2017 NBA free agency grades: New York Knicks add Trey Burke

With the 2017-18 regular season soon to be underway, the New York Knicks have added more depth in their backcourt with the signing of Trey Burke.

The New York Knicks are making the move to sign free agent guard Trey Burke Wednesday, adding him to an already crowded backcourt. The recent signings of Ramon Sessions and Jarrett Jack were meant to serve as mentors for rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina, but the poor preseason play and rash of team injuries may have led to this decision.

Burke signed a non disclosed deal with the Knicks that will guarantee him the opportunity to contribute in Friday’s preseason finale against his former team, the Washington Wizards. The Knicks released a statement not revealing the length of the contract, but it’s highly speculated that if the Ntilikina  injury is serious, Burke could be sticking around much longer.

Burke was the ninth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz, where he would go on to start at the point guard position for two seasons. As a starter, Burke averaged 12.8 points per game while dishing out 5.0 assists, eventually being viewed as more of a scoring guard that could provide better service off the bench. He played well with the Jazz, but faced several issues during his time with the Wizards while playing behind starting point guard John Wall.

Last month, ESPN‘s Ian Begley reported sources within the Knicks organization viewed Burke as a potential free agent target before training camp got underway. The talks broke down after New York officially settled on bringing in veteran Jack, who has not really shaken off the court rust during this preseason.

At only 24 years old, Burke could be seen as another piece for the Knicks’ new youth movement this upcoming season, assuming his deal is guaranteed. A career 39 percent shooter from the field and a disappointing 33.7 percent shooter from 3-point range, he will most likely be utilized for his penetration skills in the lane.

It was rumored that Burke would be joining the Oklahoma City Thunder, but reportedly backed out in favor of the Knicks. I’m assuming Burke saw more opportunity playing among this Knicks point guard battery as opposed to playing behind another All-Star guard in Russell Westbrook. Burke’s tough time playing behind Wall almost seems like the motivation to avoid playing under an even more intense player like Westbrook, the reigning league MVP.

The Knicks are still searching for their first preseason win and are still struggling to find any consistent play from both veterans and young players. Ntilikina battling a knee injury is doing his part by reviewing game tapes as he hopes for improvement and a possible return to the court. The eighth overall pick in this year’s draft shared his thoughts with reporters on his current status. heading into Friday’s home finale.

"“We got to be smart about playing at the right time. Maybe Friday is going to be the right time. I know it’s important for me to be on the court getting experience, but we have to be smart about it. Of course, I think it’s important for a player when you’re not on the court, you have to keep working, For me, watching a lot of tape is important.”"

The health of their prized lottery pick is priority No. 1, but the Knicks have taken the right steps to keep their team competitive without rushing him back.

Next: Ranking all 30 starting NBA point guards for 2017-18

Grade: B-