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New York Knicks: Trade options to monitor as season progresses

By Maxwell Ogden

PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 5: Maurice Harkless #4 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots the ball during the preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on October 5, 2017 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 5: Maurice Harkless #4 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots the ball during the preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on October 5, 2017 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 8: David Nwaba #11 of the Chicago Bulls handles the ball against Michael Carter-Williams #10 of the Charlotte Hornets on December 8, 2017 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – DECEMBER 8: David Nwaba #11 of the Chicago Bulls handles the ball against Michael Carter-Williams #10 of the Charlotte Hornets on December 8, 2017 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) /

David Nwaba, Chicago Bulls

Position: Point Guard
Age: 24 (1/14/1993)
Experience: 2nd Season
2017-18 Slash Line: .571/.375/.673
2017-18 Season Averages: 24.1 MPG, 8.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG

The Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks have been trade partners in the past, and this trade could make more sense than any before. David Nwaba may not be a household name, but he’s the perfect young player to help build a defensive-minded culture.

An excellent on-ball defender with improving offensive value, Nwaba could form a potentially elite defensive backcourt with Frank Ntilikina.

Nwaba is essentially a more athletic Ron Baker with a more reliable presence on the offensive end of the floor. Baker could conceivably develop into the better player, and this trade could become somewhere between redundant and unnecessary because of that truth.

With Zach LaVine expected to return from a knee injury in 2017-18, however, Nwaba could lose his spot in the rotation—and the Knicks could find a perfect complement to Ntilikina.

Nwaba currently ranks No. 6 amongst point guards in Defensive Real Plus-Minus—a number that’s in line with his ranking of No. 12 in 2016-17. He’s an improving shooter who can defend multiple positions, which could make him a long-term fit for the Knicks.

With Ntilikina starting, and Baker and Nwaba filling the backup guard spots, New York could move forward with three potentially elite defenders.

Must Read: Rounding up the latest trade buzz

No trade is imminent, but the New York Knicks should keep an eye on these players as the 2017-18 NBA regular season progresses.

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