NY Knicks: Could Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan reunite in NY?
The NY Knicks just capped off an excellent season where they defied all expectations and finished as the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference.
Their goal now is to remain a playoff contender and upgrade the roster where it is needed.
Their postseason loss to the Hawks looks better in hindsight with Atlanta currently playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the series defeat still revealed some weaknesses.
The starting point guard and starting small forward spots need to be addressed.
Derrick Rose performed admirably all year but he struggled a bit defensively and often looked gassed when playing over 30 minutes, showing that he’s best utilized as an elite 6th man at this stage in his career.
Would you want DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry on the NY Knicks?
Reggie Bullock provided stout defense and a consistent three-ball all year, but his inability to score off the dribble or create for his teammates allowed the Hawks to hide the diminutive Trae Young on him defensively which hurt the rest of the Knicks’ offense.
With an estimated cap space of around $50 million, New York has the ability to make some big upgrades.
One such move could be reuniting Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.
Lowry and DeRozan were teammates for six seasons with the Toronto Raptors, making the playoffs in five of those years.
While they could never get past LeBron James, they still blossomed into All-Stars together and made it all the way to game 6 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.
Lowry and DeRozan have one of the most well-known friendships in the NBA and both were extremely hurt when they were forced to separate due to the Kawhi Leonard trade.
Kyle Lowry tells @Rachel__Nichols about the 2:30 a.m. call where he learned his best friend had been traded to the Spurs. pic.twitter.com/K30lKS7HLn
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 5, 2018
Lowry even continued to do his half of the pregame handshake that he shared with DeRozan despite the duo now suiting up in different cities.
The two former teammates will both enter unrestricted free agency this summer.
There’s a very good chance that they’ll want to team up on a postseason squad once again. Their current teams (Spurs for DeRozan and Raptors for Lowry) both missed the playoffs this past year and will likely look to get younger.
The Knicks should try to sign both of them.