New York Knicks trade rumors link the team to guard Eric Bledsoe, with the possibility that the team has the assets to acquire him from the Phoenix Suns. It is no secret that the Suns are now actively shopping Bledsoe around the league, but there are some teams that would be a better fit than others. One of the teams that keeps coming up in those NBA trade rumors is the Knicks, as the team is looking to move in a different direction after dealing Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
So what’s the hold up on a Bledsoe-to-Knicks deal? It appears that the Knicks might not be interested.
That could be a shocking piece of information to any NBA analysts and fans of the team paying attention to the situation. A reality may also be that this is the right decision for the franchise to make, as Bledsoe isn’t going to get them to the 2018 NBA Playoffs by himself. So why would they want to acquire him during a rebuilding season?
One analyst has intriguing analysis
Sean Deveney of Sporting News has some interesting insights about the situation. First, he noted that this is the type of player that New York Knicks owner James Dolan tends to adore. As Deveney puts it, Eric Bledsoe is a “third-tier star who can masquerade as a No. 1 option. That makes him a classic Knicks acquisition.” Dolan likes exciting players like Bledsoe that can entertain the fans, but acquiring him doesn’t get the Knicks to the playoffs.
As for the reasons that Deveney states that the Knicks should stay away from Bledsoe, he highlights that list by stating that Bledsoe “has long had the potential to be a very good defender at his position, but has displayed very little interest in actually becoming a good defender.” His defensive stats agree with that statement.
Deveney also stated that Bledsoe cannot stay healthy and there are reasons that he has been on the trade market for more than a year.
The future of the New York Knicks
The Knicks have the worst record in the NBA and are now the only team that hasn’t won a single game. The team is giving up 108.7 points per game while only scoring 93.3 points on average.
That disparity is the worst in the league, showing that there are a lot of weaknesses with this roster. Acquiring Bledsoe, while also dealing away some young assets, the Knicks would not be improved enough to make this a worthwhile deal. Could the front office of the Knicks actually make the right move and stand pat?
An improved Los Angeles Lakers team that could make the playoffs this year just adds to the frustration of New York Knicks fans. While the Lakers have successfully rebuilt, it may take a full tear-down for the Knicks to finally accrue enough assets to be competitive again. In addition to avoiding Eric Bledsoe, the Knicks should probably also distance themselves from the DeMarcus Cousins trade rumors. This could be a very tough season to be a Knicks fan, but maybe the 2018-19 version will be better if they can keep that salary cap space and add an elite college prospect in the offseason.
