It has been a week since the New York Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
Although they now have a superstar in Towns, the shooting guard position just got shorter.
With DiVincenzo now in Minnesota, Miles McBride is the Knicks’ backup shooting guard. However, this might not remain the case heading into the season. On Friday, sports reporter Kris Pursiainen revealed that the Knicks are interested in Memphis Grizzlies’ guard Marcus Smart.
Smart is a decent replacement for DiVincenzo
Last season, DiVincenzo was a crucial factor for the Knicks.
He was one of their best scoring options, averaging a career-high 15.5 points and 3.5 three-pointers per game. But his ability to be a two-way player was the highlight of his skillset. Not only did he post impressive scoring numbers, but he also tacked on an average of 1.3 steals a contest. His numbers improved in the playoffs as he logged 17.8 points and 1.2 steals a game.
As for Smart, he is a player who prioritizes being a force on both ends of the court, particularly on defense. During the nine years he played with the Boston Celtics, he averaged 10.6 points and 1.6 steals per game. His excellent defense was rewarded as he made three All-Defensive teams and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.
Smart had a career year last season. In the 20 games he performed in for the Grizzlies, he averaged a career-high 14.5 points and 2.1 steals. Even though he shot just 31.3% from beyond the arc, he did log in an average of 2.1 3-pointers a game.
If the Knicks acquire Smart, their bench will drastically improve. The backup unit consists of McBride, Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa and Mitchell Robinson. Unfortunately, neither of those players offers much of a scoring threat, let alone that Robinson is still recovering from left foot surgery.
The only downside to acquiring Smart is the lack of available assets. For the Knicks to acquire Smart from the Grizzlies, they would likely have to include Josh Hart, who played a massive role in the playoffs last year. Along with that, New York might have to release some of their 2025 draft picks.
Although Smart would be an ideal player on the Knicks’ bench, they might have to let go of some important pieces that will prevent them from having a successful future.
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