The New York Knicks have not lived up to expectations in 2021-22. Following a great season last year that saw the team stun the league en route to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and a playoff berth, the Knicks have struggled in the first half of this campaign. At 24-28, the Knicks find themselves in 12th place in the East, not even on pace to make the play-in tournament. With their struggles mounting, the team could be looking to make a trade or two. Per Ian Begley of SNY, one Knicks player is generating some buzz ahead of the Feb. 13 trade deadline, and that's Alec Burks.
Per people in touch with the Knicks, they were open to including Alec Burks in a trade if it allowed them to move other veterans.
They do not want to trade Burks just to create a spot in the rotation (via @IanBegley) https://t.co/52Tne0fWL3 pic.twitter.com/cvCRA3HYlD
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 3, 2022
Begley suggests that Burks' contract (he's due to make $10 million next year with a club option for 2023-24) and production have resulted in the winger receiving interest from various teams ahead of the deadline. However, the report suggests that Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks would only be willing to part ways with Burks if it meant they could offload some other veteran players in the process.
Of course, moving Burks would open up additional space in the rotation to award minutes to the recently-acquired Cam Reddish. Reddish was brought over from the Hawks in a trade back in January, but has featured in just three games for the Knicks, averaging seven minutes per contest.
Some veterans the Knicks may look to trade at the deadline include Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, Burks, and Nerlens Noel. Thibodeau is thought to be very fond of Burks, however, and the latest inklings suggest the Knicks won't trade Burks purely to create opportunity for Reddish, though they could be persuaded to deal him if it means they can offload a veteran in the trade.
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