The New York Knicks’ trade deadline acquisition of Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons was the biggest story.
Only Quentin Grimes and two second-round selections were returned to Detroit (combined with expiring contracts), which was less than what they could have received had they sold their two seasoned sharpshooters from the previous campaign.
The Knicks, who added two players who shoot 40% from 3-point range to a squad that needed boosts from the bench offensively, were praised by the majority of national pundits.
The two will undoubtedly deliver that, but as Pistons supporters are well aware, they also contribute significantly on defense—a fact that some Knicks supporters are just now realizing.
A few Knicks supporters are not happy about the Pistons move.
As we grow attached to the players the organization has invested in and drafted, there will always be a segment of the fan base that detests a move, particularly if it includes a young fan favorite.
Knicks fans are never ones to hide their disdain, and there is a group already complaining about the shortcomings Bogdanovic and Burks have shown all season.
As the Knicks get healthy, these two will slide into more comfortable and suitable roles off the bench, so their defense should be less of a liability, but it has to be a concern for a team headed to the playoffs, as teams target poor defenders as the game gets more focused and slowed down.
You have to wonder if the Knicks will be able to play Bogdanovic for long stretches in the playoffs or if his defense will keep him out of a shortened rotation. The Knicks are currently 3rd in the NBA in opponent’s points per game, so should have enough team defense to cover them, especially if Bogdanovic and Burks are hitting shots to offset it, but it’s something to keep an eye on.
As you can see, not all Knicks fans are/were on board with the move, though fans tend to overreact to small sample sizes and they’ve yet to see these players in their true roles.
I believe this trade will be good for both the Pistons and the Knicks, as New York has more scoring punch and two guys who can win you a playoff game with hot shooting, but fans are rightfully concerned about the defensive trade-off.
The Pistons got one of the 3-and-D wings they’ve needed in Grimes, a player on a team-friendly contract for next season who will bring excellent point-of-attack defense and toughness to a team that needed it.
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Tonight’s first meeting between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers, two Western Conference contenders for the postseason, will take place.
These road games won’t be easy for the Pistons, who are looking to add six new players to their roster, as the Lakers are presently the ninth seed and the Phoenix Suns are the sixth.
In the Pistons’ loss to the Clippers, we saw a preview of the first three: Simone Fontecchio, Shake Milton, and Troy Brown Jr. Even though the Pistons lost, there were some positive signs, including as improved defense and an uptempo playstyle that resulted in 28 fast break points.
