s a concerning truth for a Knicks team that struggled with said issue in 2016-17.

Teague is capable of defending at an extremely high level, namely within the scheme, but he’s also a veteran whose effort and intensity often wavers.