I think it’s pretty obvious that something needs to change for the NY Knicks and while I believed that the decision to remove Kemba Walker from the rotation was the answer to their problems, it seems as if more moves need to be made.
In a recent article by the NY Post, Coach Thibs alluded to the fact that if the team doesn’t start winning, more alterations are to come.
Personally, I don’t think the solution to the Knicks’ recent woes is currently on the roster and the front office should look into picking apart the lower-tiered teams in the league and grabbing as much talent from them as possible.
When you’re a middling team who had playoff aspirations going into the season like the Knicks, the wise thing to do would be to grab talented players from crummy teams.
One player who I’ve shown interest in in the past that fits that criteria is San Antonio’s, Dejounte Murray.
Murray, for those who don’t know, is a 6-foot-4 slashing point guard who is currently experiencing the best season of his career so far.
Should the NY Knicks trade for Dejounte Murray?
The Spurs on the other hand currently sit at an 8 and 13 record which is good for just 12th in the West.
Murray is averaging 19.1 points, 8.2 assists, 8.6 rebounds, and 2 steals per game while shooting 45% from the field, 33% from long-range, and 70% from the charity stripe.
Dejounte Murray is the exact kind of point guard Thibs loves, and while he may have just been nominated for Western Conference Player of the Week and is a budding star, I don’t think the Knicks would necessarily have to break the bank to bring him to New York.
In a lot of ways, Murray reminds me of another PG the Knicks were high on this summer in Spencer Dinwiddie.
Sure, you wanna see better shooting numbers from deep from his position, but when your lead guard can create his own shot and create offense for others while grabbing nearly 9 rebounds per game, you can find ways to win without him shooting league-average from distance.
In the deal, the Knicks essentially send a young wing in Kevin Knox alongside two first-rounders to San Antonio in exchange for Murray.
It physically pains me to say this but yes, Kemba Walker, NY’s hometown hero gets moved in this trade as nothing more than a matching salary filler.
I don’t think the Spurs would hold onto Walker for very long and that they’d likely find another team to trade Walker to.
Waiving him would be difficult considering he’s got another year left on his contract.
What I personally like most about the idea of the Knicks trading for Murray is that he’s not of the same caliber that Damian Lillard or De’Aaron Fox is, and wouldn’t cost anything near what it would for either of them.
Therefore, the Knicks can still approach the next few seasons the same way they have been for the past two offseasons and continue to grow the team organically.
Trading for Murray isn’t exactly a ‘win now’ type of move, so they can continue to build through the draft up until they decide to make a huge splash via free agency or the trade market in a few seasons.
It just so happens that the Spurs meet the Knicks later today, so perhaps the two front offices could strike up a conversation regarding Murray.
What are your thoughts, Knicks fam?