After a promising rookie season, Willy Hernangomez now serves as a role player for the New York Knicks.
In September, the New York Knicks tradedCarmelo Anthonyto Oklahoma City. TheyreceivedEnes Kanter and Doug McDermott in return, who so far have been key pieces in Coach Hornacek’s rotation. The addition ofEnes Kanter, unfortunately, has causedWilly Hernangomez’s minutesto decrease.
Now that Kanter starts andKyle O’Quinnis still the direct backup, why let a young asset go to waste? When the Suns were looking to tradeEric Bledsoe, the Knicksrefusedto let Hernangomez go. Phoenix wanted Frank Ntilikina as well, so it’s understandable why Scott Perry would deny such an offer, but why continue to sit a player with such potential?
Last season, Hernangomezaveraged8.2 PPG and 7.0 RPG in 18.4 MPG. These werepromisingnumbers for Willy considering he was such a late draft selection. This year, however, he’s only averaging 4.4 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 9.0 MPG. With his minutes cut by more than half, he’s practically becoming a non-factor.
Having four guys at the same position could prove to be a burden. Enes Kanter is a double-double machine. Kyle O’Quinn steps up when he’s needed, serving as a reliable rebounding and scoring option off the bench.Joakim Noahis making too much money for any team to want him. Like it or not, the odd man out is Hernangomez. As we know, Scott Perry has no interest in dealing the young prospect. But what if he did?
Melo’smove to the Thunderhasn’t left the largest hole at small forward for the Knicks. However, it’s forcingTim Hardaway Jr.to play out of position. This hasn’t held hisnumbersback, but New York would be much better off with Hardaway at his natural spot of shooting guard andCourtney Leeas their sixth-man. Lee’s veteran presence has had a tremendous impact on the younger players, while also providing the starting five with great perimeter shooting and defense. Not a bad resume for a potential veteran sixth-man.
If the New York Knicks are going to trade Willy Hernangomez for a small forward, it would have to be in exchange for another young prospect. The roster is in the midst of arebuild. Acquiring a middle-aged or older player wouldn’t do the team any good.
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Ironically, Phoenix is the first place I would look. Because they drafted Josh Jackson, it wouldn’t kill them to trade away T.J. Warren. Warren currently starts for the Suns,posting18.4 PPG and 6.0 RPG over the first 20 games of the season. On the other hand, Jackson holds a bench role andproduces9.4 PPG and 3.7 RPG. This is nothing in comparison to Warren, but Phoenix would be less willing to trade Josh Jackson based on the fact that he’s a 20-year-old rookie.
The Knicks should agree to take either small forward from Phoenix, it just depends on who they’re more comfortable trading away. The Suns undoubtedly have interest in Willy as well, so making a deal like this happen shouldn’t be that difficult.
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Even though Hernangomez is a good friend of KP, New York shouldn’t be holding themselves back by keeping four centers on the roster. A player with his talent should have more minutes, but the two guys in front of him on the depth chart fit the rotation too well. If Willy Hernangomez isn’t given more minutes, the Knicks need to consider dealing him for a talent they can utilize.
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