Knicks Pressed to Pursue Trade with Pistons

The New York Knicks are a team that should be a serious NBA Finals contender. However, there are some concerns that could stop them from being able to accomplish that goal.

One of the main issues has been the team’s defense.

So far this season, the Knicks have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA. That is a stark contrast from last season, when they were one of the best.

With that in mind, there are some who believe that New York could consider making some moves. Bringing in more defense is definitely a path that the Knicks could look to take.

Nicholas Chiarito of FanSided has suggested that New York could consider pulling off a trade with the Detroit Pistons. He thinks that big man Isaiah Stewart would be a good target to help fix the defense.

“Isaiah Stewart, despite being an undersized big, would fix a lot of the Knicks size problems off the bench. He’s currently averaging 1.3 blocks per game and 6.9 rebounds while playing in 22.1 minutes per game. Those numbers would lead the Knicks bench and would be first in blocks.”

At 23 years old, Stewart would certainly be an intriguing target. Coming off the bench, he would have a sizable role and would have a major opportunity to be an impact player for the Knicks.

He has played in 16 games this season with the Pistons, starting in two of those appearances. In the 22.1 minutes per game that he has averaged, he is chipping in 6.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game.

Stewart has also shot 57.1 percent from the field and has knocked down 86.4 percent of his free throw attempts as well.

While he isn’t a big name, Stewart could be exactly what New York needs to take their defense up a notch. If they’re going to win a championship this season, their defense has to improve.

Expect to hear a lot of speculation and rumors about the Knicks in the coming weeks. Stewart could very well be an attainable option for New York.

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