Jeff Teague names the player the New York Knicks needed more than Jordan Clarkson, ‘would be perfect’

New York Knicks urged to bring back Donte DiVincenzo

In 2024, in order to complete the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks shipped forward Julius Randle and sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

For a few weeks last summer, college teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and DiVincenzo were all on the same NBA team, although New York decided to address their lack of frontcourt scoring, completing the deal for KAT.

While the trade did make them better, they don’t have any truly elite shooters as role players. Towns was the only full-time player to shoot better than 40% from deep, and neither Clarkson nor Yabusele is an efficient scorer from deep.

“They lack shooting,” declared Jeff Teague on his Club 520 podcast. “KAT is a great shooter. Jalen Brunson can make a shot. Landry Shamet, I don’t know if he’s going to be on the team next year, but he can shoot it. But they are missing a player who can defend and make a shot. They’re missing DiVincenzo.”

Last season, DiVincenzo shot 39.7% from deep and was an underrated defender. Teague rightfully believes that replacing Clarkson with DiVincenzo would not only be great for team chemistry, but it would translate to wins.

“If they had DiVincenzo, they would be perfect,” he said. “Mikal Bridges once upon a time used to be that, and he was making shots last year a little bit, but it depends.”

Last season, Bridges shot 35.4% from deep, the lowest mark since his rookie season, and having a deadeye shooter come off the bench behind him would only enhance the Knicks’ title hopes.

DiVincenzo can do more than Clarkson with fewer chances

The Timberwolves, obviously, would not entertain a straight-up swap of Clarkson and DiVincenzo. Clarkson might have a better career, although at this point he is well past his prime. That’s not to say he can’t be effective , although after six seasons with the Utah Jazz, including the last three, it’s hard to imagine him playing winning basketball.

While Clarkson edges DiVincenzo out in volume scoring, DiVincenzo is younger, more efficient, and a better defender, which is exactly the type of player the Knicks would prefer to build with and around.

“Jordan Clarkson is what you call a volume shooter,” Teague added. “He’s a microwave-type player. If he’s hot, he’s hot. He only shot 42% last year, so in basketball terms, that’s kinda a—.”

Coveting a “kinda a—” player as the splashiest offseason move might not be the best look for the Knicks, but with two All-Stars in Brunson and Towns and a cast of support featuring Hart, Bridges, and OG Anunoby, it’s easy to imagine them winning the West, anyway.