NY Knicks: 3 Superstars The Team Would Love To One Day Acquire
By Max Hoover
Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the right guy for the NY Knicks?
Let’s check off the obvious fit boxes: He’s only 23 years old. He also plays for the Thunder, thus it is not hard to imagine Gilgeous-Alexander asking to be traded at some juncture.
From a basketball perspective, it’s hard to believe there might be two better options out there.
The first thing that jumps off the page about Gilgeous-Alexander is that he led the NBA in drives per game last year.
According to Cleaning the Glass, he was in the 64th percentile for his position when it comes to finishing those rim attempts.
Thibodeau loves a Point Guard who can put pressure on the rim, and Gilgeous-Alexander would certainly provide that.
That’s not all he provides on the offensive end, though.
Gilgeous-Alexander was top-15 in potential assists last year according to the NBA’s own stats. He’s also a net-neutral defender, which is harder to come by than you might expect.
The question from a basketball perspective is how he gets those three-point shot attempts.
While Gilgeous-Alexander is statistically more effective in catch and shoot situations, the overwhelming majority of his three-point attempts are pull-ups.
To fit with Randle and Barrett, all three players would need to continue to develop the catch-and-shoot element of their game.
It’s also fair to question if Gilgeous-Alexander is indeed a superstar. The Thunder would certainly want a superstar haul for him.
Still, there’s a ton of potential here, and the Thunder have shown throughout their history as a franchise that they are willing to trade a blooming superstar.