Alec Burks is Interesting Case for Knicks
The New York Knicks have been hyper-fixated on the center market for the start of free agency, but they likely have some focus elsewhere.
That focus could be on the future of veteran guard Alec Burks, one of the Knicks' few unrestricted free agents left unsigned along with Precious Achiuwa.
So far, rumors have been quiet on Burks, but as a role player who was with a team with other priorities, it's not a surprise to hear little.
The Knicks could very well be waiting to see what the center market gives them before deciding whether or not to retain Burks.
Burks, who turns 33 later this month, was traded to the Knicks by the Detroit Pistons along with Bojan Bogdanovic ahead of February's trade deadline. He played in 23 games down the stretch in the regular season for the Knicks, averaging a measly 6.5 points per game.
However, Burks was needed when the Knicks had to deal with a number of injuries during their second round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. He was in the rotation for the final five games of the series, where he averaged 17.8 points per contest, filling in a huge gap for the Knicks.
Even though the Knicks lost four of the five games Burks was in the rotation for, it was far from his fault and the results would have been much worse without his efforts.
The Knicks would definitely benefit from adding Burks, a proven playoff veteran, but New York would need to make some adjustments in order to make it happen.
Assuming the Knicks add a center and sign all four draft picks, that would put 15 players on New York's roster. Therefore, there would be no more space on the team for someone like Burks. However, the Knicks could get creative, potentially giving Ariel Hukporti, the No. 58 overall pick, a two-way contract instead of a standard deal. Another option could be keeping him in Europe for another year or two, allowing the Knicks to add someone who could help the team contend, like Burks might.
It seems unlikely for the Knicks to bring Burks back, but he would be a huge help if New York could find a way.
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.