Knicks: 3 trades that will capture the hearts of fans

The Knicks reunite with an old flame

This is a trade that addresses the needs of both teams. Again the Knicks need shooting and Doug McDermott is established as one of the better catch and shoot guys in the association. Meanwhile, the Pacers could really use Payton for some depth at point guard. Dougie McBuckets has already had a stint in New York where he played half a season at MSG during the 2017-2018 campaign. McDermott only put up 7.2 points per game off the bench, but shot nearly 40% from deep and was one of Jeff Hornacek’s better second-unit contributors. For his career, the Creighton product is a 41% shooter from downtown and also shoots an efficient 82% from the charity stripe.

People might ask why the Pacers would give him up? Well, that would allow Jeremy Lamb to enter the starting lineup. Ever since coming back from injury, the 28-year-old Lamb has shot 52% from 3 while averaging 12.5 points per game in 13 contests. In addition, it must be noted that eventually, TJ Warren and Caris Lavert will also be returning to the Pacers rotation. For a team that has played a 10-man rotation for the majority of the season, McDermott will eventually lose his spot in line. If the Knicks add McDermott they won’t just be raising their shooting percentage, they’ll also be adding a player that’s a pest on defense and constantly moving around the floor — The type of player adored by Tom Thibodeau. This exchange would also allow Quickley or Rose to claim the starting job and have either Rivers or Knox rejoin the rotation. I get that this isn’t the most eye-popping trade, but in reality, it makes all the sense in the world.