About three months into this NBA season, one thing we can say with certainty regarding the New York Knicks is that they have been a bit underwhelming so far.
With a record of 23-26, they currently occupy the 11th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Even though a playoff berth is definitely still in play, some things will have to change in order for the team to succeed in the upcoming crucial months.
Yes, injuries have played their part, but it’s more than that. The exciting 2020-21 team that brought the playoff energy back to the Madison Square Garden for the first time since 2013 simply does not exist anymore.
Unfortunately for the New York Knicks, they still haven’t quite figured out the point guard problem in the starting lineup.
The passion with which players were chasing after every ball and diving on the floor to risk their bodies for the team’s well-being has been replaced with a group of units that have not yet formed into a team.
Signing Kemba Walker was a low-risk/high-reward type of deal. Unfortunately for them, it hasn’t worked out so far, and talks about potential NBA trades are circling the news almost every day.
Apart from Walker, Derrick Rose remains an exceptional athlete, though his age and tendency to miss a lot of games due to injuries do not help the team whatsoever.
Then there’s Immanuel Quickley, who has been both hot and cold this season. He has proven to be a valuable piece off the bench, though he may not be a true starting point guard anytime soon.
As a result, a question arises. Do the Knicks need to trade for a true franchise point guard for their future rebuild? And if yes, then who is it going to be?
*Stats valid as of January 26th