Knicks Urged to Sign Pelicans SF
If the New York Knicks are going to continue their ascent on their journey towards an NBA championship, they are going to have to keep making some shrewd moves in free agency.
Signing players like Jalen Brunson, Isaiah Hartenstein and Donte DiVincenzo, who have improved since coming to the Knicks, has been key to New York's success. And they may have to do that again this summer.
Bleacher Report suggests that the Knicks should sign New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall, who saw his 3-point percentage improve to over 37 percent this past season.
"If the shooting is for real—and his 77.6 career free-throw percentage lends some hope it might be—then you're talking about a 6'7", 220-pound energetic defender with an obvious way of helping your offense," Bleacher Report writes. "Oh, and the 26-year-old should be right on the verge of entering his prime. This should all probably put him out of New York's price range, but the fact there's some risk that his shooting touch evaporates hardly makes that a guarantee."
Marshall has improved in each season since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2020. This past season, Marshall averaged 7.1 points per game, which is a dip from the previous year, though his playing time also decreased.
Signing Marshall would be a risk, but there's a lot of upside to like. He's the ideal size for a wing defender, making him a potential favorite for coach Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks also have a few players who can fit the mold for this spot, so if Marshall doesn't pan out, it wouldn't be a total loss. But if he hits, it could be that small step forward that gets the Knicks even further than this year.
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.