2 Reasons for and 2 reasons against the Knicks trading for Bruce Brown

Con: Offensive creation problems would still exist

One of the few downsides of the Anunoby deal was the loss of Barrett and Quickley, who were both adept at running New York's offense whenever Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle were off the floor. Their roles have been replaced by Miles McBride and Anunoby, who aren't as proficient running the team's bench unit despite the defensive upgrade.

Since the trade, the Knicks have the third-lowest scoring bench in the NBA. The reserves are also averaging the third-lowest assists in the 13 games since the deal, meaning that one of New York's strengths has now become a weakness.

Although Brown is averaging 11.9 points per game, he doesn't solve the Knicks' problem since most of his offense is set up by his teammates. According to basketball reference, 57.5% of his two-point field goals have been assisted in the 2023-24 season. As for his shots from behind the arc, 91.4% of his threes have come off assists from his teammates.

While he isn't a poor passer, his 2.9 assists in 29.1 minutes per game suggest that he'd likely struggle running New York's bench unit for long stretches at a time. Suffice it to say, Brown doesn't fit the bill for a Knicks team that desperately needs someone to initiate offense outside of Randle and Brunson.