Should Knicks fans be panicking about Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic trade?

Less than a month ago, the New York Knicks were declared the winners of the 2024 trade deadline when they acquired Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Pistons. New York lost a young defender in Quentin Grimes but got two scorers in return.

Bogdanovic and Burks were thrown into the rotation mix of an injured Knicks squad. In their debut against the Pacers on Feb. 10, Burks scored 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field. New York lost 125-111, but it was an encouraging sign. Bogdanovic struggled, shooting 3-of-10 from the field for 11 points.

Since the trade, Burks has scored in double-digits twice. In the past five games he's played, the guard's averaging only 5.6 points per game. In the eight games he's played, he's shooting 31.6% from the field and 32.4% from three.

Bogdanovic has had more success than Burks, but that isn't saying much. He shot 6-of-6 from three in New York's win over Philadelphia on Feb. 22, reminding fans why the team traded for him. Two nights later, he followed his big game by shooting 1-of-4 from three in a loss to the Celtics.

Burks and Bogdanovic both had dud shooting nights in the Knicks' loss to the Warriors on Wednesday. Bogdanovic missed every shot he took (except free throws), finishing with four points on 0-of-7 shooting from the field in 18 minutes. Burks had five points on 2-of-6 shooting in 11 minutes.

Knicks fans questioning Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic trade

Since the trade with the Pistons, New York is 2-7. Burks and Bogdanovic aren't to blame. Let's not forget Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson have been out. Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Isaiah Hartenstein have also missed time. The Knicks limped to the All-Star break and still can't catch a break.

Bogdanovic, who's used to being a starter, knows he needs to be better, especially for a battered Knicks team.

"I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career on other teams, but the team needs me more,” Bogdanovic, who missed all seven field-goal attempts over 18 minutes, told The Post after the game. “I’ve gotta be better, more aggressive, especially when we are missing a lot of wide-open shots. We gotta stick together and try to get the next one [Sunday in Cleveland]."

- Bojan Bogdanovic, via New York Post

Two things can be true: 1. It's tough to evaluate the team's current state because of injuries, and 2. New York needs Bogdanovic and Burks to be consistent. The Knicks traded for that duo because they needed additional scoring off the bench.

If they're not providing that, what was the point of the trade? If that's your current mindset, be patient. New York is trying to pull itself out of a hole but keeps getting pushed back down again. The rotation could look completely different in a couple of weeks if Randle, Anunoby, and Robinson return.

It's way too soon to label the trade as a failure. Bogdanovic and Burks have been getting used to a new team and new roles. In a sense, they've been thrown into the fire. There's a month-and-a-half of the regular season left. Don't hit the panic button just yet. Give it time.