Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer and Dan Devine discuss whether or not the New York Knicks will make more moves after acquiring OG Anunoby. Hear the full conversation on “No Cap Room” – part of the “Ball Don’t Lie” podcast – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JAKE FISCHER: The Knicks aren’t done. They saved all their first-round picks. They still have Evan Fournier stock. It’s all true. They’re going to be involved in the Dejounte Murray talks. They could get back an old friend like Alec Burks. There’s plenty of point guards out there for the taking if they want to open up some– not even point guard. Just some type of ball handler guy who can help relieve Jalen Brunson.
That being said, here’s the take. You only really need a backup or general distributor dude for like 10 minutes in the regular season, and you only need it for like 4 come to playoff time. Because Jalen Brunson is probably playing 44 minutes at a minimum. What’s really the point of going out and spending two picks on someone like Dejounte?
Or even, what’s the point come the summer if things do go to a head for someone like Donovan Mitchell to go out and splurge there? Where, to me, the Knicks have been so patient. They’ve done a pretty good job, objectively, a pretty good job of building a strong seven or eight-man rotation that can be really plucky in the playoffs and be there year after year after year.
Jalen Brunson is an All-Star this season. What’s the point of trading any of that stuff for anyone who’s not named Giannis or Joel Embiid or those types of players? That’s my take. And I would rather be left holding a pick or two than have spent them on someone who’s got a $30 million salary on my books that I’m then going to want to move a couple years later, like Atlanta is in the position with Dejounte Murray right now. That’s my take, Dan. I’m curious if you disagree or agree or any other thought.
DAN DEVINE: My initial thought was, I feel like it doesn’t change their life dramatically. They improve their starting lineup and weakened their bench, and they’re probably a maybe second round team, which is what I thought they were before. And then I took a step back from that, and I was like, for most of the last 20, 25 years, that would have been a result to kill for a Knicks fan and for the Knicks franchise. Second round? Incredible.
I think you’re right. If you had a legitimate shot at one of those top five caliber players then, of course, yes, go all in for that kind of guy. But if the kind of guy you have access to is maybe more like a maybe top 20-ish player, maybe you can argue that getting another guy in that sort of realm.
I don’t know what Jordan Clarkson’s number is, but if– also, I don’t know Jordan Clarkson’s number, but I mean salary number. If you could say is there a pick that goes to Utah and you take on that salary, I could kind of see that, something where it’s bench scoring shot creation, which is what went out the door with Quickley, but that you don’t necessarily have to marry to for four years at a high number, I can see that kind of move.
