The New York Knicks are in position to sign a veteran wing on the buyout market, but who?
New York entered Thursday with a 38-20 record. The Knicks are in third place in the Eastern Conference, and it’s time to start preparing for a playoff run.
While Mitchell Robinson is nearing a return to the lineup, New York is still only six or seven players deep. Last season, poor depth doomed the Knicks as nearly their entire roster succumbed to injuries as the playoffs wore on.
New York would be prudent to avoid a similar fate this spring, and now that the Knicks can shop on the buyout market, they should snag someone who can provide minutes in their rotation.
On Thursday, The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III wrote that that someone might be a former No. 14 overall pick who has been balling out for the Knicks’ G League affiliate Westchester Knicks this season.
“(TJ) Warren, a veteran swingman, will be near the top of the list for the Knicks (on the buyout market),” Edwards III wrote.
“The 31-year-old has spent the season with the club’s G League squad in Westchester and has had some monster performances. On the G League season, Warren is averaging 24.8 points while shooting 36.7 percent from 3 on 9.8 (!) attempts per game. Warren has always been a scorer and continues to be even as he’s had to take a step down to try and latch back on with an NBA team.”
“Warren is a 6-foot-8 wing, and New York could use one on its bench. The willingness to shoot (and make at a solid clip) would be the draw here. The Knicks rank 28th in 3-point attempts per game. It also doesn’t hurt that Warren has been in the Knicks’ ecosystem all year and was with the main ball club during training camp.”
“It’s not a bad idea to have another player on the bench who is able and willing to let it fly.”
Warren was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 2014 and has also spent time with the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Some people will recall how dominant Warren was in the 2020 NBA Bubble for the Pacers. He went on a scoring spree and even dropped 53 points on the Philadelphia 76ers in a 20-for-29 from the field performance.
Warren isn’t playing at that level anymore, but he’s younger than you’d expect and can still get buckets off the bench for any NBA team.
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