The New York Knicks really are just focusing on winning right now and going from one game to the next. The NBA trade rumors, though, seem to have them making tons of moves before the deadline comes around in February. So far, they’ve been connected to trades for multiple guards around the league and even Dwight Howard . Now, word has it that they have serious interest in Brandon Jennings of the Detroit Pistons.
According to Real GM , this is more than just rumors and that the Knicks are looking at trading for Jennings more than just about anyone. He just recently returned to the court after rupturing his left Achilles tendon almost a year ago.
Making him even more attractive to the Knicks is that he has an expiring contract which could free up some money before too long.
The Pistons just signed Reggie Jackson to a five-year deal worth $80 million, and he’s having a phenomenal year. That makes Jennings expendable, and the New York Knicks are in desperate need of a good point guard.
Jose Calderon is currently starting for the Knicks, and Jennings could really add good depth and experience to the team.
It also doesn’t appear as if the Detroit Pistons would be too upset about letting Brandon Jennings go either. NBC Sports reports that head coach Stan Van Gundy was recently asked if Jennings could ever be a starting point guard again after his injury, and his answer was quite convincing.
“Oh yeah, I don’t think there is any doubt. Brandon is coming back well off of the injury and he’s a guy who just absolutely loves to play, loves to be in the gym. He’s still young, he’s still 26. I don’t think there’s any doubt he’ll be a starting point guard in this league again.”
That pretty much sums up how Van Gundy feels about Jennings, and there’s more too. Jennings made his 2015 season debut as the Pistons lost to the New York Knicks where he recorded seven points in 17 minutes.
Van Gundy was less then complimentary.
“He was all right, first time out there. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t bad. He was OK.”
It just doesn’t seem as if the Detroit Pistons have much desire to keep Brandon Jennings on the team considering what they already have. He’s still recovering from his serious injury and has a lot to offer any team, but it doesn’t appear as if it will be Detroit.
The pairing of Jennings and the Knicks seems like a match made in heaven, but there is one thing standing in the way, and that is Phil Jackson.
The president of the Knicks apparently has two issues, and the first is that he’s not sure what exactly could be offered by New York to Detroit. The other problem is that Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley Jr. becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2016.
He’s one of the better point guards in the NBA, and the Knicks may want to make a significantly strong run at him and not worry about Jennings right now.
It’s worth a shot, but Jennings could probably end up helping them out right now and this season. The Knicks are currently 15-18 and only a few games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, so they are far from being out of the race.
The Detroit Pistons are doing a bit better this year (18-15) and could afford to allow Brandon Jennings to go, especially since they have Reggie Jackson. Still, they’re going to want something impressive in return for the trade and the New York Knicks will have to provide it.
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