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New York Knicks: Updated pros and cons of trading for Eric Bledsoe

By Maxwell Ogden

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 21: Eric Bledsoe #2 of the Phoenix Suns warms up before the game against the LA Clippers on OCTOBER 21, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 21: Eric Bledsoe #2 of the Phoenix Suns warms up before the game against the LA Clippers on OCTOBER 21, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 3: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks handles the ball against Jeremy Lin #7 of the Brooklyn Nets during the preseason game on October 3, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 3: Frank Ntilikina #11 of the New York Knicks handles the ball against Jeremy Lin #7 of the Brooklyn Nets during the preseason game on October 3, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Con: The Youth Movement

Eric Bledsoe would likely relish the opportunity to increase his star profile in a major market. True as that may be, the New York Knick are building along a trajectory that doesn’t exactly favor a 27-year-old who’s looking to win now.

Thus, while it may be appealing to evaluate a potential trade for Bledsoe, it must also be noted that he wouldn’t necessarily fit the Knicks’ youth movement.

New York selected Frank Ntilikina at No. 8 in the 2017 NBA Draft, and re-signed Ron Baker to a two-year deal worth $8.9 million. Both moves displayed a commitment to developing promising young talent at a position of severe need.

Bledsoe happens to play the same position as both Baker and Ntilikina, and while he’d be an upgrade over Ramon Sessions, he’d also be taking minutes away from the young core pieces.

One could make peace with Baker moving to the 2 and Bledsoe joining Ntilikina as the new duo at point guard. Ntilikina represents the future of the position, however, and will thus need to eventually receive starter’s minutes—a truth that could alienate Bledsoe.

Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that Bledsoe has a proven ability to work in dual point guard sets—thus implying that he could work alongside both Baker and Ntilikina.

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