Knicks trade for Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks in deal that sends Quentin Grimes, picks to Pistons, per report

The New York Knicks are trading Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono and two second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal gives New York the offensive upgrades off of the bench that it had been looking for while reuniting coach Tom Thibodeau with an old favorite.

The Knicks have played very well since acquiring OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, but that deal cost them backup point guard Immanuel Quickley. Without him, the Knicks have been light on offense off of their bench. Now, injuries have started to pile up with Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle all out. If the Knicks were going to continue their hot streak and try to remain among the top seeds in the East, they needed another player or two for their bench.

In Bogdanovic, they’ve added one of the NBA’s very best shooters to a team that has placed an increased emphasis on 3-point shooting this season. Burks is much more of a known quantity in New York. He played for the Knicks during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, starting 49 games and averaging 12.1 points for Thibodeau during those two campaigns. He was ultimately cap dumped to help create the space needed to sign Jalen Brunson, but now he returns to New York to try to help lift their bench offense.

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The Pistons, deep in a rebuild, had little use for older veterans, but given their age and defensive limitations, they were unlikely to land much more than fringe picks for either. Instead, they get a young player who has been a proven starter in the past in Grimes. While he becomes extension-eligible over the summer, the Pistons have plenty of cap space to work with and a clear need for a defensive-minded guard. Grimes can immediately slide in as a reliable 3-and-D wing alongside Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham.

The Knicks and Pistons have been frequent trading partners over the past few years. The Knicks landed Derrick Rose from Detroit in 2021, and the Pistons helped facilitate the Brunson signing in 2022. Now they give the Knicks a boost as New York attempts to make its first real push for a championship under Thibodeau.