The NBA trade deadline is roughly three weeks away, and the Knicks have reportedly been on the phones working to find scorers to take the load off of Jalen Brunson, as it has become obvious in the last two games without Brunson that New York needs more options to get a bucket when need be.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Knicks are “actively fielding offers” for Quentin Grimes, the team’s former first-round pick who had been initially expected to see more playing time since the team dealt away RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Grimes was coveted by the organization, to the point where they reportedly didn’t want to include Grimes in a potential trade for Donovan Mitchell last year, but he has lost the starting job to Donte DiVincenzo, and is now part of a second unit that has struggled to score since the trade for OG Anunoby.
Per Katz, the Knicks are seeking another ballhandler to keep the offense efficient when Brunson is on the bench, or to even play alongside him at times.
Katz added that the Knicks do not expect the level of star they covet to become available until the offseason, so they are seeking a player with a tradeable contract in the event they need to include him in a package for whatever star they try to pursue this summer.
Grimes is shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from downtown this season, but his attempts per game are down from last season, as he is averaging 10 less minutes per game with DiVincenzo emerging as the team’s most efficient 3-point shooter.