Daily Knicks
Fansided

3 obvious reasons the Knicks shouldn’t trade for Kyle Kuzma

By Zachary Bachar

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 10: Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards celebrates after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks at Capital One Arena on November 10, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 10: Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards celebrates after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks at Capital One Arena on November 10, 2022 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
New York Knicks, Quentin Grimes
Quentin Grimes #6 of the New York Knicks (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

1. The defense would likely suffer

One of the primary reasons behind New York’s hot streak has been a couple of major rotation changes. Primarily, removing Evan Fournier and Derrick Rose while replacing them with Quentin Grimes and Miles “Deuce” McBride.

Fournier and Rose are both skilled offensively, but their defense was extremely poor and it often negated any positive effects their scoring and playmaking provided.

Grimes and McBride may not possess the natural scoring abilities of the vets, but the two young guards make up for it in spades with their swarming defense.

The addition of Kuzma would knock Grimes out of the starting lineup and cause McBride to fall out of the rotation once again, given that they aren’t part of the trade package going to Washington in the first place.

The Knicks have gone on a winning streak mainly due to their efforts on the less glamorous end of the court, owning the second-best defensive rating in the NBA over the first five games of their current run.

They’re finally starting to find their identity as a team, so it wouldn’t make sense to add a below-average defender who plays the same exact position as the team’s best player and could end up leaving in a few months for nothing.

Home/Knicks News