Knicks Named Landing Spot for Pacers Sharp-Shooter
If the New York Knicks are going to go star hunting this offseason, they will also need to find veterans willing to take on a minimum salary.
Bleacher Report suggests the idea that Indiana Pacers forward Doug McDermott could sign with the Knicks in free agency this summer.
"A reliable movement shooter like Doug McDermott could be a need-filler, then, not to mention a really smart way of filling a roster spot. Get him to New York, and you know what you're going to get: lights-out long-range shooting and a commitment to his role that will rarely (if ever) allow him to stray outside of his lane," Bleacher Report writes.
McDermott, 32, hasn't played a whole lot since his midseason trade from the San Antonio Spurs to the Pacers. He's averaging just 4.2 points in 18 regular-season appearances. In the playoffs, McDermott has really only appeared in garbage time, though he played 12 minutes in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics after an injury to star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Even though McDermott's numbers aren't glowing, he can be a solid veteran piece for a contender for the rest of his career. He's a floor spacer, making him a good fit next to Jalen Brunson, and he can hit 3-pointers, which is never a bad thing in the NBA.
McDermott played 55 games for the Knicks in 2017-18, averaging 7.2 points per game before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team deal that brought Emmanuel Mudiay to New York.
Ultimately, McDermott may not be "Doug McBuckets" anymore, but he can still be a solid contributor for the Knicks if he were to sign in free agency this summer.
JEREMY BRENER
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.