Ranking key Knicks free agents by likelihood to return next season

4. Alec Burks (unrestricted free agent)

New York decided to bring in a familiar face before the 2024 deadline when the front office traded for Alec Burks (and Bojan Bogdanovic). Many said the Knicks won the trade deadline, but that was before Burks and Bogdanovic's slumps. Burks' was so bad that Thibs pulled him from the rotation.

It wasn't until injuries left Thibodeau no choice but to play Burks in the postseason. His play was a pleasant surprise as he breathed life into a team that desperately needed it. He didn't start his second Knicks tenure off on the right foot, but he ended the season on a high note.

Burks will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Unless he's willing to take the veteran minimum to return to New York, the front office shouldn't consider re-signing him. The Knicks need a backup point guard for when Jalen Brunson isn't in the game, and Burks isn't that player. His shot is a plus, but that's only when it's falling.

New York will already be strapped financially, so keeping Burks shouldn't be a priority.