NY Knicks: 3 Players who will see their roles change next season

NY Knicks: Player #2 — Alec Burks

Last season I had an issue with Alec Burks playing the wrong role. I loved when the Knicks signed him because I thought he would add good spacing for when RJ Barrett would attack the rim.

Unfortunately, Burks seemed to play point guard over RJ, which is a mistake. Burks spent his entire career as a spot-up shooter with the ability to create some space of his own off the dribble while also not being a defensive liability… and that’s it.

Burks is a very solid player and a great shooter, but that is what he is, a shooter. Burks shot 42% from the field last season; he shot the same percentage from deep.

Burks will probably go back to the role that got him this far in the NBA with Walker, Rose, Quickley, and Barrett expected to take another step forward.

The Miami Heat shelled out 90 million dollars over 5 years to keep Duncan Robinson around. Robinson is in Miami to be a knockdown shooter and nothing more. Burks shot better from three, and his 14.8 PER is much better than Robinson’s 11.0 rating. The Knicks have a chance to get a steal of a contract for Burks, only paying him around 10 million per year.

It is also important to add that Burks played excellently in his short stint with the Philadelphia 76ers. He covered a JJ Redick-shaped hole in the Wall of the 76ers offense and did it very well.

When Burks is there to be a spot-up shooter, he is a better player. The Knicks putting him back in that role will help the offense a lot in the process.

Another role that is less of a change and more something Burks is going to lose is his role as the Knicks closer. With the notoriously clutch ability of Kemba Walker, it is safe to say Burks will not be the guy taking the final shots anymore.