The New York Knicks will be active in the trade market at the deadline, but there is no guarantee that they will be able to get any significant trades done. Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims are seemingly on the trade block, but everybody else is pretty much undetermined regarding their future.
Knicks could pursue buyout candidate P.J. Tucker
Therefore, if the Knicks are unable to complete a trade by the deadline on Feb. 6, they will have to turn their attention towards the buyout market. CBS Sports’ James Herbert suggested that Los Angeles Clippers forward P.J. Tucker could be a buyout candidate that the Knicks should pursue should he become a free agent.
“I don’t know if the Los Angeles Clippers will end up buying out P.J. Tucker, who has been away from the team all season. I feel like Tucker and Tom Thibodeau would get along, though,” Herbert wrote.
There’s no guarantee that Tucker, who will turn 40 in May, will actually be on the buyout market. However, he has been away from the team all season as the Clippers try to find a trade for him. Tucker is not the same player he once was but can still provide some hustle off the bench for a contending team.
Last season in 31 games with the 76ers and Clippers, he averaged 1.7 points and 2.8 rebounds, but he only played an average of 15 minutes per game. Additionally, Tucker is not a top option offensively, so the lack of production comes from a lack of opportunity, but his main trait is being a defensive menace.
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Tucker could provide the Knicks with some depth at a cheap price
He can also provide some leadership and a veteran presence to a younger bench unit such as the Knicks. New York could also benefit from adding him without giving up any assets as he would provide depth in the frontcourt that they are badly missing.
If he is bought out, the Knicks can sign him to a league-minimum contract or slightly more with their midplayer exception for $5.2 million. Nevertheless, Tucker could be a solid fit with his defensive tenacity and ability to knock down a corner three on occasion.
The trade deadline is less than a week away, and if New York opts to not make a trade, it will be interesting to see if they turn towards the buyout market and pursue a guy like Tucker should he be bought out.