Courtney Lee
Out of all the guards on this roster, Courtney Lee would be the best option to move due to the New York Knicks’ youth movement. The veteran guard was just activated in the Knicks’ last game against the Milwaukee Bucks, but did not log any minutes. This is unlikely to be a common occurrence for Lee, as the Knicks need to show teams that he is healthy and can contribute after his two-month rehab with a neck sprain.
Regardless of the neck injury, Lee’s contract has him in a tough situation as he is owed $25 million over the next two seasons. The best case scenario for the Knicks would be to either:
- Find another player* to pair with Lee in a trade, and receive an expiring contract; or
- Go through scenario one, but trade Lee alone and find an expiring contract to buyout.
*A second round pick could be used instead, but it would be more ideal to use another player on the roster.
Hopefully, the three-and-D guard can return to his form from last season and show contenders that he is the perfect rotational player, as well as a solid locker room presence.
It’s possible we will see the veteran guard take some of Hezonja’s minutes in the time being, as well as Burke’s minutes due to his sprained knee. Lee would be their best player to move in theory, but will likely be the hardest to get done before Dec. 15.
Lance Thomas
While there’s laud for Lance Thomas’ leadership, defensive prowess and shot beyond the arc (three-and-D players seem to be a common theme here), he should also be considered as an option to go.
However, Thomas’ salary for 2019-20 is partially guaranteed at just $1 million before Jan. 10, 2020, so he basically sits on an expiring contract. It makes him a bigger waiver candidate than anything, but his $7.11 million potentially lets the Knicks work into a deal for a larger salary or through a multi-team trade, albeit it’s also an expiring deal.