Knicks Should Make Strong Push for Pistons' Alec Burks amid Latest NBA Trade Rumors

Alec Burks played 130 games for the New York Knicks across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 NBA seasons. The 32-year-old guard, who now plays for the Detroit Pistons, has been featured in trade rumors of late.

Could a reunion be in the works?

According to SNY's Ian Begley, Burks is "still on New York's radar" ahead of the NBA trade deadline, which is set for Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. Begley believes the Knicks and Pistons will "remain engaged" in conversations pertaining to Burks leading up to the deadline.

So, it seems possible that Burks could be returning to the Big Apple, and it would be wise for the Knicks to make that happen.

New York, which is 33-18 and sitting in fourth in the Eastern Conference, needs to make its roster as strong as possible as it gears up for a potentially deep run through the NBA playoffs. The Knicks have been hot lately, winning 10 of their past 11 games.

Burks has proved he can excel while playing for New York head coach Tom Thibodeau. He was a solid wing presence during his previous two-year stint with the Knicks, and there's no reason to think that wouldn't again be the case if he returned to the system.

This season, Burks is averaging 12.3 points over 42 games in a bench role for Detroit. He's shooting a career-low 38.8 percent from the field, though, so it could be time for a change of scenery for the 13-year NBA veteran.

The Pistons are an NBA-worst 6-43, and Burks (who is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season) shouldn't be in the team's long-term plans. So it makes sense for Detroit to shop him ahead of the deadline.

At the same time, the cost to acquire Burks may not be too much. Still, Begley noted that New York has the ability to offer both draft capital and a package of players. But maybe it wouldn't even take that much.

It's important for the Knicks not to overpay to bring in Burks as a boost for their bench for the rest of the season. But as long as they can land him at an affordable cost, it makes a ton of sense for them to do so.

New York should make a push to trade for Burks by Thursday. It's the type of move that contending teams make, and one that could help the Knicks finish the regular season strong and allow them to carry positive momentum into the playoffs.