New York Knicks point guard Trey Burke has played exceptionally well in 2017-18. Is this closer to a sign of things to come or a flash in the pan?
Trey Burke has earned an opportunity at career redemption with the New York Knicks. He sacrificed his ego to play in the NBA G League, worked his way up to the main roster, and is now working his way towards a more prosperous professional career.
For as compelling as Burke’s story has been in 2017-18, one can’t help but ask the question: How sustainable is his quality of play?
Burke produced one of the greatest seasons in college basketball history. He not only won National College Player of the Year, but led the Michigan Wolverines to the National Championship Game during a 2012-13 campaign to remember.
Shortly thereafter, Burke opted to forego his final two seasons of eligibility and declare for the 2013 NBA Draft.
Burke was selected at No. 9 overall, which was rationally viewed as an opportunity for the former Michigan star to prove himself in the NBA. He played well as a rookie, but over the course of the next three seasons, his inefficiency and defensive inconsistency kept him off the court.
In the midst of a rebound season in New York, Burke is beginning to look like the player he was in college.
Burke was a force of nature early in 2017-18, leading the Westchester Knicks to the best record in the NBA G League. He finished his tenure in White Plains with averages of 26.6 points, 5.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 2.7 three-point field goals made per game.
He did so on an efficient slash line of .488/.416/.831, and committed an average of just 2.7 turnovers in 37.0 minutes per game.
For his efforts, Burke was named the December Player of the Month in the NBA G League. It was a deserved honor for a player who gradually rounded into the form of the pro-level player that many believed he would be.
During his brief stint on the main roster, Burke has built upon that progress with a sensational string of performances.
Burke is currently averaging 9.9 points, 3.4 assists, 1.3 rebounds, 0.4 steals, and 0.7 three-point field goals made in 15.0 minutes per game. Those marks translate to averages of 23.7 points, 8.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 steal, and 1.8 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
Coupled with an efficient slash line of .539/.393/.684, Burke is producing like the star that he was projected to be.
The sample size is limited to 15 games, but Burke isn’t exactly slowing down. He’s averaging 11.6 points and 3.8 assists in 17.5 minutes over his past 11 appearances, and has scored at least 10 points in five of the six games during which he’s played at least 17 minutes.
That includes the back-to-back 26-point games that Burke recorded against the Orlando Magic on Feb. 22 and the Boston Celtics on Feb. 24.
The question of the hour is whether or not Burke can continue to perform at a high level. Stardom may not be a realistic projection, but he’s beginning to look the part of a high-level backup who has the potential to start.
Big numbers on bad teams are always worth skepticism, but there has been substance to what Burke has achieved.
New York currently has net ratings of +0.3 when Burke is on the floor and -5.6 when he isn’t—a difference of 5.9 points per 100 possessions. It can’t be stressed enough how small the sample size is, but the eye test confirms that Burke has been a positive influence.
If he continues to improve on defense and maintains his status as a willing passer who can score when needed, Burke could have a long-term future in New York.
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The question is: Can the New York Knicks count on Trey Burke to maintain this level of play?