Knicks reacquire a Tom Thibodeau favorite
Alec Burks is heading back to the New York Knicks. The veteran wing spent two seasons with the Knickerbockers between 2020 and 2022. During his tenure with the franchise, he became a favorite of head coach Tom Thibodeau.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the deal is centered around Quentin Grimes.
Burks, 32, is positionally versatile. He can play at either the shooting guard or small forward position. He is a valuable decision-maker when operating as an on-ball creator. He can defend multiple spots on the floor. And he brings a calmness with him courtesy of being in his 13th season in the NBA.
This season, the veteran wing is averaging 12.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists, shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from 3-point range.
The move likely signifies the Knicks' desire to be a contending team this season. Grimes, 23, is still a developing talent and may have struggled in the postseason.
New York has been looking for an additional ball handler since sending Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors as part of the OG Anunoby trade.
The upside of acquiring Burks is that he already knows Thibodeau's system. Furthermore, due to the Knicks' continuity, Burks already knows most of the players on the roster and has spent time on the court with them during his previous stint with the team.
However, there is a risk to this deal. Burks is on an expiring contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer. Giving up Grimes as part of the deal means the franchise has likely pushed for a verbal commitment that he will re-sign during the offseason.
Otherwise, moving on from an impressive young player for a short-term rental could be a bad move.
For now, though, Burks is the experienced ball handler the Knicks wanted. He will likely have a big role to play over the coming months.
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