Should Knicks Bring Back Familiar Forward?

The New York Knicks could consider an old friend in free agency.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 24, 2024

Feb 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Houston Rockets forward Reggie Bullock Jr. (25) during a break in the action against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports / John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have some space open on the roster and it remains to be seen what direction they will go in with it.

An option that hasn't been explored yet could be to sign former Knicks guard Reggie Bullock, who played with the team from 2019-21.

Bullock, 33, has played in the league for 11 years after he was the No. 25 overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2013 NBA Draft. It took Bullock a little while to settle into the league as he joined a Clippers team ready to compete for the postseason that didn't need a rookie in the rotation.

Bullock was traded to the Phoenix Suns midway through his second professional season, and he played in just 11 games for the franchise. That summer, Bullock was dealt once again, this time to the Detroit Pistons, where he had the most successful stint of his career. Bullock spent four seasons in Detroit and eventually became a starting wing for the team in his third year.

At the 2019 trade deadline, Bullock was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers for another future Knick Svi Mykhailuk, who played for the franchise from 2022-23. The Lakers surprisingly failed to make the playoffs in LeBron James' first season with the team while he was teammates with Bullock.

From there, Bullock signed with the Knicks in free agency, but he had to undergo surgery on a herniated disc, which kept him out until January. In 2020-21, Bullock played in all but seven games and helped the Knicks make the playoffs for the first time in eight years. However, the Knicks lost to the Atlanta Hawks in a five-game series.

Bullock left the Knicks that summer to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, who made a run to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 where he started all 18 games in the postseason. He played one more season with the Mavs before signing with the Rockets in 2023-24.

Just two years removed from being a starter for a contender, Bullock could help in a pinch. He doesn't need to be that player, but his veteran experience and familiarity with Tom Thibodeau make him a potential candidate to sign.

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Published Jul 24, 2024

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.