Monday night's win against the New Orleans Pelicans was a sloppy one for the New York Knicks.
Their defense was substandard, and they were outrebounded 50-42, including 16-10 on the offensive boards. The absence of center Mitchell Robinson played a huge factor in the paint.
Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey took over the first quarter, scoring 23 points while knocking down four threes. Bey's scoring output is the main reason the Knicks are rumored to have interest in the five-year veteran.
Like Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges, Bey played college basketball at Villanova University.
Knicks urged to explore trade for Bey
Based on Bey's performance on Monday, which included six rebounds and six assists in 37 minutes, Steven Simineri of Sports Illustrated wrote Tuesday that the Knicks should explore a trade.
"The six-foot-seven rugged swingman is a career 35 percent shooter from long range, can defend multiple positions, and is under contract for next season at a reasonable $6.4 million. The Knicks reportedly showed interest in Bey at the 2023 trade deadline. He is financially attainable, and we all know [Leon] Rose’s affinity for Nova guys. Let's see if he took notice last night."
There's no room for Bey to start games with the Knicks, but he could be a valuable bench piece in the playoffs.
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