The Knicks traded away five first-round picks as well as a pick swap when they acquired Mikal Bridges last summer. Because of that, it will be more important than ever for them to cash in on their second-round picks. That is more true than ever this year, as the Knicks are poised to compete for a championship. According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, the Knicks could be eyeing Koby Brea, who would certainly fill a big need for the Knicks: 3-point shooting.
Championship windows are shorter than ever. That has become abundantly clear over the last several years. There are numerous things that can cause the window to suddenly slam shut, including injuries. Over the last several years, there have been numerous teams that were expected to have multi-year runs and didn't.
The Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, and Boston Celtics all seemed poised to become dynasties, yet unforeseen injuries, poor trades, and coaching issues all caused those teams to fail to reach the NBA's biggest stage again, at least up to this point.
The Knicks' window is just opening, and now is the time to cash in. That is why Brea makes a ton of sense for the team. Not only does his skillset match a specific need, but he is 22 years old and ready to step in and contribute right away.
Brea is a lights out shooter
One of the Knicks' biggest weaknesses last season was their ability to get 3-pointers up at a high rate. For the season, they ranked 27th in the league, getting up only 34.1 attempts per game.
Brea is one of the best college shooters on the planet. Last season for Knetuckey, he shot 43.5 percent on 214 3-point attempts over 36 games. That comes out to just under six 3-point attempts per game, which would rank as the third-most on the Knicks last season.
The Knicks don't need a development project right now. They need someone who can step on the court and contribute immediately, which is exactly what Brea can do. He played four years at Dayton, missing most of his freshman year due to injury. He has his flaws, such as defensive struggles, as Edwards III noted.
Even with the defensive struggles, the shooting is proven from Brea. With just one season at Kentucky, he ranks fourth in program history in 3-point percentage, among players with at least 150 attempts from behind the arc.