Why the New York Knicks should be all in on Fred VanVleet this summer

While there’s been plenty of talk about the New York Knicks drafting a point guard, their answer at the position may be upcoming free agent Fred VanVleet. 

Every year we hear the same buzz around the New York Knicks ahead of the annual draft. And seemingly every year, they enter the draft with their biggest roster need at point guard.

This year is no different. Even in a season as odd as this one, New York has provided one normality we can continuously rely on: they still haven’t found their point guard. But instead of drafting one with their inevitably top-10 pick, the Knicks should turn to free agency.

Specifically to Fred VanVleet, the 26-year-old 2018-2019 NBA champion.

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

New York is one of very few teams who will have the cap space to offer up a max contract this summer. The Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies are the other two, both with long term answers at point guard in Trae Young and Ja Morant respectively.

Meaning that if it comes down to it, the Knicks could outbid any suitor for VanVleet’s services that are offering a starting job; one that would be his and his alone if he signed with New York.

It’s no secret that the Toronto Raptors have overwhelmed expectations this season. After losing Kawhi Leonard after just one season with the team to the LA Clippers in free agency, they’ve played just as well if not better without the 4-time All-Star.

A lot of that credit is due to VanVleet, who’s experiencing his best campaign yet in 2019-2020. The point guard is averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.9 steals this year with the Raptors.

The last two numbers are why he should be atop the Knicks radar.

Per Basketball Reference, they haven’t had a point guard average those numbers in assists and steals combined since Mark Jackson in 1988-1999. This year New York ranked 27th in assists per game (22.1), with the league’s 23rd ranked defensive rating at 112.4.

The Knicks’ defense has been their largest issue for the greater part of the last decade. From the Carmelo Anthony-era, through the short-lived days of Kristaps Porzingis, to present. VanVleet is a guard capable of forcing turnovers, and an underrated defender at his position.

Bringing in a guard that well suited on defense, as well as experienced in the postseason and recently the NBA Finals, would be as smart a move New York could make. He’s also a prominent 3-point shooter, shooting 38 percent on 7 attempts per game this season.

New York drastically needs help in terms of floor spacing, and adding VanVleet does just that.

Otherwise, VanVleet provides a near-finished product. That’s something the New York Knicks haven’t had at point guard in quite some time. They’ve gone through a plethora of projects over the years, including Frank Ntilikina, Dennis Smith Jr, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Elfrid Payton.

Continuity would no doubt be beneficial to the ongoing development of their youth cornerstones: RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox, and Mitchell Robinson. So far, they’ve largely failed the latter two and the former’s rookie season hasn’t necessarily been overwhelming.

VanVleet will cost a hefty deal, but New York has had cap space for years, and look where it’s gotten them. The Knicks may finally pull out a much-needed offseason victory this summer; if they throw a blank check at this sure-fire starting point guard in a market that’s more than cornered.