NY Knicks Trade Rumors: Expected to be aggressive, which teams are they targeting?
By Adam Kester
NY Knicks: Is Buddy Hield worth it?
The Sacramento Kings have struggled this season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. They have the worst defensive rating in the NBA. Despite their team struggles, there still a lot of individual talent on their roster.
The Kings are in a somewhat similar position to the Knicks in that they are trying to win games while simultaneously planning for the future. They’ll have some tough decisions to make on their current roster, and the name most likely to be moved is their sharpshooter Buddy Hield.
Hield has been one of the league’s most consistent 3-point shooters for a few years now but has struggled this season. Hield shot no lower than 42.7% from 3 from 2016-2019. Last season he averaged 19.2 points per game on 39.4% from 3, and this season those numbers are down 16.5 points on 37.4% from 3 and a career-worst 38.8% from the field. On a team with high-offensive output, why is Hield struggling?
It’s hard to say, but some seem to think a change of scenery would be beneficial. A huge issue is his contract. While it decreased over time, Hield will be paid around 60 million over the next 3 seasons. It’s a similar situation with the Kings’ other rumored trade piece.
NY Knicks: Is Harrison Barnes the wing scorer they need?
Harrison Barnes has a very similar contract to Buddy Hield, except he comes off of the books a year earlier in 2022-23. Barnes has always been an effective scorer, and he can bring something the Knicks don’t have at the small forward position.
The problem with Barnes is that he’s also always been a weak defender, something that can hurt any team if he plays heavy minutes. Is his scoring enough to outweigh the other flaws in his game?
Barnes, like Hield, is 28-years old, so the Knicks have to seriously weigh what these players’ ages and contracts would mean for the future. Unless the price is low, I’m not sure either player makes much sense or significantly improves the NY Knicks’ future outlook. I think Hield’s history as a knockdown shooter makes him more likely than Barnes.