3 players Knicks can trade for to help bolster bench ahead of deadline

Dec 31, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield (24) celebrates a foul in the second half against the LA Clippers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield (24) celebrates a foul in the second half against the LA Clippers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
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Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers. (Photo by Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports) – New York Knicks
Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers. (Photo by Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports) – New York Knicks

3: SG Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers

With reports surrounding a potential trade between the Knicks and Pacers happening in the near future, there is a solid chance that Buddy Hield is a name that New York is looking to trade for. Or at least, he should be.

Not only is Hield a solid player that could either start or come off the bench, but he is also one of the premier three-point shooters in the NBA, something the Knicks desperately need.

The Knicks rank 25th in the NBA in three-point percentage, shooting 33.8% from behind the arc as a team. Adding a player like Hield, who shoots 42.6% from three on a ridiculous 9.0 attempts per game, would change things drastically for the team’s offense.

The price for Hield would not be cheap, but considering how poor of a team the Knicks are in terms of shooting, it is a price they may need to pay.

One player who has popped up in potential trade talks is Obi Toppin. While I would like to keep Toppin, the way Tom Thibodeau utilizes him may make it better for both sides if he is traded.

If I had confidence in Thibodeau properly utilizing Toppin as a role man, I wouldn’t want to trade him. Toppin has the potential to be one of the best P&R guys in the league yet is constantly relegated to being a spot-up shooter.

Who knows if Toppin would even be brought up in this sort of scenario? Regardless, the Knicks should do their due diligence to try and trade for Hield.

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