Should Knicks Trade Defensive 'Menace' Miles McBride?

Miles McBride averaged 3.5 points for the New York Knicks last season, but was one of the team's better defenders.

There's a crowded backcourt on the New York Knicks roster at the moment, but there's still room for Miles McBride to make an impact going into his third season.

McBride, 23, played 64 games for the Knicks last season, averaging 3.5 points per game while playing just under 12 minutes a night. His offense leaves something to be desired, but his defensive prowess has kept him in consideration for minutes.

"McBride is a menace on defense, and Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has still only found him 1,132 minutes of floor time over the past two seasons combined," Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley writes in listing a potential surprise from each NBA team. "That speaks directly to the many challenges McBride has faced on the offensive end."

Miles McBride warms up for the New York Knicks in a playoff game against the Miami Heat / Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

It's no secret that McBride has evolved into a defensive specialist during the early part of his Knicks career. Given the fact that there is stiff competition in New York for minutes (Jalen Brunson, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Josh Hart), McBride is already behind the 8-ball when it comes to carving a path for playing time.

Earlier this offseason, SNY's Ian Begley reported that the Knicks had received trade availability calls on McBride.

"The Knicks have received calls on guard Miles McBride, whom they certainly value," Begley said. "Head coach Tom Thibodeau has always spoken glowingly about McBride when reporters ask a question about him. But McBride hasn’t gotten regular time in the Knick rotation to date due to a logjam at his position. So teams are wondering if they can acquire McBride, the Knicks’ 2021 second-round pick, via trade." 

While the team initially balked at those talks, it could be in its best interest to deal McBride and get some value in return for him if he's unable to crack much playing time.