NY Knicks: Could Terrance Ferguson be an underrated addition?

The NY Knicks entered trade deadline day with a plethora of possibilities, and they ended with only a small transaction that saw the Knicks send Austin Rivers to the Thunder and Ignas Brazdeikis to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks received Ferguson and Philadelphia’s 2nd round pick in the 2021 draft, the full trade details from this 3 team deal are below.

The 3 team deal is far from a blockbuster deal, but the Knicks essentially received assets in exchange for a player who was out of the rotation (Rivers). The team picks up yet another draft pick, although likely to be one of the last in the draft, is still an asset. Don’t be surprised if the Knicks use some of their extra picks to trade up in the upcoming draft that’s loaded with top-tier talent.

NY Knicks Trade: Who is Terrance Ferguson?

Terrance Ferguson was the 21st overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft who spent the first part of his career with The Oklahoma City Thunder before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers along with Danny Green earlier this season. The 22-year-old Ferguson is entering the final year of his rookie deal where the Knicks will have control over his restricted free agency.

Ferguson is a 6’6 wing/shooting guard who hasn’t been able to crack Philadelphia’s rotation this season. Some reporters around the 76ers have questioned why Ferguson hasn’t gotten more minutes in Philly, but they have a deep rotation as is. Being buried on the bench wasn’t always the case for the young wing.

In his last two years with the Thunder, Ferguson started 112/130 of the games he played in. The Thunder were in the playoffs in both of those seasons, with Ferguson playing heavy minutes in the 2019 playoffs. Ferguson is a long, lanky, athletic player with a 6’9 wingspan. He’s produced some big dunks in his career.

Can The NY Knicks get Terrance Ferguson into the rotation?

Ferguson has always been a solid defender on the wing. Someone who can disrupt opposing wings on the perimeter and have an impact off-ball on offense. Ferguson looked like he was starting to grow into himself in his sophomore season where he played 26 minutes per game with 42.9%/.366/72.5% shooting splits. He hasn’t been able to find that same consistency he did in his 2nd season, but he may have a newfound chance to grow with The NY Knicks.

The NY Knicks don’t have a lot of wing depth. With Kevin Knox out of the rotation and Obi Toppin not being able to play the 3, It’s led Reggie Bullock to play heavy minutes lately. Ferguson can be the additional defense on the wing that the team needs.

It’s a good situation for the young Ferguson to find himself in. He was thrust into a prominent role early on in his career but recently hasn’t been able to find any meaningful minutes. Now, he joins a Knicks team that’s very much in the playoffs, and he can possibly find a nice bench role for himself.

There could still be plenty of untapped potential with Terrance Ferguson and The NY Knicks. Again, the team not only received him but they also picked up a 2nd round pick in the process – A transaction with zero risk and some minimal potential for reward. Yet another shrewd, prudent move by the Knicks’ front office.

Ferguson needs to prove he can consistently hit from 3 if he wants to stay in the league. He’s got a lot of raw tools to work with, and he’s still just 21 years old. Maybe he won’t be involved in the team’s future, or maybe the Knicks think they have someone who can be a nice addition to their bench.

Even if this team didn’t make any big moves, the front office is still in year 1 of working with a roster that they inherited from the previous regime. Terrance Ferguson is a prime candidate to be a player who Tom Thibodeau can get the most out of. The Knicks have their young core in place, they’re in the playoffs, and they’re making small, smart, under-the-radar moves. Let’s all take a deep breath, the trade deadline is over.