NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Players That Would Help New York Knicks
NBA Trade Rumors: With just over a third of the 2010-11 NBA season completed, the New York Knicks have already exceeded most of their expectations.
Even though the team brought in Amar'e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton during the off season, not many people expected New York to be in fifth place in the Eastern Conference at this point of the season.
But alas, the Knicks are 17-12 and are even ranked ahead of the Orlando Magic in the East.
Still, it's the Knicks we're talking about.
This team doesn't want to be above average. They want to compete for an NBA Championship.
So which players should the Knicks go after to bolster their title chances?
Well, let's take a look at 10 players who would help the New York Knicks compete with the elite teams in the NBA.
10. C.J. Miles
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Knicks fans aren't jumping out of their seats saying, "We want C.J. Miles!"
In fact, the Utah Jazz fans don't even do that.
But Miles is starter in Utah (despite the fact that he's not really a starting-caliber player) who could serve the Knicks well in a role off the bench.
With Wilson Chandler taking on a pretty big scoring load as the starting small forward, Miles would be used primarily as a defensive sub in New York.
He can score (12.2 points per game) and is a decent rebounder, but Miles makes his money on the defensive end.
Is he great? No, but he's a stopper. That's what he is.
When playing limiting minutes behind Chandler, Miles could cure some of New York's defensive woes.
9. Marcus Thornton
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The Knicks seem to want a cheap shooter.
Well, look no further than Marcus Thornton.
He only played 25.6 minutes per game last year as a rookie, but still averaged 14.5 points per game.
Thornton hasn't seen much action this season—I'm a Hornets fan and Monty Williams isn't high on his defense, even though it's not bad—but he's been stellar when he has played.
He's played at least 20 minutes only twice during the 2010-11 season, but he scored 19 points in both games (in just 24 minutes of action each game).
Thornton is also shooting 41.1 percent from downtown and is making less than $1 million under the terms of his rookie contract.
He'd be a heck of bench player for the Knicks, one I like to call a Jason Terry knockoff.
8. Rudy Fernandez
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How long have we been hearing the Rudy Fernandez to the Knicks rumors?
Seems like forever.
It wouldn't be a bad move, though.
Fernandez has done virtually nothing in Portland this year, as he's fallen out of favor with the Trail Blazers and played less than 20 minutes a game.
His stats are down too, but Fernandez benefits from playing off the ball and using screens to set up at the three-point line.
He's really not going to be much more than a three-point shooter, but he could thrive if he is utilized in New York like James Jones is used in Miami.
7. O.J. Mayo
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Who wants a breakfast drink/condiment for their sandwich (a.k.a. O.J. Mayo)?
The New York Knicks do.
Mayo's a better all-around talent than Fernandez is and he seems to be lost in the shuffle in Memphis.
If he went to the Knicks, Mayo could be a solid combo guard who's used in that sixth man role, or he could step in as the team's starting shooting guard.
He's not a phenomenal shooter (42.3 percent from the field), but he has hit 39.1 percent of his three-pointers this season.
Mayo's also a solid defender who could provide a boost to the Knicks in that department as well.
His biggest asset, however, is his age.
Mayo's only 23 years old, so he has some time to develop into a more complete shooting guard and he comes at a cheap price ($4.5 million).
6. Tayshaun Prince
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Tayshaun Prince played a huge role in the Pistons' success in the early 2000s, but his days in Detroit appear to be numbered.
He's been at the forefront of trade rumors for God knows how long, and he could be shipped out of town because his expiring contract is appealing to teams looking to get below the luxury tax.
If he were to land in New York, he'd provide the Knicks with something they really need: a defensive presence.
When you've got a team that struggles on that end of the court, inserting someone like Prince into the equation could get that problem turned around rather quickly.
With Prince alongside Stoudemire and Danilo Gallinari in the front court, you'd have one defensive-minded player paired with two offensive studs.
5. Monta Ellis
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If this were to happen somehow, Monta Ellis would go from one team that doesn't play defense (Golden State Warriors) to another that struggles on that end (Knicks).
Perfect.
Ellis has actually been linked to the Knicks in the past, and I think they'd consider pursuing him again if they swung and missed on the other scorers on their radar.
He would be a very good fit in New York's offense and he's actually a more complete player than people give him credit for.
In addition to his 25.6 points per game, Ellis adds 5.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game.
The knock on him has been his defense and his size (he's only 6'3), but he's crazy quick on the court and tends to force a lot of turnovers.
It'd be fun to watch him play in that fast paced Knicks offense, and it would probably work.
4. Andre Iguodala
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A breakup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Andre Iguodala seems to be on the horizon.
He's been mentioned in too many trade rumors to stay in Philadelphia for the remainder of his contract, even if the 76ers have played pretty well as of late.
I do find it odd that Iguodala, a shooting guard, has one main weakness: his shooting (32.3 percent from downtown).
But he has all the tools to succeed in this league—he can rebound, pass and defend—and it's just a matter of him finding his spot on the right team.
Iguodala is reportedly the Knicks' "Plan B," and he would fit right in to Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo offense.
He runs the floor well and is among the best finishers in the league.
3. Steve Nash
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Raymond Felton has been incredibly impressive in his first season with New York.
He's averaged 18.2 points and 9.1 assists per game, and he's shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 36.4 from beyond the arc.
But is he as good as Steve Nash? No, he's not.
Nash may be at the end of his career, but he'd be worth a two year rental.
He's averaging 17.6 points and 10.2 assists with the Phoenix Suns this year and he thrived the most when paired with Stoudemire on the court and D'Antoni on the sidelines in Phoenix.
You certainly can't argue against Felton, but it'd be hard to argue against bringing in Nash, too.
2. Anderson Varejao
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ESPN the Magazine's Chris Broussard reported earlier this week that Anderson Varejao is also a "Plan B" for the Knicks if they can't land Carmelo Anthony.
I think he'd be a great fit in New York.
The Knicks rank 18th in the NBA in rebounds per game and 28th in points allowed (107 per game).
Insert Varejao into the starting lineup alongside Stoudemire and it's a guarantee that New York's defense improves.
Varejao is that type of aggravating pest who's all over the place on the court, cleaning up the glass and being a disruptive force on the defensive end.
He's also versatile enough to play at power forward or center, which gives the Knicks a ton of flexibility in their front court.
1. Carmelo Anthony
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Could you imagine Carmelo Anthony in that offense, alongside Felton, Gallinari and Stoudemire?
Man, that would be fun to watch.
And I really don't think Anthony gets enough credit for everything he does on the basketball court.
Yeah, he's a scorer first and foremost.
But he's an above average defender, he dishes out 3.3 assists per game and he grabs 8.3 rebounds per game.
As much people consider Anthony "nothing but a scorer," they often overlook those other aspects of his game.
He'd obviously upgrade the Knicks offense, but I actually wouldn't be surprised to see them improve on defense as well.
