New York Knicks: Five most likely players to be traded before deadline

2. Trey Burke

Signed to a team-friendly contract in 2017-18, Trey Burke makes just $1.79 million in the final year of his deal. With a questionable role on the New York Knicks, as well, it makes him an ideal candidate to move before the trade deadline.

Burke started 2018-19 as New York’s point guard, but lost his role after just five games. He never regained it and since bounced back and forth from the doghouse to Fizdale’s rotation.

The Michigan man played rejuvenated basketball last season, and that carried over sporadically, although the poor stretches have outweighed the positives, due to poor defense and high-volume shooting lines that produce streaky results.

Given this, Burke’s value might not be grand, but enough to return a second-round pick for the Knicks, whether in 2019, 2020 or sometime further away.

In the meantime, it will be difficult to find more showcase opportunities. With Frank Ntilikina‘s return from injury, he’s already back ahead of the veteran guard, who did not play in the Knicks’ most recent game against the Sixers. That should remain moving forward in the youth-centric approach.

A team can still call for Burke as a third-string guard, though. He showed enough scoring ability to for this, and if a contender needs instant offense in small doses, this player fits that bill.