Alec Burks was not expected to play ample minutes in the 2024 NBA Playoffs for the New York Knicks, but with his team suffering a rash of injuries, he was able to see the floor a lot, especially in the second round versus the Indiana Pacers. He probably has shown enough in that series to warrant a significant payout in the upcoming 2024 NBA free agency.
Burks, who was traded to the Knicks by the Detroit Pistons along with Bojan Bogdanovic for Quentin Grimes, Malachi Flynn, Ryan Arcidiacono, Evan Fournier, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick, will be an unrestricted free agent soon. He carries with him an interesting outlook in the summer after playing well in the Pacers series.
Via Fred Katz of The Athletic:
Only a couple of weeks ago, when he was glued to the bench, Burks’ market was blurry. He had shot only 31 percent from the field since arriving from the Pistons in February. A player whose first, second and third job was to score was not doing so. McBride had soared past him in the rotation.
Burks isn’t an elite NBA commodity but he can be a pretty good weapon off the bench who also comes with solid experience. About to turn 33 in July, Burks has played for a total of seven teams so far in his journey in the NBA.
During the final six games of the Pacers series, he averaged 17.8 points on 51-43-84 shooting.
It’s possible that Burks, who is coming off a $10 million salary, commands more than the minimum once again, which would make it difficult for the Knicks to justify bringing him back, given their roster and payroll makeup.
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